Linda & Greg
“The year was 1985. Wham!, Culture Club and Madonna. Fluro socks, big hair and tight Faberge jeans were in. As was Smash Hits magazine. The ‘Penpal’ section was buzzing with talk of all the latest bands – who liked who – and the ‘what’s in’ of the 80’s.
It was there that Linda, 16, saw an ad from a local boy – Greg, also 16 who was looking for someone to write to and share stories with. So write away she did. Letters went back forth and then turned into phone calls. Photos were exchanged via mail – real mail – as in paper letters and printed images. (So different todays digital world of email and digital selfies)!!
Phone calls progressed to actually meeting up in real life – so, on October 19 1985, Linda and Greg both caught the buses that would take them to a shopping centre which was the halfway point between them. As Linda got off the bus, she saw Greg standing there – taller and thinner that what she imagined but just as cute!
They made their way into the shopping centre and found a place to sit down and chat – face to face – finally! By the end of this visit, they decided on seeing each other and this was the start of a sweet teenage romance. Linda would find ways to get out on weekends to see Greg play soccer or to just hang out together.
Although they both went to different high schools, the end of the year saw them both attend one another’s high school breakup formals – a great chance to meet each other’s friends and to share such a memorable time of their school lives together. Dancing to ‘Careless Whispers’ by George Michael is something that will always remain in their memories.
6 months later – a fairly long time in school age romances, Greg decided that he needed a break and they broke up. Heartbroken, Linda let him go, but only on the promise that they stay in contact and remain friends.
Remain friends they did – even when seeing other people, moving house or just life changing from school to work – they always remained in contact. Linda never forgot to send a Christmas card, Greg would phone from time to time. They would even bump into one another at different places – Linda’s work functions that Greg would turn up to with friends that also worked there; the time that Linda had to run an errand for her manager at another branch of the same company – Greg was there at the counter when she walked in!
When Linda broke up with a long-term boyfriend, Greg was the one that she confided in and talked to about it all. When she started seeing someone else, he did all he could to convince her that this guy was not for her and to perhaps rethink going out with him.
She and Greg started going out with the same group of friends socially – purely in a platonic manner – and loved going clubbing and hanging out together. When the guy that Linda had been casually seeing turned up at the same club one night, Linda knew there and then that she didn’t really want to see him anymore and Greg helped her hide until the guy left!
On the way home that night, something changed – Linda went to kiss Greg goodbye – on the cheek – and when he turned at the last-minute, his lips brushed hers. Yes, there were sparks.
The 15 minute drive home was a long one, filled with lots of crazy feelings and thoughts and Linda did not know what to think of it all.
That week, she invited Greg over for pizza and to watch the footy at her place. Her best friend, Trish was coming over with a friend of hers and it would be nice to be all together.
And to try and work out what was going on between Greg and her.
Friday night arrived and they all had a laugh and heaps of fun. When Trish and her friend left for the night, Greg decided to stay to chat a little more. When it was time to walk him out, he suddenly turned around and kissed Linda – fully on the lips – and there was no mistaking this time what that kiss meant. He turned and said “I may have let you go last time, but this time I will never let you go”.
This was the start of Greg & Linda v2. They saw each other often and just fell in love all over again.
On October 19, 1996, whilst camping in Wilsons Prom in southern Victoria, Greg proposed to Linda. Just like that – not planned – he just said what he was feeling and said that it felt just right.
Yes, it was exactly 11 years to the day that they first met. They only realised the date and its significance when getting it engraved on their engagement rings!
A year later they were married in a traditional Greek ceremony and the reception that followed was a party that was talked about for years to come.
The next year saw them work hard to save and finally purchase their first home. Months later, they finally moved into the home that they renovated together.
The following year, they welcomed their first child into the world – a beautiful blue-eyed little girl named Serena; Annalise followed 8 years later – another girl who looked just like her big sister.
Today, they often reflect on the last (nearly) 29 years that they have known one another and love telling the story of how they met.
And yes, Linda still has that very copy of Smash Hits magazine tucked safely away in a treasured box of keepsakes.
How You First Met 