But when George Robinson sang the Nat King Cole classic When I Fall in Love in front of friends and family and a full Speight’s Ale House in Dunedin on Sunday, it brought tears to his wife Vera’s eyes and it was "truly special".
Mr Robinson said he had heard the song many years ago and had thought about singing it for Mrs Robinson for a long time.
"The words just kept going round and round in my head and I thought it’s appropriate, so I thought ‘here it goes tonight, it’s now or never’ or I’d never get the chance again."
He only ever really sang in church when Mrs Robinson would let him, he said.
"I’d suddenly burst into song with a chorus and Vera used to nudge me in the ribs, so last night I thought I’d play it safe and I’ll get a hold of her hand and then I’ve got an advantage on her so I wouldn’t get a bust rib."
"I got on the tram car with my sister and he was sitting on the tram car and when we got off I said, ‘who is that?’, and she said ‘that’s tosh from the ice rink’.
"I went, ‘well, he’s not a gentleman because he never even got up to give you his seat’."
However, they met later at the ice rink, got talking and the rest is history.
Mr Robinson said marriage was all about giving and taking.
"It’s just mutual respect for each other; helping and not leaving one person to carry the load.
"You can’t rely on one person and sit there like the king of the castle, you’ve got to be prepared to pitch in."
The couple will officially mark their 70th wedding anniversary at their Dunedin home today.
mark.john@odt.co.nz
