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

“What?” Herb stared at the two women in their cheap, flowered tops and elastic waist shorts. He turned to me. “Acknowledge, move on,” he muttered and winked at me.


The ladies left together, bound in friendship, shooting matching glares back at Herb.


“Now they have a common enemy,” Herb said. “I’m going to Hell, aren’t I?”


“We’ll be on the same bus. Yes, I was there. It was gruesome.”


“So are many of the outfits on this ship.” Herb grimaced. “Including,” he nodded to the two retreating backs, “theirs.” He shivered. “Oh, well. As long as the bus to Hell is not like that one on the first tour I went on. The seats were made for kindergartners, I’m sure. I had my knees up in my face.”


“I like a good knees-up,” I replied with a perfectly straight face.


“Those poor old hens,” Herb said. “I do feel sorry for them. I wish there was some way to help.”


“I have moolah. I’ll put some on their bills.”


Chapter 26