Darcy came to Paekākāriki at 5 months of age and grew up here. He has recently retired from his fruit and vege shop.
“I was in the boy scouts and the surf club, all the young fellows were in those days. I was the very first apprentice butcher here, many years ago, 55 years, but it’s a young man’s game and I grew sick of it. There was always a fruit shop: a fruit and vege shop and when it came available I took it over. I had 20 years in Auckland, got married there, then woke up to myself and came home. I just like the lifestyle, it’s laid back, it’s nice; I used to know everybody, now I might know everybody by sight. A lot of the oldies have gone to rest homes or retirement villages – it doesn’t really appeal to me. I’ll go out of here in a box probably. I love the place. My grandfather helped build the church a hundred odd years ago and my mother lived here all her life so I’ve got ties back over a hundred years.”