Gang of Graybeards

Six high school alumni (five old football teammates and the woman of their individual and collective desires) gather for their thirty-fifth reunion. Unmarried and unencumbered, they immediately bond for self-protection. They have obvious similarities; each is alone in the world, each has been moderately successful, and each views the future with despair as little more than a looming middle-class retirement for however long there may be remaining. Each of them dreads that outlook, and fervently longs for an adventure which would serve as a catalyst for spiritual renewal. They share these and other feelings at a campfire late one evening after the reunion. Just after the reunion, one of the Six proposes an idea for the group's consideration. It is nothing less of an adventure than commission of the perfect crime. He offers his definition of the perfect crime and comes up with a potential candidate: Piracy at sea. The group leader painstakingly establishes the "reasonableness" of the proposal. Upon discussion, the Six agree as a whole to study and plan the idea in detail but, at this stage, without commitment. The study and planning include workshops in Philadelphia, at a ski lodge over Christmas, and introduction through mastery of the skills necessary to manage a fifty-six foot sailboat in blue water. The planning sessions were initially little more than a good excuse for a party, but as the weeks wore on a burgeoning seriousness of purpose developed. During the process of the training and study, the Six gradually evolve toward a decision to actually conduct the crime. Despite their detailed planning, the actual crime is complicated by numerous failures including a devastating storm at sea for the sailboat, the near loss of the services of the vital seaplane, a missed cruise ship departure, and a fire in flight as they approach the final rendezvous with the sailboat. The robbery complete and the rendezvous with the escape sailboat effect