My ‘yearly’ column sometimes surprises me. What am I on about? Early this week was my wedding anniversary: 41 years. As my dad used to say, you could have murdered someone and been out by now.
Old Mate and I met nearly 43 years ago and, previous to that, my dad had said jokingly: “If you ever get married, don’t marry a Pom.” So, of course, what did I do? I married a Pom.
Now, dear old dad died before we got married, but I was simply amazed at his backflip on the above advice. To see him talking to Old Mate, you’d think he was advising her on how to keep his son happy. But what he was actually doing was trying to explain to her what she was getting herself into. He actually felt sorry for her.
I imagine if he had had a chance to make a speech at the wedding, this is what it would have consisted of: “Why would you marry my twit of a son? He can’t fold a tarp, a shirt or a pair of trousers. He can’t make a bed properly. He can’t cook, but what he can do is eat and whine at the same time.
“And, he is also very good at spending money. Good luck.”
So, I think that would have been a fairly accurate assessment – a big turnaround from not marrying a Pom.
I really wished he would have been there, no matter what he said, as he gave me everything I ever needed and more, and managed to do it without having much coin – just hard work and good morals.
I was way too selfish as a young man. I wish he would have lived long enough for me to have realised that and had the chance to apologise.
If he was alive today, he would be 108 and would be truly amazed by two things: that he lived that long and that me and Old Mate were still married. I pretty much feel the same way. I am chuffed that we are still together – and a little surprised.
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Sheila has proved to be more resilient than I expected when we first met at Mooloolaba Surf Club at Easter 1983 when I first walked up to her and stood there with a dumb look on my face and not much sense. So, nothing much has changed there over the past four decades.
Thank you, Sheila, for giving me a family that I love and constant advice that I need. As we always say: “We deserve each other.”
Ashley Robinson is chairman of the Sunshine Coast Falcons and Sunshine Coast Thunder Netball, and a lifetime Sunshine Coast resident.
