According to Wikipedia a “double act” or “comedy duo” is a comic pairing in which humour is derived from the uneven relationship between two partners who usually have dramatically different personalities. The definition goes on to further state that the humour in a double act comes from the way the two personalities play off each other. One of my favourite double acts comprises Michael Muller who is definitely the straight guy. The other half is Jane Muller who is vivacious, sometimes outrageous, but always a lot of fun. I have attended many a party, dinner or function where Michael has quietly and patiently waited for Jane to do the rounds as she fulfils the inevitable role as the life of the party. I truly believe that Jane could be a comedian much in the Jerry Seinfeld style of simply observing, then recounting her various misadventures from the early days of a misspent youth right through to the process of raising her three children, Liza, Jack and Polly. Jane has an incredible ability to recount a story involving the most mundane characters and situations in such a way that you laugh so hard that you end with tears running down your face.
I grew up on a cane farm next to Michael’s family farm situated adjacent to the Up River Road to the north of Proserpine. The family property was called “Wandara” by which name his late father Kevin was affectionately known. I have never known Michael to do anything by half. I remember going along to watch a local Rugby League game. I recall seeing a huge hit by someone from the Proserpine team. I had a double take and saw that it was Michael. I quietly remarked to myself that I never knew that Michael was such a good football player, but he was. Michael’s brother Eddie Muller is local football royalty having played for South’s in Brisbane in the Mal Meninga days, the Canterbury Bulldogs in the Warren Ryan era and even State of Origin for Queensland.
On another day I went along to a local motor cross event and saw someone excelling and easily winning his race. I recall watching to see who the rider was when he took off his helmet. It was Michael. I noted how serious and focussed he was in between races.
Next there was Michael the fastidious, hardworking cane farmer. He then became the energetic and enthusiastic clothing store owner in Proserpine. Michael and Jane ran their two clothing stores situated in Proserpine in tandem. Both excelled in retail. Michael with his pleasant but nevertheless serious approach and Jane with her “have you in stitches” laughing approach. Either way you would walk out of one of their stores with a smile on your face. It always seemed to me that the purchase made was secondary to the enjoyment of the social interaction with either Jane or Michael.
I remember one time telling Jane how sometimes when I might feel a bit tired at work I close my office door and have a lay down. Jane, who was operating her clothing store in Proserpine at the time, quipped that she had recently had a lay down behind the counter but her nap was interrupted by a customer. Apparently, Jane awoke with dribble coming down her face and her hair standing up on one side of her head in a style very similar to that of the lead singer of the 80’s band “Flock of Seagulls” (if you don’t know what I am talking about, google “Flock of Seagulls”!).
On another occasion, Jane was very keen on pointing out to a client in her dress shop that many items in Jane’s collection allowed for breast feeding. Eventually, the customer had to tell Jane that she wasn’t pregnant. There was also the time that Jane received a phone call from a gentleman enquiring about “steppings” and whether or not the ones Jane had in stock would smooth down the hair on his legs. Jane reacted thinking that it was a prank call from one of her friends. The caller became very upset that Jane wasn’t taking him seriously and was making a joke of his desire to acquire steppings that smooth down the hair on his legs. He hung up.
Jane grew up as one of six children in the well-known Faust family. Jane attended St Catherine’s Primary School in Proserpine and was a few years ahead of myself. Her father, Peter Faust, was a long term chairman of the then Proserpine Shire. Jane and her siblings grew up on that beautiful cattle property just to the south of Proserpine called “Breadalbane”. As a child, I remember being in one of the local supermarkets and my mother becoming very irate at my brother, Bob, and I for misbehaving. I was the recipient of a quick, sharp slap and a strong worded request to behave. Just as my mother’s blunt terse message was given I recall Mrs Faust coming around the corner of the grocery aisle. I figured that Mrs Faust must have been a very important lady given my mother’s strong desire to ensure that Bob and I behaved in her presence. Ever since that day whenever I see Mrs Faust I always stand to attention and try to look as if I have never done anything wrong in my life.
One day in the mid-1990s when reading the local paper I saw an advertisement for applications to acquire the proposed McDonald’s franchise at Airlie Beach. Michael and Jane shifted their focus from their clothing outlets in Proserpine to become the local owners of the first McDonalds to open in the Whitsundays. In the time that has passed two further stores have opened at Cannonvale and in Bowen. Michael has, as you would expect, taken to his life as a McDonald’s franchisee with great passion and focussed attention.
2013 has been a big year for the Muller family. First, eldest daughter Liza married and just in the last few weeks, their son Jack also married. That leaves the youngest daughter, Polly, yet to be married but I am sure that she is in no rush. Like their parents, all three of the Muller children, are quirky but a lot of fun.
During one of Jane’s many fitness campaigns that have consumed the Muller household over the years, Michael decided that he would start with his own fitness regime. Of course, this became another “phase” for Michael requiring his fanatical and meticulous approach. His current fitness regime includes training heavily at least four days a week with one day of light training. Together Michael and Jane have set themselves challenges such as Michael’s recent completion of the “Tough Mudder” event on the Sunshine Coast. A couple of years ago Jane walked the Kokoda Track with her friend, Denise Murray. Next year, Michael and Jane are planning on walking to the top of Mt Kilimanjaro in Africa.
As the years go by I am sure that this well-known double act will continue to entertain with Michael playing the straight, serious, focused guy and Jane being the animated, quick witted, laugh till you get stitches storyteller.
