The Long Way Home

by Phillip Overton

  Chapter 25

  August 1987

  Friday afternoon couldn’t come around quick enough. For Doug it had been a whole week of worrying what news this afternoon’s meeting with Richard was going to bring. Painters had been busy since Wednesday repainting the front of the Mann Street real estate office so that Coastal Realty was no longer recognisable to passers-by. Richard himself had been interstate for the last month trying to put together a development project. Since selling the few remaining lots in the final stage of the Narara land release Doug was relying solely on private property listings instead of the new house and land packages he had structured the business around for Richard’s benefit. As a result sales had plummeted, through no fault of his own, which left Doug guessing that today’s meeting was all about Richard announcing that he would be returning to take over once more as manager.

  The last two months had been awful. Losing his Dad had been hard enough to deal with on its own, and then there were all the arrangements to have him laid to rest beside his mother. The plot that had sat vacant for 12 years in the Ryde cemetery, now contained his father’s body, and once again his parents were reunited back in northern Sydney. Not only did he have to take several days off work just before the custody battle for his son was decided in the family court, he also had to sit through the agony of hearing the final verdict that Rowena would remain sole custodian of Simon.

  There was no doubting in his mind that Rowena was a snake. She had fooled everyone that she was the victim of a personal vendetta that both Doug and Sally were waging against her. Her jewel in the crown had been the restraining order she was successful in applying for against Sally. Sally still felt terrible for losing control with Rowena on the day Simon had turned up to school beaten and bruised. Admitting she had driven to Rowena’s house that morning and assaulted her only sealed the court’s decision in Rowena’s favour, especially since Simon had changed his story and lied to protect his mother. They both could still not work out why he would have done such a thing.

  Rowena appeared like a saint in the court’s eyes by saying that she would only be too happy to drop the assault charges against Sally as long as she obeyed the restraining order the police had served her and stayed away from her family. Rowena left court with sole custody of Simon and a recommendation that she seek family counseling to deal with the distress that this ongoing dispute had caused. Sally had been suspended from teaching pending an educational review hearing this afternoon. Life just didn’t seem fair.

  The front door suddenly opened and in walked Richard Manningham followed by two other businessmen. All three men were dressed in nearly identical grey suits with only the colour of their shirts and ties distinguishing them.

  “G’day Richard.” Doug greeted him cheerily as he strode across the office floor to shake his hand heartily. “I was beginning to wonder when you were going to turn up.”

  Richard looked uneasily around the interior of the small office. In the five years since he had handed the management of the real estate over to Doug little had changed. He saw the same old faces, desks in the same places, walls and carpet the same colours only more faded and if you ignored the newer photographs in the listing boards of the shop window, the office looked exactly as it did five years ago. It was like stepping into the past.

  “You up for a beer mate?” Doug asked. “I can get us a few from the fridge out back, do your mates want one?”

  “I don’t think that would be appropriate.” One of the men standing beside Richard said disapprovingly, immediately stopping Doug in his tracks as he had already turned in the direction of the small fridge at the back of the office.

  “Good afternoon all.” Richard spoke uneasily as he glanced at his wrist watch. It was now well after four o’clock. Behind him one of the other businessmen turned the cardboard sign hanging on the heavy timber and glass door over so that it would read closed to those passing by on the footpath. “Sorry to keep you waiting until this late in the day. No doubt you would have noticed the outside of the building is being repainted, and I suppose you are all wondering what the point of this meeting is, so I’ll get right to the point. As of Monday this office will be under the ownership of United Way Realty, I have decided to sell the business.”

  A look of shock and disbelief spread quickly across the faces of the seven Coastal Realty staff. Nervously they looked across at Doug, trying to work out if he knew about this. By the dumbfounded look on his face it was obvious that he hadn’t any idea either.

  “Aren’t they a big real estate chain from Newcastle?” John one of the older sales agents that worked for Doug asked.

  “Yes that’s right.” Richard answered quickly. “Look, without making this any longer and more uncomfortable than it already is, I’m going to hand over now to Mr Robert Stevenson, the Managing Director of United Way Realty to say a few words.”

  “Thank you Richard.” Stevenson said with an immediate sense of distrust about him as he stepped forward proudly, leaving Richard to stand behind him staring ashamedly at the floor. “United Way have seen this as an opportunity to expand our real estate chain which to date has been based solely in the greater Newcastle region, we hope that this office here in Gosford will become one of many across the Central Coast. The signage on the front of the office will be completed over the weekend and come Monday morning we will begin trading under the United Way Realty name.”

