| Loud, abrasive and totally loveable. Murray was fresh out of high school and teaching high school English in Fiji. We ended up roommates in 1970 and thus began our reign of terror, beginning with a two act play that we wrote, produced, directed and starred in
called "Holy Hell". Murray was born to be on the stage, and has settled down into a life of acting roles. He hated NZ when he returned there after one year in Fiji. While finishing his Masters (Polynesian/Mealanesian
anthropology specializing in Fiji) at Otago he would flee back to Fiji to teach at QVS on and off. But that all changed when he ran into Inemoa and found his anchor. He tried teaching in Tonga,
he tried teaching in South Auckland. He has had a pocketful of schemes including importing taro from Tonga to NZ, growing free range chickens in Tonga.
The big hand of fate stepped in (if you'll forgive my mixed metaphor) and off they went to Adelaide to help his brother-in-law "transport" jewels into Australia from Asia.
That led to his own import shops featuring Asian handcrafts bought dirt cheap and sold, with the help of his silver tongue, at a bit of a profit.
We flew over and visited our enterprising young man in 1988. He was in the middle of trying to get the contract to supply high-rise apartments going
up on the Gold Coast with cane furniture. And had plans to move to Perth, that never happened. Then there was the sausage kiosk franchise scheme.
Oh, did I forget to mention that he has had a historical novel published and that when he isn't off to Nepal, he is selling health products.
And he has published a children's book, Nu Shoes that can be found in almost every Australian Primary school.
Update Marriage fell apart and he was cut loose from his anchor. Ended up in Sydney where he became a spin doctor for a politician.
And then he ended up in the Phillipines where he is a professor, complete with scooter.
Update 2008 - Marriage number 2 to a Filipino.Update 2013 - Moved back to New Zealand where plans to live out his days as a native.
Update 2019 - in Rome protesting to the Pope about priest coverups (photo).
Update 2020 - survived liver cancer getting a transplant (article). |
