Return to Clare
'As one door closes and another door opens' as the saying goes and to say that I was living that saying would not be too far a stretch of the imagination. To put you in the picture, it was just over six months ago (November 2013 to be more precise) that I was made redundant from my accountancy position which was quite a set back for me on a number of fronts, as it is for most people. Fortunately I had been able to get some contract work with a number of local real estate agencies which, happily, combined my professional background with my passion: photography; I did some of their general office and book work as well some real estate photography. A win/win situation, as it were.
But that was not the only reason that could be attached to my living the saying. The main reason was that it directly reflected all the negative aspects of redundancy against the major positives in my private life and my sex life in particular. As previously outlined in these chapters, a sex life within my marriage was virtually non-existent and, coupled with a myriad of other relationship factors, I suddenly discovered my neighbour, Michelle. By discovered, I mean she and I kind of stumbled across the realisation that we were both in similar situations regarding our respective marriages and found mutual camaraderie in each others arms. A wonderful relationship had blossomed out of a chance encounter earlier in the new year of 2014 and the sex that entailed was 'fucking' amazing, for want of a better phrase.
That was the one door opening, but one door soon became four. During that intervening time, leading up to Easter and the end of Term 1, I had also had the wonderful and surprising experience of fucking my hairdresser one glorious Monday morning (as well getting my hair styled), I had discovered a interesting family connection with my neighbour across the road (a neighbour of 30 years) Daph, who I also had the pleasure of stuffing all three of her orifices with the prospect of more to come, and then there was Clare.
The statuesque Clare; approaching six feet tall (when bare footed), 38 inch bust and curves to make your mouth water and jaw drop (and visa-versa). Michelle had introduced me to Clare as part of our plan to go, together, on the music tour Clare was arranging and leading as part of the music departments development program Clare had implemented at Michelle's son's High School. Michelle was keen for me to participate, offering up my photographic and video editing skills in return. Clare was keen to have access to my skills as well (in a paid capacity to boot), and as it turned out, she also got access to my crotch, not that I was/am complaining.
All in all, it had been quite a start to the year. The next step on the journey was a return visit to see Clare on what had dawned to be a rather warm to hot Autumn day, which was a complete contrast to the day before, when I had been with Daph; a day marked by wintery blasts and rain squalls from the south. However, before that enjoyable part of my day (seeing Clare) I had to negotiate another, and what I hoped to be a short meeting, with my outplacement mentor, Abby. Her 'services' were part of the redundancy arrangements but I inwardly felt as if she was just a well paid set of walking platitudes. I was determined that any thoughts of
that
meeting were not going to darken my attitude toward what was to come after. I would just deal with Abby in my usual professional manner and get away from there at the earliest possible moment.
The morning traffic had been kind and it was just after 9am as I drove into the car park adjustment to the shopping precinct in Lane Cove. By the time I walked to the cafe where I was to meet Abby I knew I would still be early but that suited me as it would give me time to get my head into the right space. As a consequence of the warmth of the day, I had dressed in summer-like wear; jeans and a fitted shirt would certainly do for both meetings.
I grabbed a table at the rear of the cafe and ordered a large cappuccino. As I waited for Abby to arrive I reviewed my collection of documents I had ready for Clare and literally demolished the coffee...it was one of best coffee's I had tasted in a long while.
"Hi Ray," Abby's arrival surprised me, I was too wrapped up with the music tour information I had with me. "You look engrossed?"
"No, no, I was just making sure I had some bits and pieces with me for my next meeting. How are you?" I was not going to fall for her bait and start divulging all.
"I'm good and thank you for agreeing to meet me." She sat opposite with her back to the open expanse of the cafe. For some reason she reminded me of a head on a stick which always made me smile inwardly. Not that she unattractive. Obviously someone thought she was a good sort if the wedding ring on her left hand was anything to go by. She had shoulder length auburn hair which she usually worn out. She dressed in a professional but not overly formal manner which I assumed was to give her clients a sense of her casual yet professional business approach to her work and their needs. She had a round face, a long thin neck and slender body, which is probably where I got the head on a stick impression from.
Over the years of my accountancy career, I had usually worked locally, predominantly for manufacturing companies and my last position was no different. It was due to this exposure to manufacturing that I had had the glorious misfortune to have been made redundant six times (including this one). As a consequence, I had been through this out-placement routine a few times, as well having to contend with the circus that I labelled recruitment agencies. To say I viewed people like Abby and recruiters generally as being on the same level as used car sales people (apologies to all the car sellers who might be reading this) gives light to my general attitude to what they have to say. Every now and then they
do
give some good advice but usually, after the first five to ten minutes, you get the understanding that due to age and the wealth of experience (and the dollars that goes with it) that I 'will be a hard person to place'... blah, blah, blah.
"Do you want coffee or anything?" Abby asked as she pulled out her file mark 'Ray' and placed it on the table in front of her.
"I might go tea this time. I just had a coffee, thanks."
She ordered for us both and then opened her file and started asking the usual questions to get up to date with what I was doing, interviews I had been to and the like. I answered fully, not wanting to completely waste her expertise, while she nodded and made notes. As this part of the meeting unfolded the cafe quickly began to fill with groups of mothers with prams, out for a morning coffee with the girls after dropping older siblings at school or pre-school, or older couples grabbing an early morning tea before heading to the banks or grocery shopping. The steady rise and fall of numerous conversations together with the chink of cutlery and cups on saucers all served to make a pleasant back drop to what felt like an arduous task for me.
"Are you okay?" She asked, noticing my attention was starting to drift.
"Yep." I answered, a little more abruptly than I would have liked.
"You seem preoccupied." She probed. Our order had arrived which acted as a brief circuit breaker.
"I'm good...and thank you for the tea, by the way." I milked and sugared my tea and drank deeply.
"You don't seem it?" She insisted. "You don't seem to be in a co-operative frame of mind?"
I bristled at that despite not wanting to. The whole cycle of professional rejection and words blowing in the wind had taken more of a toll on me than I cared to admit.
"What? I have answered all your questions, given you all the information you require to 'get up to date'...what more am I supposed to do or tell you? Are you expecting me to give you wild embellishments just so that these chats become more interesting?"
"No, of course not." she replied evenly. "You're being rather immature about this though. I asked you here, after reluctantly agreeing to take a break from our original weekly meetings, to help you move on but you seem reluctant to embrace this opportunity in a professional manner..."