  “Unfortunately along with this decision there will be many changes that will have to be made.” The other businessman standing beside him spoke now. He looked younger and far more cunning than Robert Stevenson and seemed to thrive on the immediate sense of dislike coming from his newly acquired staff. “My name is Nathan Wielder and as of Monday I will be taking over as the manager of this office in an attempt to bring it up to the standard that United Way expect of all its offices. To do this I need the right balance of people all working together, after going over sales figures for the last month it is with much regret that my first task here as manager is to let most of you go.”

  Doug glanced around at the horrified look on the faces of his staff. He couldn’t believe that on top of everything else that had happened over the last month he was about to be shafted along with those he had worked closely with over the last nine years, and on the night he was going to propose to Sally.

  “If I could have Mark, Jason and Doug remain behind please so I can talk to you further, then the rest of you are free to go. Your leave entitlements will be included in your final pay cheque next Wednesday along with four weeks obligatory severance pay. As of close of business today your employment has ceased along with the existence of Coastal Realty.”

  Doug watched the four other staff members slowly react, returning to their desks to collect their few belongings. The room fell silent as one by one they casually picked up their briefcases and the odd photo of their loved ones that had adorned their desk top and slowly made their way to the front door. Jill the receptionist burst into tears and was immediately comforted by John who placed and arm around her shoulder. Doug watched awkwardly as they shuffled towards the front door, there was no ignoring the fact that all of them were over 45 years old. Richard appeared uncomfortable as he tried to shake their hands and thank them for their years of service to the company, only John accepted, the others all quietly brushed by and stepped out onto the footpath.

  “Jason, Mark, I won’t keep it a secret, I’m going to need some local knowledge and experience on my team.” Nathan soon had their attention again. “The only reason I have chosen to retain the two of you is because taking into account your relatively young age, I believe in the long run you have more to offer the firm. Your sales figures, though not that impressive were amongst the better of the other agents you have just seen walk out that door. Be here at eight o’clock sharp on Monday morning and I will go over your new contracts with you, if you’re able to do things the right way, the United Way, then one day you could find yourself running one of our offices.
”

  “Thanks Mr Wielder.” They both answered like a couple of schoolboys kissing up to the teacher.

  “Okay, I’ll see you Monday then.” Nathan dismissed them before turning to face Doug. “Now Mr Small, I wanted to talk to you alone after the others had left.”

  Doug swallowed hard. Outside he could see Jason and Mark join the other four who were still standing in a daze on the footpath to the side of the building. Nathan had his back to them as they all slowly walked away down the street.

  “I’m not going to beat around the bush with you Doug.” Nathan began. “Come Monday morning this office will be opening as a branch of United Way Realty with me as the Gosford manager. I’m aware that you have been the manager here for the last five years, but we both know there can’t be two managers running the show now can there?”

  “So what are you saying then?” Doug asked, trying to mask the contempt he held for this snake who less than 20 minutes ago had waltzed in unannounced turning four people’s lives upside down and was now closing in on a fifth. “Do you need me to step sideways to become a senior sales manager or something more hands on?”

  “Actually Doug,” Mr Stevenson interrupted. “We have already filled our senior sales consultant position, we’re only prepared to offer you a position on our sales team, no different to the other agents. It will be a huge pay cut for you, largely commission based with a small retainer….”

  “What?” Doug blasted the two of them. “You want me to just roll over and give up my position and then dance for peanuts? Look outside in the street,” he pointed to the window. “Whose face do you see on the back of the bench at the bus stop across the road?”

  “I see a man responsible for a drop in sales of 40 percent over the last three months.” Stevenson now shot him down coldly. “In the last two months you’ve taken nine personal days off work, you are seldom available on weekends and have got this office over-staffed when its’ sales figures are at an all time low. The only reason we have agreed to retain you in any role has been as a favour to Mr Manningham. It’s only because of his recommendation that before taking over as manager for him you were one of the best sales agents in town.”

  “The offer stands.” Nathan finished the conversation. “Be here at eight o’clock sharp Monday morning or simply stop by next Wednesday to collect your final pay cheque, the choice is yours.”

  “Take the weekend to think it over.” Stevenson said. “Sometimes the best decisions aren’t made in the heat of the moment. In the meantime, I’d appreciate it if you could leave your keys to the office on the desk, you won’t need them anymore.”

  Doug shot a glance across the room at Richard who was still standing awkwardly, staring absently at the floor. It was obvious that the situation was now well and truly out of his hands. He took the office key from off his key ring and let in drop loudly on one of the solid wooden tables, turned and headed out the front door.

  The others were well and truly gone by the time he stepped out into the busy street. It was nearing five o’clock and in a few moments the shops would be closing for the weekend.

  “Doug wait up!”

