Belinda had bought this girl to Youth Group, mainly to get her out of the house for a night, this quiet freckled face little girl. I took one look at her and pretty much fell in love with her on the spot. Mandy and I became instant friends and in time, we were boyfriend/girlfriend. This was very hard for me to comprehend considering how I had found it so hard to make friends for so many years. Here I was, with this girlfriend, who could have any boy she wanted, and she wanted me. Mandy and I were inseperable. If there was ever one couple who were known in the town, it was us.

Mandy and I worked at Coles in Mount Isa on Thursday nights and Saturday mornings. We went to see a movie almost every Friday night. Youth Group was every second Saturday night. During the week, if we didn't see each other, we would be on the phone for 2 or 3 hours every day. Mandy and I even took a ride out to Lake Moondarra on our bicycles. Not taking any drinking water with us was a HUGE mistake. I paid dearly for a couple of days for that, as Mandy didn't speak to me..

Mandy and I broke up sometime in 1983. We still keep in touch. Someone said to me once "You never forget your first true love" Mandy was my first and will always remain my first true love. Since we broke up, Mandy has been married, separated and divorced and is now happily living with her boyfriend Jack. Together they own a lattice and fencing company. Jack knows the history of Mandy and I. He knows that Mandy will always be one of my special ladies. Also, that I will always be there for her if she should need me.

In 1984, I decided to get out of Mount Isa, leaving my home, my family and the few friends I did make. The hardest part about leaving though, was leaving Lady Mandy. But, I moved back to Brisbane.