When Sam goes on a gay website looking for romance, he finds more than he bargained for. Rejecting all the usual requests for hook-ups, he searches for something more sincere. And he finds it in the most unexpected of places, as he is drawn to the profile of a man in a faraway place. Amir, an Algerian descended from desert nomads, has posted a profile looking for the love of his life. Sam finds it amazing that a gay man born in the Algerian desert has the bravery to not only declare he is gay, but also to admit his dream is to find a husband to spend his life with. While Sam doesn’t consider himself the marrying kind, he starts chatting with Amir, telling himself he just wants to learn about another culture. His friends laugh at him, saying this man just wants to use him to emigrate to the west and take him for his money. But he refuses to believe it, sensing a sincerity he has never seen with anyone else. The two begin a dialogue that moves to weekly Skype sessions, discussions of religion and world politics, assistance with life challenges and, finally, a declaration of love ... and an invitation. Can these two men from vastly different worlds and cultures meet and find common ground for a romance? The challenges are great, and spending a life together seems like an impossible dream. While Sam’s friends continue to discourage him, he knows he cannot give up this man. Is Amir sincere, or is Sam being used? There is only one way to find out if Amir is really sincere. And Sam knows what he has to do.

Not on My Bucket List

“Come with me,” he begged. “Come back to my town. Stay with my family. I want you to meet them. We will not be able to sleep together, but at least we will be together.”


“But you will be gone all day,” I said. “You will probably come home tired.” Yes, and grumpy, perhaps. “I will be inconveniencing your family, as they will have to put up with me hanging around all day, but they don’t understand my language, they will have to feed me and you have told me it is brutally hot where you live. And you know my feelings about the trip being too dangerous for an American. No, I will stay here. I will be alright.”


“All alone? Are you sure?” he asked, knowing that I would stand firm on this.


Actually, I wasn’t sure at all. But I was sure it was better than the alternative.


On our last night together we walked along the shore at sunset, then went for ice cream. At least Algiers had ice cream parlors.


Chapter 37