  He turned to see Richard following him. His plans for the evening were quickly disintegrating around him, the last thing he needed now was for Richard to patronise him.

  “What Richard.” Doug snapped at him. “What is it, did you forget to say something? ‘Cause last time I looked you didn’t have too much to say, you seemed to leave that to your heartless friends back there after you pulled the rug out from under my feet. I mean c’mon, the reason the office is doing so bad is because of you. We concentrated for so long on selling your house and land packages and then without so much as an explanation you go cold on the whole idea and leave us to take the fall.”

  “It’s not like that Doug, please let me explain.”

  “Too late Richard, I’m over it now. Stuff the lot of you.” He turned his back to him and began to walk away.

  “Don’t listen to those sidekicks in there Doug, you’re better than they are. I was trying to do the right thing by everyone mate, but once I sold the place to them it’s really out of my control. If they want to run the place like a bunch of corporate do-gooders then there’s nothing I can do now to stop them.” Richard pleaded with him, it must have worked because Doug stopped and turned around to face him once more.

  “Remember my business partner Frank Lindley?” Richard asked as he took a few steps towards him, noticing that Doug had appeared to calm down.

  “Frankie from Coast Homes?” Doug asked puzzled.

  “Yeah well he did the dirty on me, wanted me out of the picture so he could bring a friend of his in on the deal. In the end I had no choice but to accept his offer and walk away, that’s why the house and land packages dried up. Our development at Narara was it, right now they’re ready to start selling their next development direct off the plan doing all their own sales and marketing.”

  “So why not come back to the office while you work out what to do next?” Doug asked.

  “No need to.” Richard shot him an awkward smile. “I’ve just launched Manningham Properties on the Gold Coast last week, but no partners this time. I’m overseeing everything myself.”

  “So you’re moving to Queensland then?” Doug asked, slowly coming to realise the reason behind Richard’s decision to sell off Coastal Realty. The casual acknowledging nod of his head was enough for Doug to understand there was no malice on his part.

  “I had to Doug, I needed the capital. Besides, I need a change in life and this is a chance for me to do that right in the middle of what is now Australia’s biggest boom area.” Richard seemed to relax a little more knowing that Doug was able to see things from his perspective.

  “So when are you leaving? Is there a chance we can get together one last time for a drink?”

  “I was hoping you’d ask that, the last thing I wanted to do was lose a friend in the process.” Richard sighed with relief. “You know I hope I didn’t offend you in there with the offer they came up with. I really pushed for them to retain as many staff as they could but in all honesty they were never going to retain you as the manager. These syndicate types always do things their way. But when they made you that offer, a part of me was hoping you’d tell them to stick it up their bum and walk out of there.”

  “I’d say there’s still a good chance of that happening.” Doug laughed.

  “See that’s what I like about you Dougie.” Richard playfully punched him on the shoulder. “Don’t worry about them, if you ask me they paid way over market value for Coastal Realty. It’s just the state of the real estate industry at the moment, there’s a huge shift towards franchised offices and the independents are being squeezed out or swallowed up. You’re a good agent Doug. Whatever you decide to do, I know you’ll land on your feet and before you know it you’ll be managing one of these fancy franchises yourself.”

  “Thanks mate.” Doug felt encouraged. “I’ll make sure I keep in touch.”

  “Look I’ve got to get back inside and finalise a few things with those morons.” Richard said as he extended his hand in a final gesture of gratitude for all the hard work Doug had put in over the years. “Thanks again for everything you have done during your time with the company and if there is anything I can do for you, please don’t hesitate to ask. Here’s my card, all you have to do is call. Otherwise if you’re ever up in Queensland, look me up.”

  “Okay Richard.” Doug shook his hand and took the card from him. “Don’t forget to give me a call before you leave, you owe me a beer.”

  Doug watched as Richard turned and walked back through the doorway of what used to be Coastal Realty for the last time. All along the street, businesses were beginning to close. The footpaths were beginning to swell with people making their way home for the weekend. The five o’clock parade of red buses began making their way down Mann Street towards the station where they would meet up with train loads of commuters coming home for the weekend.


  Doug made his way towards where he had parked his car in an alley behind the shops, conscious that he had to keep an eye on the time if he was to avoid being late for his date with Sally. He had made dinner reservations for 6.30pm in the Chinese Garden restaurant upstairs in the leagues club. It was the nicest restaurant on the coast. Meanwhile, hidden at home in his bedside cupboard was the 18 carat gold engagement ring with the most expensive diamond he could afford. He wondered how her education board review had gone this afternoon. It seemed a formality that she would be back teaching on Monday. After all, she had been paid to stay at home for the last six weeks. Surely that had been punishment enough.