Solitude and loneliness are a natural part of life. It happens to everyone at some stage. It is not confined to the ‘social misfits’ or the ‘losers’ in society. Those perceived as successful, with abundant friends and progressive careers, they can succumb too. James was a case in point. He led an outwardly successful career, had several intimate romantic liaisons with beautiful women, but he faced a late middle-age crisis. The cumulative effect of those interludes from early childhood experiencing loneliness and despair and his naivety with the opposite sex were beginning to envelop him. Giving up became an attractive option. He pondered whether his destiny was to resemble the beauty of an artistic piece of Nottingham Lace or the miserable deathly trap of a Spider’s Web. James had chosen a path from a heavily restricted list. After college, he joined the RAF and then became a musician. Through several romantic encounters and raw sensual intimacy, James begins to learn that relationships with women go much deeper than purely the lust and the physical. A series of career transfers, failed relationships, lead to bouts of loneliness and solitude, driving him to the edge of sanity. At a crucial point, he was prevented from going over the edge in his darkest hour by his pet Alsatian. Finally, his anguish is resolved by a tragic mishap. This brings him back on track to reality before it became too late to recognise his first and only true love.
Ron Kirk, born in Nottingham, grew up on a post war council estate. Educated in what he colloquially called ‘Player Academy’. Fortunately for him he was to be blessed with a cadre of teachers who gave him the keys into the real world. During his formative years, he held executive and financial positions for such companies as the Anglo-American Group, Courtaulds and Mansfield Brewery. In his mid-forties, he changed to a fully-fledged entrepreneur. For example, he was a member of the team for the proposed acquisition for MG Rover, a prime mover for successful major acquisitions and ran his own businesses.