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But then one day, while researching business opportunities
in Zambia, Paudie stumbled across the same internet bulletin
board. He noticed Frances’ name and decided to make contact.
“Fancy meeting you here,” he wrote. Frances was surprised to
see Paudie’s name, but pleasantly so. They were soon regularly exchanging friendly emails, until Valentine’s Day, when Paudie made the mistake of referring to their brief romance. The mere mention of them as a romantic item made Frances’ stomach drop and her protective walls sprung into action. She emailed back with a scathing article she had written about how much she loathed Valentine’s Day and all it stood for. “I thought that would put him off for sure,” she says, “but I think it had the opposite effect.”



Instead, Paudie wrote back saying maybe they should
consider exploring the possibility there might still be something between them, and even put forward the idea of meeting in person. “I was thrilled, but terrified. I can still feel it.” says Frances. “I had been through a wringer backwards; I was just keeping my head above water, but finally finding myself and my writing again. My little house was full of colour and individuality − I didn’t want to ever compromise that − it had taken me so long to find and like myself again. I was also 52, not the pretty 23-year-old he knew before and I hadn’t allowed a man near me for years. Besides, I didn’t think I would survive rejection again.”


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So they spent the next seven months in constant contact,
with Paudie reassuring Frances of his intentions, and, most
importantly, building her trust, starting with emails, then instant messenger and finally, very long phone calls. “If it hadn’t been for the internet, there’s no way it could have progressed the way it did,” says Frances. If I hadn’t had all those words from him – that stream of emails coming in, assurances, reassurances… there was something about it all being down in writing that made it easier for me to trust him.” For Paudie, it was the first time they spoke to
each other on the phone that confirmed their connection. “When we first spoke on the phone in March, I certainly felt as if those 30 years had never happened. It was like yesterday. We clicked very quickly; it was very potent and very obvious when we first spoke.”



Despite everything, the romantic in Frances still held out a glimmer of hope and eventually, she gave in to her unbearable
curiosity. Paudie planned a trip to his best friend’s 50th birthday in South Africa, where his old band was planning to reunite for the party, and decided to coincide the trip with a stopover to see Frances in Perth. If things worked out well, he suggested Frances accompany him to a UK reunion of 200 people who had reconnected on the same bulletin board as they did, and where Paudie would also play with a band again.


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