It was their first night at sea, and after Larry and Pete finished their dinner, they went their separate ways, Larry to the casino and Pete to the bar.
It was still early when Pete walked in so he had his choice of seats and chose to take advantage of one of his favorite pastimes: people-watching.
Cruises are excellent for observing, especially in the evening. Some guests wear their finest while others opt for shorts and flip-flops.
Pete wore tan slacks, sandals and a Tommy Bahama shirt covered with colorful exotic birds. As he sat sipping his Scotch, two middle-aged women entered, smiled and sat a few stools away. The first was short, maybe five feet, with close-cropped salt-and-pepper hair, wearing a bright red blouse and white slacks.
The other was taller by half a foot, with shoulder-length auburn hair and a full-length, floral dress that hugged her curves, accenting her ample chest and round rump.
They both wore their make-up in the modern style, with smoky eye-shadow and brightly colored lips. All in all, they were both attractive and eye-catching. They ordered their drinks and Pete noticed them looking at him and smiling.
When he caught them looking, the shorter one said, "Oh, sorry, we were just commenting on your shirt. Very colorful!" The taller one nodded in agreement.
Pete looked down self-consciously and smiled. "Thanks. I only get to wear this stuff on cruises. Back home it looks out of place."
"Where's home," they asked.
"New York City," he replied.
"Really? What part?" the tall one asked.
"Queens."
"Funny, so are we."
The conversation continued with them comparing notes about neighborhoods and restaurants. Pete introduced himself and he learned the short one was Leslie and the tall one was Fay. Within minutes they were conversing like old friends, despite their age differences. Pete had just turned thirty and he estimated the ladies to be late-forties to early-fifties.
They were both living in Florida now, where the cruise originated, so they were curious about how things had changed up north. When they asked Pete about cruising alone, he told them about Larry, his friend who enjoyed gambling and was doing just that as they spoke.