Q: I was bummed out when Lucas left "Days of Our Lives." I am so excited he is returning. How does the actor feel about his return, and being let go and asked back so many times? — Anita in Dayton, Ohio

A: A more mature Bryan Datillo, who played Lucas on "Days of Our Lives" on and off since 1993, just signed a long-term contract and is thrilled to be back and grateful for being given another chance. He told Soap Opera Digest that he did not appreciate the job when he had it.

In very un-actor-like mode, Datillio owns up to sometimes not behaving as well as he should. He is thrilled that the cast members who recall his last days on the show are welcoming him home with open arms.

Case in point is Alison Sweeney (who plays Sami on the show), his character's long-term girlfriend and his eventual wife. Datillio says he was touched when she agreed to help him go over his lines. Sweeney helped him deal with the intense pace of a soap opera. While Datillio does not say what his bad on-set behavior was, he says he is truly sorry for it and cannot believe he is being given another chance.

Perhaps another reason for the actor's delight at being back on the set is because for the past two years he has been building sets on the Sony television lot. "Oftentimes when I was working and it was hard work, someone would recognize me from the show." Datillio says he was always thrilled when he was remembered. He also says it made him realize how lucky he was to have had a job like that — a job he again wanted.

One day, "Day's" Executive Producer Ken Corday saw Datillio on the Sony lot. Corday asked Datillio what he was doing, and he said "working on a set." When Corday inquired what set, Datillio responded: "No, I'm not acting on a set. I'm building one." At that point, Corday was trying to revitalize "Days" by focusing on past characters. With Will, the son of Datillio's character, coming to terms with being gay, Corday thought it was natural to bring back Lucas.

Datillio says that when Lucas returns on February, he will be a much different character. Lucas will be an adult who realizes he must take care of his son. For years, the only thing Lucas took care of was himself. He didn't do very well with that, either. Not only is Lucas Will's father, he is Kate's son, Bill Horton's illegitimate son and Jennifer's half-brother, so there should be lots of storyline for that character.

Chance meetings with Corday seem to work for former "Days" stars. Several years ago, Susan Seaforth Hayes (Julie) had been off the show for years. She was at a gardening store when she saw Corday. He asked if she wanted to come back on the show. Yes, she wanted to, but thought Corday was not serious. She was wrong. He wanted Julie and her husband Doug (Bill Hayes) back on the show. That was over a decade ago. Doug and Julie are still going strong.

To find out more about Lynda Hirsch and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate web page at www.creators.com.