As for Joe's preference for maintaining such a lack of persona, perhaps his life is no more exciting or filled with quiet moments of desperation that are ours. It may have been that he simply prefers his own company to the company of the nine of us but was stuck with us for dinner and was too much of a gentleman to say so. Under the circumstances, whatever they should prove to be, Joe acquitted himself well. Then again, he may have been on a special assignment that tied up his days. It will probably be some time before the true story emerges. Be that as it may, Joe has done his job well, whatever it entailed.
On our next cruise, conversation should flow like wine. When the conversation lags, we can always talk about Joe. I don't see why not. It has never stopped us before.
the end