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MICHAEL VERPLAK
(Michael Antonius)
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BORN: 31/03/1941 (Nijmegen)
Immigrated to New Zealand in 1960, hence to Australia. RESIDENCE: A secret location in Victoria (Australia) OCCUPATION: Civil Engineer (retired) MARRIAGES: Judy West Wendy Buckler (31/12/1970) Jennifer Schaddock (30/06/1967, passed away in Granada, Spain, 20/09/1969) |
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Michael and Wendy married on 31/12/1970, at Wendy's home in Kew. They were happy for many years, but after their divorce Michael made excuses for having married her... that he needed someone to take care of Nicolai and Misha (his then small kids with Jennifer).
Click here for a more recent photo of Wendy (U3A WAVERLEY) |
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Antoon, Frans and Hanny visited Michael & Judy in the hot summer of 2011, after a long afternoon of searching and enquiries.
The weather was extremely hostile, temperature of +50c with strong winds and sandstorms. The reception was also extremely hostile, especially Michael towards Antoon. Michael refused to shake hands with Antoon, mumbling something about 'hate letters'. The only hate letters Antoon knows of is the one from Michael (scroll down this page) and a solicitor letter demanding money as settlement which Antoon understood was settled. |
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Birthday Card from Michael to Hans in 2013.
ABC OPEN 500 words - A writing challenge Message reads: TRUE STORY TIME: THE DYSFUNCTIONAL VERPLAK FAMILY. (Hans probably never saw an episode of those programs). Antoon took up this challenge 3 years later (not knowing about this card), but in 500 words? |
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Life Experiences
Netherlands, New Zealand, Australia, New Guinea, India. After having immigrated to New Zealand where he further educated himself at University, moved to Australia and worked as Civil Engineer for various companies including the Snowy Mountains (NSW) and the Hydro-Electric project in Tasmania. Antoon visited him there in Burnie and Devonport. We also did walks on the Cradle Mountain. His work also took him to Papua New Guinea and India. Education Kleuter Klas / Bewaar School (Kindergarten) Lagere School Hogere School MULO University (Civil Engineering, Christchuch, New Zealand) Diplomas Fiets Diploma (Bicycle Riding) VVV Diploma (Vereniging Voor Veilig Verkeer) Traffic Rules Diploma Godsdienst Diploma (Religion Diploma - Catholicism) Type Diploma (Type Writing Diploma) Civil Engineering Employment Civil Engineer (Snowy Mountains Project, Australia) Civil Engineer (Tasmania Hydro-Electric Project, Australia) Religion Grew up as member of the Catholic Church Denounced the Catholic Church, not a member of any other church Other interests Tree nursery (Glenlyon, Australia) Built his own house in Glenlyon for Wendy and thie 3 kids |
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ABOUT MICHAEL:
Michael and Antoon had been best of friends for very many years, and back in the old days Antoon bought a neighbouring property in Glenlyon (Victoria), where Michael and Wendy built their house themselves. Antoon visited Michael in Tasmania a few times where Michael had his civil engineering job in Devonport. Other places visited were Burnie and the Cradle Mountain. In earlier years Antoon also visited Hobart. Residing in a foreign country, of course this was highly valued. But anyone who has never been anywhere has no reality on that. Trudy would have known, but she ratted on Michael to his ex-wife Wendy, and later freely gossiped about Antoon to Michael's hostile ex-wife. That was the beginning of the end of good family relations, yet Trudy only knows how to justify it but refuses to understand the ramifications. While Michael and Wendy were still together, Michael went to Christchurch with daughter Lara, where Michael met up with his friend Ann. The family was not pleased. Antoon remembers Ann for her meatballs... Later, back in Australia, some time after Michael and Wendy divorced, Michael bought a house in Woodend with Judy (Judy West) and renovated it. About that time Antoon's legal proceedings with the visa scammer Mayette were finished, Antoon was told "if your next wife is a Filipina, we will not talk to her". Great... Antoon said that he will decide who his next wife will be and they should not dictate it to him. He was then told "we have freedom of speech". Ok, Antoon replied, "I have freedom of association". Later Michael and Judy married, but Antoon was not invited to their wedding, even though they were on good terms that time. They just told him after the fact, although Michael "foreshadowed" something to that effect. NO RESPECT One day he and Judy turned up at Antoon's home in Sydney and of course they were made welcome. However, the first thing Michael did is make his way to the kitchen where he found a photo from an Asian lady and said "Oh we don't want to see photos like that..." Racist. Some time later Michael made up some rediculous but nasty insulting story which invoked extreme anger in Antoon. If it was meant to keep him away from Asian ladies then it backfired. Sure, Filipinas don't have a good reputation in the western world, but no need to be judgemental and paint everybody with the same brush. And certainly not offending your brother in the process. It promtly killed our friendship. TRUDY CONSIDERS EX-WIVES MORE IMPORTANT THAN BROTHERS A little later Trudy ratted on him forcing him to go into hiding, as he didn't want to be dealing with the courts. He had seen plenty of that from Antoon, over two years. Lara wanted to study for doctor but she was already about 25 and Wendy thought that Michael should pay for it. Lara already seldom (if ever) visited him and he was in no position to pay for it (the civil engineering jobs finished long ago). Just dealing with fucking lawyers is enough to destroy any man. Explaining that to Trudy she just justified her actions because of the opinion of others but it had nothing to do with the kids wanting to see their father. None of them ever visited Michael after that event. THEFT BETWEEN BROTHERS One time Michael asked Antoon if he could have all the rocks on Antoon's property in Glenlyon. Not realising at the time he would need them himself, Antoon agreed (rocks are a valuable building material). Antoon had commenced construction of a cabin on his property, and covered the floor with new corrigated galvanised iron sheets (intended for the roof