Christy

20 years on from this trip and I've been married almost 17 years (in January). Christy first appeared in my life, and this story, when Oz and I were invited out by Sarah Verbe to meet up with some of her friends. The pub was the Station Hotel in North Sydney directly opposite North Sydney train station. This pub has been renovated since those days and is barely even noticeable underneath the back of the Greenwood shopping centre and pub. I digress.

Christy going for a night out

Christy - erstwhile gym instructress

Christy was there and was introduced as Sarah's best friend. We all chatted and drank but as the evening went on it appeared that Christy was close to one of Sarah's other friends. Oz and I baled out early-ish, he was hanging out for Beth's imminent arrival and I was pleased to have met Christy but disappointed that she seemed to be taken. Anyway, being from Texas I'm sure she didn't understand a word I said.


I don't remember the next time we met up but it may have been at a pub in the Rocks (somewhere near the present-day Argyle.) I'm sure it was another event that Sarah invited us to. It gradually became clear that Christy was single after all. At some point over the following days or weeks I must have asked her out and our first official date was to be going to see De La Soul at the Hordern Pavilion on 12th October 1991. I remember the date as it was Christy's sister Sarah's 4th birthday. It was also the day that Beth arrived in Sydney to join us for a few months.

Christy and her mum's very handy run-around

The evening before (11th October for those of you that are a little slow) Oz, Christy and I went out for a curry (it was possible that others were there) and Oz, salivating at the thought of Beth arriving the next day, scooted off home early. Not sure why he left us alone but he was probably stopping at the chemist on the way back and making sure that his sheets and undies had been freshly washed and ironed. The result was that I stayed at Christy's place in Elamang Avenue, Kirribilli, that night and we had an impromptu first date the day before our official date (!).

Elamang Avenue

The following morning I was spotted leaving by Christy's brother Jeff who was arriving with his little sister Sarah. The scary thing is that Christy was 24 and Sarah was turning 4. Now it's Sarah that is 24.

Christy and I became an official item when she was introduced to Beth, Hels and Kate shortly after. I must admit though that I was very used to my single-ness at this time and did feel at times that I was being stalked a bit. I wasn't used to someone calling me at work a couple of times a day for a chat and then calling me again in the evening. It was on one of these calls to work that I answered the phone with " Hello, Gary Clark" and there was a pause on the other end and then Christy said "What did you say?". I was used to her not understanding my accent but I thought she'd understand "Hello". "No, what's your surname?" she said. "Clark". "Oh, my god" she exclaimed. Her older sister Kim was engaged to Richard Clark(e)!!!


More of Christy later.....