Rowland's Park, Part 2
by Sally Gray

Doug from Number Six

When Doug left to go to the gym, he'd noticed the little saloon car parked next to his MG.

He imagined that it must belong to the new owner of number three...Julia or Judith... something like that. Mrs. Penney the rather eccentric old dear from number one had enlightened him that morning as he left to drive to the bank.

Doug Fletcher, tall, slim and athletic looking...every man envied him and every woman yearned for him. Indeed he appeared to have all that one could possibly want from life, apart from the swarthy good looks, he had a good job in the main bank in the nearest town 15 miles away and was never short of an attractive female hanging onto his arm.

Doug had, it was rumored, been married very early in his twenties and evidently, divorced a couple of years later. He had then charged at life like a bull in a china shop, he'd climbed to a high spot in his career and had bought the largest flat in Rowland Park, word had it that the décor had to be seen to be believed.

It would have probably been easy to dislike him intensely but he also possessed an easy charm along with a good solid sense of humor, certainly the residents of his building would always stop to pass the time of day with him ...Mrs. Penney, bless her, seemed to positively drool whenever she spied him from afar!

Doug arrived back from work and climbed the smart staircase two at a time. He put down his attaché case as he fumbled for his front door key and then he was in, cushioned by the one place where he could be himself, not the suave charismatic 'playboy' but Douglas Dresden, 31 years old, never lacking female or male company...but lonely nevertheless.

He grabbed himself a cut glass tumbler and filled it with ice-chips then he topped it with a single-malt. Kicking his Italian leather shoes off he collapsed onto the recliner tugging at his Ralph Lauren tie simultaneously.

Friday night...the usual routine, shower, change and meet some of the crowd at the new wine bar in Dentley, next they'd go on to a club ...he'd probably fall back into his bed around 2am, sometimes alone, but not often, sometimes he'd see the young lady again, maybe not!!

There was though, a good heart that beat within this young successful man, not a week went by that he didn't see his parents. He'd take his father for a Sunday lunchtime drink and would give his mother chocolates, flowers or a little trinket to show he still cared.

He, Doug had moved a lot further along life's road than Bill and Audrey Dresden .His parents didn't have an excess of cash but some how they seemed to have more...each other. They were immensely proud of their youngest good-looking and rich son but they both secretly harboured a wish for him to settle down and have a family...surely at 31 he was getting too old to jig around night after night at a club with someone on his arm who yes, looked beautiful, but couldn't string a few intelligent words together to save her life!

Doug peeled off his clothes and stepped into the large power shower, the warm jets of water did their up-most to re-energise him for what ever the impending evening threw at him and an hour later after splashing on his Armani and putting on a pair of pale blue Levis and his favorite designer shirt he was ready. Doug turned on the Tiffany table lamp and picked up his keys...locking the front door as he left, he descended the staircase at his usual two stairs at a time. As usual, Mrs. Penney his most ardent fan just happened to open her front door as he was passing.

" Hi there Doris" he grinned his lop-sided grin at her

"We shouldn't keep meeting like this, people will talk!"

Doris Penney chuckled, went pink and gave him a loving slap on the shoulder. That had set her up nicely for the evening, she could sit down and spend a very pleasant few hours now, remembering the good times when every good looking man from miles around had wanted her for his own.

As Doug let himself out of the heavy Georgian front door, he collided with a nest of copper curls.

"Oops I'm so sorry" apologized the owner of the red hair

"I moved in this morning and I'm just getting the last few things out of my car".

"Doug" said Doug, putting out his hand in a welcoming manner" You must be from number three"

"Jessica" she replied, holding out her hand in response

"Nice to meet you Doug".

He explained that he was from number six and told her that if she wanted him to introduce her to the other residents, he would be glad to help.

"Mustn't keep you, you're obviously on your way out" said Jessica, thinking at the same time that he was even more gorgeous close up.

Doug glanced at his watch and pulled a face, "better be off, the others will be waiting for me" he replied.

Saying their goodbyes, they went their separate ways.

For an instance, Doug wished he wasn't going out tonight...life at Rowland's Park suddenly seemed to have gone up in his estimation!

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