How Danny and Margie Met (Margie's version)

Margie’s recollection of how she and Danny met.

1971

It was school holidays in January 1971, just before I was about to start my final, HSC school year - a daunting and unwelcome prospect.

I was invited to a party at the Northbridge Sea Scouts Hall in Sailor's Bay Rd organised by an "in-crowd" of former lower north shore, private school / Sydney University types to farewell a friend who was leaving to work in New Guinea.  

Margie Robinson, 1971

I came with a date who was not very interesting but over the summer I had been very attracted to his water-ski speedboat.  I remember dim lighting, loud music and everybody dancing with everybody else making it easy to escape and meet other people. 

Many of my school friends were there but particularly, Colleen Cogan, a beautiful girl with black hair down past her waist, blue eyes and an ability to always find mischief and generate maximum fun.  She was talking to a very sexy guy with long, curly dark hair, super trendy glasses and a fabulous smile with white, perfect teeth.  She introduced me to Danny. He smiled a lot and talked with great animation.  I thought "very, very cute"!  Unfortunately, he was completely focused on Colleen. 

The party ended.  My date took me home and that is the last time I ever saw or heard from him.  Danny pursued Colleen with great enthusiasm (even baking fabulous cakes to impress her mother). 

School had gone back when he invited Colleen on a Saturday date with a group of his friends to a trendy, German restaurant called the Hofbrauhaus in notorious Kings Cross.  Colleen's father was a cop and very strict with her.  As usual, she did something crazy and he grounded her before the big date.  

Lunchtime at a girl's school is full of gossip, fairy tales, opinions and plans.  I would have told Colleen that I liked Danny so she suggested to him that he ask me on the date in her place which, surprisingly, he did.  I was sixteen years old and the thought of going to the Cross, to a beer hall with a university student was utter sophistication.

Danny picked me up in his gleaming clean, white utility wagon.  It was amazing to have a date with a guy who had his own car!

Danny and his mother, Danila, outside the family home at Northbridge standing next that white Valiant ute that so impressed Margie on their first date

He met my parents and, for my mother, it was love at first sight.  Colleen had been tactful and had not told me I was the substitute date.  Danny was not quite as smart and admitted in the car that I was choice number two. I was not pleased.  Despite this unfortunate lack of understanding of the young female psyche it was a fun, cool, boozy, grown up, sexy, first date. We have the photos to prove it.

Daniel and Margie:  first kiss on their first date at restaurant Hofbrauhaus in Kings Cross, 1971

That was the end of Colleen and the beginning of our fabulous courting days.  Danny tutored me in maths so I could scrape through my HSC exam; we went to beaches and drank champagne in the heat; we drove to the Blue Mountains listening to Cat Stevens' tapes in the car; we lit open fires in the bush and barbecued steaks stolen from Danny's parents' fridge; we consumed a mountain of crap food and vinegary wine at the new, trendy Pizza Hut.  After nearly 40 years together we are still doing the same things (except for Pizza Hut).  

Danny and Margie at Wentworth Falls, Blue Mountains with friend Ailsa Morgan on one of their many picnics in the area, 1972

Danny was, and still is, just as he seemed the night of the party.  He is handsome, intellectual, sexy, kind, loving, loyal, honest, responsible, exciting, innovative, caring, dependable, fun and always interesting.  He still has his beautiful hair and teeth and smile. 
I have loved him more and more as the years go by and the party continues.

You can also read Daniel's version of how he and Margie met here.