How the L-driver from hell cheated death ... and then knifed her

MAUREEN'S STORY

MY mother was very strict and wouldn't let me go out much, so I hadn't had many boyfriends. When my friends suggested I go on a blind date, I was very excited and made a big effort to dress up. I wore a bright pink skirt with very full petticoats underneath and the highest, thinnest blue stilletto shoes. My hair was in a bee-hive.

At the ballroom, all the girls were one side of the room and the boys down the other. My friends pointed David out and I thought he looked lovely.

Half the night was spent looking at each other, then he came over to me and said: "Dance?" I said: "Yeah." That was it - not very romantic.

He went to London and I couldn't stop thinking about him. As soon as he got back, we saw each other every weekend.

We would go to the pictures or the local dance halls. The first film we saw was Gone With The Wind. I loved it, David hated it.

I was very worried about the age gap - I'm three years older than David - and I started to worry that everyone was talking about us. I wrote him a really nasty letter telling him it was all over.

The night I posted the letter some of the worst snow storms ever hit Wales. Two nights later I was in the bath when there was a knock at the door.

My mum told me there was someone to see me. David had hitch-hiked in the snow to come and tell me not to worry. After that I changed my mind.

I remember when he proposed. We were at my Mum and Dad's house on a Saturday night watching the Black and White Minstrel Show.

He just said: "Well? You know what I'm asking." He didn't even get on one knee...it was so unromantic. I was flabbergasted, but I accepted immediately. Then I discovered I was pregnant and we had to bring the wedding forward. We didn't tell anyone, especially my mother. But I think she guessed.

I was just beginning to show when we married. It was a bit of a scandal - but, let's face it, these things have always happened. We were going to be together anyway. Those first few years of marriage were very tough. We argued more than anything. We had no privacy in my mother's house. I was torn between my Mum and David all the time.

We argued a lot, but we stayed together because that's what people did in those days.

When we finally had our own house everything fell into place. Even though we had scatter cushions to sit on and ate baked beans for tea, things felt easier. But many women will know how hard it is to be stuck in a house all day with a baby. I found I got depressed for a while.

One day, I sat down and told David how I felt. It was one of the first times we realised that you have to be honest and talk things through.

We agreed that I would get a job, so I could get out of the house. I started to do cleaning and had up to three jobs during the evenings. The cash was useful too.

About 10 years ago, I was working late when I suddenly collapsed in terrible pain.

I was taken to hospital and they diagnosed cancer of the uterus. It was a terrible time for us, but David was marvellous. I had to have an operation and chemotherapy, which makes you feel sick and awful. All my hair fell out.

David took over everything - and looked after me. I don't know what I would have done without him. Fortunately it has never come back, although I have check-ups every year.

The cancer changed my attitude to life. You stop taking things for granted, and realise how precious everything is. I remember waking up in hospital and thinking: "Mo, you're alive." And I decided that if I survived I was going to do something with my life. That's why I started to learn to drive. I want to set up my own domestic cleaning business and I need to drive to get about.

David has been so good at supporting me. Of course, we argue - everyone's seen that. In fact, some of our worst rows have been during the driving lessons. But once they're over, we just laugh at get on with it.

We'll always row, it's just how we are. I think I've learnt to curb my temper a bit now. Though only a few years ago, I was so angry, I stabbed Dave with a carving knife.

We were arguing while I was in the kitchen, I just went for him and hit him in the shoulder. Fortunately he had a thick coat on and it was only a surface wound. He shook me until I dropped the knife.

I couldn't believe what I'd done. My daughter calmed us down from that one. She went to the video shop and brought back the film Psycho and told us to watch it . We just laughed it off then.

The programme has changed our lives. People recognise us all the time now and it's lovely.

Although people think we row all the time, we do get on. I don't believe in being lovey-dovey all the time, that's false. But being in love is about thinking about the other one and looking after them. David is always on my mind and we're very happy together.

DAVID'S STORY

I MET Maureen on a blind date in 1964. A couple of my mates were dating two of her friends and they suggested I should come along. They said they knew a really nice girl who hadn't had many boyfriends.

I was just 18, working for a builder and having a wild time. Every weekend we would drive around the Valleys, going to the dance halls "girl-hunting".

I'd had girlfriends but it was usually love 'em and leave 'em for me.

That Saturday night we'd travelled quite a way from mid-Wales to Penarth, near Cardiff, to meet the girls at the Paget Rooms.

I first saw Maureen from the other side of the dance-floor and I liked what I saw.

After a few drinks, I asked her to dance and we jived and twisted. Then the slow dances began. We smooched and then we began cuddling and kissing.

I think it was her smile which made her seem different. After the dance we went for a walk along the pier, then we stayed at her friend's house - separate rooms, of course.

That week, I was going on holiday to London with some friends - but it drove me mad. I couldn't get Maureen out of my mind. I sent her a postcard and then, as soon as I could, I went to see her.

From then on we quickly settled into seeing each other at weekends. She would stay at my house or I would stay with her. We both still lived with our parents.

We'd write to each other during the week and every Wednesday at 7pm, she would go to her local call box and so would I and we'd talk on the phone.

One evening the following January, we decided to get married. I didn't exactly propose. We were planning to marry later when Maureen discovered she was pregnant.

It was a bit of a shock, but didn't make that much difference. We had to try to keep it from her mother until after the wedding.

The wedding was fantastic and we then headed off for our honeymoon, staying at guest-houses around North Wales. It was the first time we'd been together for so long and it was fabulous.

Our first three years of marriage were very tough. We were living with Maureen's family in their small house in Cardiff - five adults and a baby.

Leyton our son slept in our room. I suppose it was the biggest test of our marriage.

We rowed a lot. I felt very trapped - it wasn't my house, I was young and we had hardly any money.

It was so horrendous that I admit there were times when I thought about walking out, but the thought of never seeing my son again kept me there.

After a variety of jobs, I got a good job at Spillers mill with some more money.

A month later, we moved out and from then on things started getting better. Times were hard, we had no furniture and we bought everything on HP. But it was our own home and we worked together.

Our daughters Mandy and Hayley were born and we gradually had enough money to go on holidays abroad - our first was to Austria.

All through our marriage, Maureen and I have rowed. We're well- known for it.

It's always about silly things and then it escalates. Sometimes it's come to blows.

"I remember one day we were in the middle of a huge row. Maureen picked up a wooden clog - a holiday souvenir - and chucked it at me. It hit me on the head and she turned and legged it out the door. I chased after her, shouting that if I caught her I would strangle her. She stayed at her mother's that night and the following morning came crawling back to apologise.

I've realised over the years that arguing with Mo is like adding fuel to the fire, it just gets worse. I've learnt to shut up and then she goes on until she gets it out of her system.

But I don't really mind the rows - it's such good fun making up. After a big row, we'll look at each other, laugh and go to bed. We never let rows linger and neither of us sulk.

We had a terrible time when Maureen had cancer. I had to learn to do things like all the cooking and cleaning,which I'd never done before, and take her backwards and forwards to the hospital.

I thought she was going to die and leave me with three children. I was terrified. It made me appreciate her even more.

It took a lot of courage to go through what she did and I'm so proud of her for being so strong.

That's why I'm so patient with her driving. She needed the practice and the support, so I kept with it.

When she passed, I couldn't believe it. That's been her ambition and she's done it now.

We've been together for 32 years and we're still in love. I think our marriage works because we give each other space to do our own thing and we trust each other.

Copyright 1997 MGN LTD
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