The Corr Family

Subject: Girlie Larkin

"let me tell you a story about a man named Gav......"

For me it starts in the Potter Partner's Sydney office about July 1989, we had asked to interview all the smart young guys from the trading pit who might have strong enough personalities to deal with the egos of the the floor traders as well as coping with the bunch of neurotic aspirants called "options salesmen" who hoped to boss such a person around for a few years....to this this day I thank David "freddy" Full for saying that Gavin "gash" Larkin was really the only candidate...in he walked off straight off the trading floor... straight off the cat walk really (does anyone remember "Hooley Dooley's"?)..full of confidence...we asked "Gav can you deal with this task" ..."no problem, got it sorted" was the response.

Gav and I immediately had a great rapport (really I just love bossing a pretty boy around ) but within a few months some of the team was looking to move on to a new broking firm, and we had to approach Gav...."Gav this is a great opportunity, we all want to go, but they don't want to hire someone in your role....unless you can go impress the boss...Sydney's leading broker Brent Potts, that you are a great salesman.... and their senior option trader Simon Poidiven, that you are tough enough to trade on his behalf....Gav can you do this?...."no problem, got it sorted" was the response.

Of course he got the job, but markets were dull. Having Gav around contributed to us all having a fun time; he rejoiced in showing me how much better he was at tennis, golf, dancing, indoor cricket, touch footy (he claimed to be able to tackle but i was too old and no one seemed to remember the last time he actually made the effort), but he was bored with the business that we where involved in....so Gav says "I'm going to set up a fashion label"....of course we all tried to talk him out of it but "no problem, got it sorted" was the response.

Of course it was a mad (but fun) idea and the business struggled but Gav approached it with intelligence and enthusiasm; about the same time he met a wonderful and pretty young lady....she was so nice that even the great Gav Larkin wanted to marry her... I remember telling him that he would would lose her unless he got his career in order....."no problem, got it sorted" was the response.

A move to advertising,was best for him, he said ,with his usual dash of confidence/arrogance; older and wiser heads warned him against such a competitive business....but....."no problem, got it sorted" was the response. Of course years of success and awards again proved the confidence/arrogance not to be so bold.

Married to the pretty young lady he builds a great family life, but a career challenge is always in order and those Americans could always learn more about about advertising couldn't they?....guess what "no problem, got it sorted" was the response.

Returning to Australia Gav continued his successful career but, deciding this was not enough, also tackled a major social problem. Depression and suicide was something close to his heart and history; he wondered could something as simple as asking each other " R U OK?" help...why not try?...of course "no problem, got it sorted" was the response, and it is a testament to him that this will undoubtably continue as a major social initiative.

In the last eighteen months Gav has approached his illness with the same can do "no problem, got it sorted" approach that gave us all the casual confidence that he would succeed, alas it appears not to be this time.

Facing death and wondering if we are brave enough to embrace our loved ones but also speak honestly about ourselves is something we all fear but hope to have the strength to do; i am not surprised that Gav Larkin is able to say "no problem, got it sorted".

Gav you are a great friend,my family and I offer as as much support as we can to you, Maz and your family.

JC