Marilyn Koolstra

Our first conversation was over the phone where we arranged to meet for a coffee at a little pizza place near the Rivoli Theatre in Camberwell, which is iconic.

Our first conversation was over the phone where we arranged to meet for a coffee at a little pizza place near the Rivoli Theatre in Camberwell, which is iconic.

What stood out to me were his sparkly eyes and his Scottish accent, which he vows and declares is quite Australian.

What stood out to me were his sparkly eyes and his Scottish accent, which he vows and declares is quite Australian.

Physically, we were sort of of a similar height, you know, and fit.

Physically, we were sort of of a similar height, you know, and fit.

But the conversations that we had were the attraction to, you know, experiences, travel, reading books, enjoyment of theater and film.

But the conversations that we had were the attraction to, you know, experiences, travel, reading books, enjoyment of theater and film.

And I said, well, I'm on school camp. I'll call you when I get back.

And I said, well, I'm on school camp. I'll call you when I get back.

And so dutifully, maybe three weeks or so later, I called him and he said, oh, well, how about we go and see a movie? And I said, oh, yeah, I'd like to see that movie for weddings and a funeral. You know, I hear it's pretty good. And he goes, without hesitation, yes, that'd be great. And we arranged to go on a Sunday night. And so we met at the Rivoli Theatre.

And so dutifully, maybe three weeks or so later, I called him and he said, oh, well, how about we go and see a movie? And I said, oh, yeah, I'd like to see that movie for weddings and a funeral. You know, I hear it's pretty good. And he goes, without hesitation, yes, that'd be great. And we arranged to go on a Sunday night. And so we met at the Rivoli Theatre.

It turned out that it was the third time that weekend that he'd seen that same movie. Friday night, Saturday night, and Sunday night with me.

It turned out that it was the third time that weekend that he'd seen that same movie. Friday night, Saturday night, and Sunday night with me.

And I was the third woman that he'd seen that movie with.

And I was the third woman that he'd seen that movie with.

He didn't let on. He never told me the story.

He didn't let on. He never told me the story.

Unlike when you're young and you fall in love, you know, first sight, so to speak, this was a longer, sort of more gradual process. You know, as we spent time together, developed our interests, got to know each other, and it just evolved over, you know, 12 months.

Unlike when you're young and you fall in love, you know, first sight, so to speak, this was a longer, sort of more gradual process. You know, as we spent time together, developed our interests, got to know each other, and it just evolved over, you know, 12 months.