And Then the Monarchs Flew Away

Book excerpt: At the age of thirty-three, Bill Mason is a popular fishing guide in Key West. Though successful, his journey had not been easy. He was orphaned at the age of eight; at fourteen he was a runaway, making his own way in the world. In Key West he found his calling on the fishing boats. He also found a lovehis wife, Beth. Edgar Stanky has just retired. Reflecting on his forty-year career in business, he wonders if he has always lived the right life for him. Intent on making the most of retirement, Edgar and his wife Ariel, move to Key West where they find an exciting new lifeand, where they form a friendship with Bill and Beth Mason. Suddenly, Bill is stricken with lymphoma. Confronted by his mortality he searches for something to believe in as he battles the disease. His struggle takes a bizarre turn when he experiences otherworldly visionsperhaps indicators of a higher level of consciousness. He becomes almost manic in his compulsion to share the mystical nature of his passing with Edgar.