later) before returning to Sydney as he would be unable to continue work on it for a while. On his return he found all the sheets missing, leaving the floor exposed to the sun and rain. Needless to say, it was ruined. He took a look at Michael old house in Woodend (which he had been renovating and needed new roofing), where exactly the same sheets were on the roof... but Michael already had moved. Earlier, Michael asked Antoon to go halfs in a 'Tiller', which he agreed to - believing he will also have a use for it in times to come. Later Michael told Antoon how stupid he was for agreeing to it... (Michael never re-imbursed him). When Michael left his Glenlyon house, Antoon's tools stored at his house were never returned to him. Michael never repaid Hans the moneys he was holding on behalf of Hans, which was a considerable amount. After Hans received that ABC card (with a postal sender address) he sent him a letter but received no response. When Topy wanted her 'C.H.Schupbach' account closed due to her pending retirement, Michael and Antoon had to make alternative arrangements as both had been using that account. Antoon was of the understanding that subsequently they settled any balance between them, however Michael later simply sent him a bill with detailed interest charges without prior discussion and no details of how he arrived at that amount. For the sake of maintaining the peace Antoon offered to pay him regardless but needed time to do so (this was shortly after his settlement with Mayette's proceedings). Michael was in more of a hurry and one day he received a letter from Michael's solicitor with a demand for payment. At that point Antoon's anger was aroused and closed the account immediately. THE MINI-REUNION 
One day, during a visit from Hanny & Frans to Antoon, we decided to try and locate Michael - that was a real challenge. The weather was too hot to stay home (close to +50C) so we thought that was a good idea.
The trip was interesting and most challenging with the heat and sandstorms on the way. Towns we past through were earily quiet (we later learned that two of those were burned to the ground due to horrific bushfires). Having made a number of enquiries along the way, we eventually found his property (had to remove a fallen tree in their access drive). We met Michael and Judy, but the reception was extremely nasty. Michael refused to shake Antoon's hand, referring to 'hate letters'. The only hate letter Antoon was aware of is the one quoted further below on this page (from Michael to Antoon) and the subsequent letter of demand by his lawyer. Best defence is to go an the attack... MOCKING ANTOON (Written by Michael Verplak before his disappearance) Just one question brother: Why? What made you write this racist shit? What did Antoon do to you? All it did is instantly destroying the friendship and Antoon refusing to settle with him. |
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'my love from the seven thousand islands' Scene: Coconut Island, not far from Borocoy Tourist Resort. Swaying coconut trees visible from the hotel terrace with a nice cool breeze. HI, I am Tony - Oh hello Tony! Nice to meet you. What do you do for a crust? Is your name Flo? - Yes, why? Well, I was told that you are a very nice unattached lady, and that I should introduce myself to you. - Well, yes, I am. That's me. In what business are you? I am a Company Director of a large rental firm in Sydney. - And how is business? Not bad, you know. It keeps me very busy. How many children do you want? - Oh, you catch me on the hop there. But I had thought between five and six. Oh, that's a nice number. That's how I think too. Do you want to get married? - Oh naturally, the sooner the better. Would you marry me? - Of course, I am very pleased to accept. Where shall we get married? I know of a little chapel on the tropical beach, about an hour's flight from here. - Oh Tony. I would like that! Will you take me into town to buy a wedding dress? OK Flo, the airconditioned car is just over there, the red one. What do you expect from the marriage, Flo? - Oh, not much really, I would like a nice red car, like a sportscar or something like that. I am quite easy to please, my mother always said. All my friends have nice cars, but in my own name of course, like the family home. I don't really want much, but I would love a nice automatic rice cooker in the kitchen, to put beside the microwave. They are really good. Yes, of course you can have that. Would you like to come around to MacDonnalds now for some lunch? Let's have a look at some cars on the way to see what's being offered now, and then have lunch after. We might be able to do a good deal. Let's go to Macdonnalds now. I think I need some coffee. Ok, Darl, I see to it that the sales agent gives you a nice cup of coffee. If you want you can just wait in his office. Oh Flo, I love that new dress! - Oh, that's not new, we bought that last week when we went shopping, remember? No, I can't say that I remember. - Let's go and buy a nice ring to go with this dress, it really needs a dress ring to go with it. A silver ring? - Perhaps, but it might not quite tone with my skin colour. It really ought to be 20 carat gold, otherwise we are just wasting our money. You really know that. What's that pillow doing in the bed, Flo? - I had a hectic day in town all day, and I don't feel like seks. Just let me sleep in peace, I need the rest. But you had that pillow in between us all week now! - So what? I need the rest. You are not seeing somebody, Flo? - Only sales ladies Tony, all day long. Remember I have to do all your shopping, you never come out shopping with me any more. But with the new car that shouldn't take very long! - Do it your f...n self then! I am going to see my friends today. Scene: in the rental shop Copper: Are you Mr Anthony Verplak? Who are you if I may ask? - I am constable McDonnald. Are you Tony Verplak? No, I am the manager. I am afraid that Tony Verplak is out. - That's what I am afraid of too. What time will he be back? I don't know. What is your business? - I have to see him personally. I will wait here. All persons and places in this act are fictitious and all names have been changed. Any resemblances to real persons or places are purily imaginary. |
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CHILDHOOD FRIENDS:
Marian Keller (472 Berg en Dalseweg, Nijmegen) Had haar geneukt in het Bloemenbos Nico Smulders (Nijmegen) Antoon used to serve them lots of Chocomel in the garage attic. Overleden 25 Augustus 2015 |
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