The Gym’s empty this morning, and even the breakfast buffet is a little slow.  I wonder where everybody is?

Well, I find out when I get to the pool deck.  It’s sunny and warm, and it’s packed with folks.  I slide into one of the hot tubs and listen to a very opinionated expatriate Brit (to Canada) bitch about immigration.  We have a lot in common, and he introduces me to a new word: wood louse, meaning an idiot.  It’s how he describes Obama.  I don’t argue with him.  Once I get pruny I try to sunbathe a little but of course Murphy’s Law is in effect and it’s raining within 15 minutes.

Then I’m stupid enough to actually hit the martini “U” again, and again they make them very strong.  I drink again with Reiner and his wife, Sonja.  They’re great fun, and I’m joined by a gal who is coincidentally almost a next door neighbor of mine just a few miles away from Satellite Beach.

Now, I have this problem.  It works like this: women think I’m a nice guy.  Of course, the supermodel types don’t care about nice, but the heavyset women do.  Why?  Because they know that a guy with big wads of money isn’t going for a fat chick, but maybe a nice guy will, so they follow me around like I’m a Pied Piper.  I want to just tell them I’d be happy to be friends and hang out with them, but I’m not totally sure how to broach the subject.  I don’t want to hurt their feelings or presume anything either.  After all, I could be wrong and maybe they just want a drinking buddy…but I seriously doubt it.  In truth, I guess if I was a really nice guy I’d just tell them I’m not interested and/or available and that would be the end of it. I guess that could mean I might lose a friend, but at least everyone would know what the roles are.

Anyway, this girl has been hanging out with me, and she’s a great gal.  BUT I have no interest in her…or any of the other single women for that matter.  Am I supposed to make a public announcement?  I’m flattered, of course, but I just have no desire for her at all.  But she puts on her best dress tonight and I think she expects me to take her to dinner.

Just for the record, I haven’t tried to flirt with any of these women AT ALL.  I just talk to them like I would a man friend, and that is just too much encouragement, I guess.  I think I should have said something on Day 1 like, I’m married, or gay.  No it wouldn’t be honest, but it would have been a clear signal.

So I tell her I’m eating alone, and I think it hurts her feelings.  And I feel guilty about it!  I don’t think I should, but I do!

But I still enjoy the Magic show after dinner and get a decent round of applause at karaoke.

I get to my room and the safe is broken, again.  And they send someone to fix it…again.  Bummer.

Tomorrow we see land for the first time in 9 days, and I think everyone’s looking forward to it.  I know I am.  A week on a ship is just too much of a good thing, really

Postscript/edit: I am ashamed of myself.  I hurt someone’s feelings with this story, and I apologize to her.  I shouldn’t have mentioned this subject at all, and I think it should be categorized under “insensitive jerk who thinks way too much of himself” instead of lifestyle/travel. Better to have kept my mouth shut and be thought a fool than to open it and remove all doubt.  I am very sorry to who I hurt with this.  I had no idea you’d be reading it, but I shouldn’t publish anything here that I wouldn’t share with the person I’m talking about openly.  Lesson learned.