I enjoyed your story. Enjoyed because it is well written and it gives me insight into someone's life. It is not as you say about Gerald, but enough questions are raised that you most certainly could write that.
Phillipe i feel for because friends have moved away, or died. Yet, I also have hope for him because he continues to see a future, rather than wallowing fully in the past. Nothing wrong with a good wallow, now and again. But Phillipe is ready to go out and make new friends and there is no reason why he couldn't.
Thanks for this. I did enjoy reading it.