2. Annette was embarking on
one of her grandfathers
assignments, and this one she
really wanted to go well.
She was to host a social
gathering, and it was to go
smoothly. And she had invited
both her groups of friends,
from the Club and the Street.
3. The Barrow twins didn’t
seem sure about Megan
but were being politely
aloof. Megan thought
they were snobs, and
Malika was feeling
pretty intimidated.
4. While Annette tried to get the Barrow
twins and Megan talking, Malika and
Gerald found themselves chatting. He
seemed less unapproachable than the
Adam and Alicia, friendly even.
5. But they found the
atmosphere around
them was making their
own conversation
strained. It was a bit
awkward, and both of
them wished they had
met elsewhere.
6. Annette was struggling.
She could only seem to
get either Megan or the
twins smiling at any one
time.
If Megan found something
funny, Alicia would turn
away affecting boredom. If
they discussed something
equine, Megan would
glower.
7. Her gathering was a disaster. After a little while, no one was talking to anyone else. It
wasn’t just her grandfather who would be saddened by this failure. Annette felt torn
too. She had really wanted all her friends to get along.
8. She hid in her room for a
bit when they all left,
nursing her
disappointment. But she
got up and poured out all
her woes to Peps. Her
horse might not
understand what was being
said, but Annette felt better
having said it all out loud.
9. Spotting her daughters mood,
Ariette tried comforting her at
breakfast. No matter what she was
going through, Vickers were
winners. Harry might have lost
them almost everything, but you’d
never have guessed from meeting
him.
Things would look better after a few
days.
10. Flats – Potter and McKirrick
Jennifer Potter
Jennifer Potter moved into the Street with her ex-
husband Pablo Martinez, whose last name she has
since dropped. They had planned to start a family in
the suburbs, but found getting pregnant difficult. Jen
had given up a promising political career to be a
mother, so found this failure harder to bear than
Pablo.
He didn’t in fact want children, and had a string of affairs to escape
responsibilities at home. Jen forgave him the first time she found out, after being
told by the Baileys. The second time however, enough was enough.
Since their split, Jen has found herself in financial difficulties. She moved into the
small, oddly shaped house that was the last built in Deasil Street, which she rents.
It’s conversion into flats is a source of concern to her.
She hopes to get her career back on track now her dreams of having children are
beginning to fade.
She is on good terms with everyone on the Street, and is particularly close to
Teresa whom she turns to in times of crisis.
11. Flats – Potter and McKirrick
Angus McKirrick is the most recent occupant of
Deasil Street, having just moved into the surprise
upper flat above Jen Potter.
He moved to Deasil Street following a split with a
long term girlfriend, who had had enough with his
semi-nomadic lifestyle. Angus rarely lives in a town
longer than a year, getting bored quickly.
A writer for hire, he usually works for local newspapers on opinion pieces,
sometimes reporting on smallish events.
What he really likes to do is write screenplays. His proudest moment was
when he favourite sci-fi show used his work for one episode. It didn’t get
particularly impressive ratings though, and has yet to be repeated.
Angus is very relaxed about everything, including clutter and hygiene. How
well he fits into Deasil Street has yet to be seen.
12. Angus hadn’t left his flat for a few days. To the casual observer like Jen, it would see he
was pretty lazy. All she could hear was sports from his TV, and the only movement on
the stairs was take-away deliveries. But to be fair, he had moved in just before his
rugby team were due to play in the finals.
13. In actual fact, he wasn’t just a waste of space. A
professional writer, he always has several projects
on the go. Right now, he was penning a review of
the invasive forms of advertising during televised
sports fixtures. But his real love was science
fiction, and was always sending off screenplays to
his favourite shows. It wasn’t just work, it was a
vocation.
14. With his article finished, he decided it was
probably time to go and meet his neighbour. He
wondered about sprucing himself up a bit, but
given their proximity she would see him a bit
dishevelled more often than not. Why worry?
15. Jen let him in, and they sat
down to have a chat. But it
was clear they didn’t have
much in common. Jen
wasn’t impressed by his
dirty jeans or scruffy beard.
He was a bit put off by her
attitude, especially as she
was no better than him.
She was living in this cheap
building too.
16. Jen let him out with a heavy
heart. It seemed her suspicions
were correct, she was sharing a
building with a person who
wasn’t quite up to her standards.
She wasn’t being a snob, she was
no Ariette. But her reduced
circumstances since the divorce
seemed to be bringing her into
contact with people she wasn’t
comfortable with.
