Doug Davidson from Young and the Restless
Credit: Howard Wise/JPI

“I’m getting used to not working!”

In case you missed it, there’s been a total lovefest unfolding on the Twitter feed of Doug Davidson. Even as The Young and the Restless’ erstwhile Paul has dealt with the emotional fallout that comes with having been shelved after so many years, fans have come out of the woodwork to express their appreciation for his past work and offer encouraging words about the future.

More: Could Paul return? Why it’s ‘not going to happen’

But as he reflects on the four-plus decades during which he played Genoa City’s crime-solving, mom-loving, secretary-teasing Paul, Davidson admits there are a few things he won’t miss. Topping the list? The commute.

“For 20 years,” he tweeted, “I drove two hours to work… I still don’t know how I did it!”

Paul’s on-screen wife and Davidson’s off-screen pal Lauralee Bell (Christine) shared during a recent chat with Soaps.com just how crazy his commute was. “That’s a lot of time going back and forth,” she said, “especially if you’re only going to wind up shooting a few scenes.”

More: Young & Restless alum shares big news

Despite not seeing one another on the set, Davidson and Bell remain tight. “We talk almost every day,” she says. “I don’t think people realize just how close we really are!”

Meanwhile, Davidson also seems to be enjoying his hard-earned, much-deserved relaxed schedule. “I’m getting used to not working,” he admitted. And how does he pass the time? “Gardening, and when I get tired, I garden!”

One thing we never get tired of? Reminding the folks at The Young and the Restless just how loved and missed both Davidson and Paul really are. And on the off chance they’re sitting around scratching their heads, thinking, “But what stories could we tell were we to bring them back?” the gallery below features just a few of our ideas… which they are welcome to borrow!