James Rockton is ready to die. In fact, he plans on it. Having lost his life partner to AIDS, he books the South Pacific cruise Richard didn't live to share. James will spread Richard's ashes at sea, and then slip overboard to join him forever. He’s too old and too heartbroken to continue on alone.<br><br>But James doesn’t count on meeting a young man whose parents constantly put him down. Then there’s the obviously gay young art dealer who ogles a crazy young photographer traveling with an older gay man about James’s own age.<br><br>James and Herb begin spending time together, trying not to laugh too hard or get too involved with these young men, who circle each other in rapidly shrinking orbits. After all, James and Herb are old, with gray hair and less stamina. With time, talk, and martinis, will love manage to find them, too?

Fade to Gray

We were standing off Fanning Island today and were supposed to tender in, but due to piss poor planning and frequent squalls with rain and high winds, most of us had three- and four-hour waits. It was very frustrating. Some crew managed to get away early, including Devon, as I found out later.


I went in after lunch and wandered around. It reminded me of Africa when we went there with the Peace Corp. Nothing. Nothing but grass and trees and, of course, in this case, water all around it and in it, as it is an island. The dock lands us in the village, which is just like where we went all those years ago, with outdoor plumbing, thatch-roofed wooden or tin houses, barefoot children, and fat old women everywhere. I realize there’s nothing else to do, but there are so many little children!


Chapter 14