L is for Look-a-like.
Someone was taking a keen interest in Don and was looking out for him coming to the house. Don was a look-a-like for someone.
( a bit of diversion before I get back to my plot? )
A few days ago when Don was not feeling well and when he came home, one person caught sight of him.
Receiving a very good look at him, she decided that he was a look-a-like for a literature character she was currently fascinated with.
She was very excited, "Oh my, oh my!" She quickly went inside the house.
Gwennie, the squealer, told her sister that she saw a Darcy look-a-like. She went on and on about it until her sister followed her outside to have a look.
Don, by that time, had gone in the house.
They went back inside. Abby took her binoculars and went to Cherry's front window to look inside the house. After getting no view of the 'Darcy look alike,' they gave up.
The two ladies were Abby and Gwennie, better known as Misses Abigail and Gwendoline Blumyer. They were temporarily staying with their friend, Mrs. Watson, a neighbor of Alan's.
They came to California from Montana to visit a sick Uncle and had extended their stay with their childhood friend, Cherry Watson. Cherry was currently out of town and told them they could stay as long as theywanted. Cherry was like a sister to them, since they all had lived in Montana during their childhood. Cherry moved to California when she met her husband. He was killed in a road accident five years ago. They had no children, and her very close friends, Abby and Gwennie, were practically family to her.
Cherry was pleased to know they were coming, but she was committed to a Church outreach program in a remote part of South America and would be back in two weeks. She made them promise to stay until she got back.
Miss Abbie was a member of the Montana Bird Watching Club, and Miss Gwennie, the die-hard romantic, was a member of the Literature Club back in Montana.
Abby, a naturalist buff, loved bird watching and could stay in one spot for hours waiting for a particular bird. Gwennie, with the same patience, could sit for hours watching, not for birds, but for another kind which fascinated her to bits.
She claimed to be a hopeless, die hard romantic. Since their current club's group discussion was on the works of Jane Austen, Mr Darcy of Pride and Prejudice, was Gwennie's favorite subject.
She spotted Don one day while doing some light gardening in Cherry's small, neat garden. She leaned over the hedge when she saw a big, black SUV pass by.
Being curious, she stood and watched as the SUV drove into the nice big house. She saw a man get out turning as he sneezed.
Like a slow motion picture turning in Gwennie's head, her heart leapt when the man lifted his head. "Darcy!" she exclaimed and time stood still for her. Soon the man went inside and didn't come back out.
Since Don was sick, he was in bed or on the couch most of the time, and Gwennie, who was hoping for another sight of her so called look-a-like hero, had no success.
She knew he came in the 'big black wagon' as she called it. She kept a lookout for it daily.
Her waiting was not in vain. She saw the 'big black wagon' from the porch early one morning while she was preparing for her morning walk. Now, she had the opportunity to walk by the house and have a clear look at the young man.
That morning was the second time she spied 'Mr. Darcy," a k a Don Eppes, in Charlie's house.
She started her morning walk and wished a 'good morning' to Mr. Floyd who was also walking his dog.
She purposely walked passed the Craftsman stood there for a while staring at the man who looked like her hero, Mr.Darcy. She mentally dressed him in Mr. Darcy's clothes. Clothes that showed off his debonairness, ' ooh… such vision.'
Back to the present, she saw that he was dressed in sweat pants and a black tee which had seen better days. With his hair still wet, he was quite a sight. She daringly went nearer and saw the man talking to an older gentleman, whom she presumed to be his father. She gave the older gentleman a nod when he looked at her. She smiled when he returned her nod with a small wave and a smile. 'Oh such a polite man' she thought and went on with her walk.
She cut short her walk and quickly went inside the house. Abby was having breakfast.
"Abbbeeee…. You know that handsome man I was looking for, he's here…." She squealed to her sis Abby who was quietly reading a nature book on birds.
"Abby, he's here, Mr. Darcy's look-a-like." Gwennie said, sitting down beside her.
"Is that so? did you have a good look?"
"Yes, and I saw his father too. I nodded to him. Such lovely men, both of them."
"Umm," Came the reply.
"I wonder what is his occupation. He looked so strong. Do you think he could be a marine? He might be, you know. His hair is cut short. Maybe it curls when it's long."
"Um hmm."
"Or do you think he's a famous Hollywood star, you know like Rambo?"
At this, Abby looked at her sister, "Since when do you know about Rambo?"
"Oh, you know, the younger ladies were talking about Sylvester Stallone and his Rambo movies. He's such a big macho guy with heavy artillery and rippling muscles."
"Hm." Was all Abby said.
"Well, what do you think, Abby?" Gwennie persisted. "What do you think he does?"
"Gwennie, since you're so interested, why don't you go across and ask him yourself?"
"Maybe I will!" she replied and helped herself to piece of cake.
"You're not serious are you?"
"Serious."
"No way, people will think you're cuckoo or an old nosy woman. Why do you want to know what he does for a living? It's none of your business. If you ask, I'll pack, and we'll leave immediately." Abby was cross with her inquisitive sister. This was not the first time she was interested in someone who resembled any of her heroes.
"Okay, don't get all ruffled up. I just think he's cute and macho at the same time. Can't I just go across and make friends with him?"
"Oh Gwennie, you're as old as a grandmother. Why are you still behaving like a young girl going goo goo over a handsome young man."
"Not any young man, Abby, only the ones who resemble literature heroes.
"Oh…. I give up!" Abby said. Then she asked, "Why don't you follow me to one of the parks they have around here. We can pack some food, have a picnic, and you can do some bird watching with me."
"But I want to watch Mr. Darcy."
"Gwennie!"
The End.