Cruisin' on the Edge (Part 3) Dinner Companions

For Part 1 Click HERE
For Part 2 Click HERE

I requested traditional early dining at a large table.

When I checked onboard, I had "anytime" dining.

I went to the maitre'd before we sailed to request 

to be changed, (always a hassle) but this time

I was easily changed to a table for 6.

So the first night I go down for dinner. 

At the table are a couple, Pat and Gene,  

and a single man, whose name I heard as Pete.

My heart kinda sank, and I thought "Oh, no. 

Not this again."

Then the other two arrived, Terri and Dick.

Dinner was pleasant enough.

By the second night Pat and Pete, who were

go-getters, had arranged for us to be

moved to a coveted table by the windows.

When I arrived Pete was waiting outside to 

direct me to our new table and

  very kindly told me his name was actually Keith.

He was much younger than my suitors on the

last cruise and, uh, I def wasn't his type!

(Nor he mine.) HaHaHa

Pat and Gene were from Fort Lauderdale by

way of Jersey, I think. I sat next to Pat every night.
They had been married 57 years, long enough she
said that "she could have killed him and already
been out of prison by now!"

Gene was a fine gentleman, so kind and helpful to me.

They were very near my age.

Dick told us he was 68. Terri was much younger.

She told us she was 5 years old when he graduated.

They had been married only 3 years.

He was a truck driver, and Terri cleaned houses.
Dick told us that he was ready to retire when he fell in
 love with this younger woman who liked "nice things."

It was so sweet--they wore their wedding attire

for formal night--she a pink long dress, and 

he a pink tie.

Pete Keith was from Baton Rouge.

He had lost his wife to cancer last October.

This was his second cruise since her death.

He had the premier drink package and was 

determined to take full advantage of it and
consume every drop every day!

He had been an air force then a Continental pilot.

From his language, I would have assumed

a sailor.

The second night Pat told Pete Keith that she had

found him a girl. He was very interested.

The third night Pat told us the girl she had found

and her friend were going to stop by.

Soon these two girls walked up to our table.

That night it was just Pat and Gene and Pete Keith

and me.

So we met them, Cynthia and Dottie, they chatted

a minute, then asked, "So where is Mr. Available?"
Ohhhh, noooo.

They thought Pete Keith and I were a couple!

(Um...quite the opposite of Dick and Terri!)

Anyhoo, the girls sat down for a while with us.

The next night they dined with us.

And the three of them were inseparable after that.

Dottie was actually married. Cynthia was not.

Both were travel agents.

Dottie treated Pete Keith like a little brother.

She would call him down about his language--

especially around me!

They told him he needed to trim his eyebrows,

and HE DID!
I liked Cynthia and Dottie a lot.

The last night Keith got us a table for 8, but

Dick and Terri didn't come.

Here is a picture Pat sent to me, taken by a waiter.

 Left to right: Dottie, me, Gene, Pete Keith,
Pat, Cynthia

and just Pat and me:

Pat, Dottie, and I all bought rings!

*********

So many this trip.
I just hope each and every one of them
saw Jesus in me.