Simon, 57,  lives a mundane life. Denial provides emotional safety, but fogs yearning. He’s barely aware of the shadows of childhood trauma: a failed marriage, financial disaster that dog him.  Things look up when he finally gets a job, a better place to live and finds wry flatmate, Sarah.

Then humiliation at his daughter’s wedding triggers his  search for love. He joins dating sites. His good friends Nick and Catherine encourage him.  But lacks charm.  

His first date is a blind date with Athena, a lively Greek woman with a tragic past. Three Modern Fates appear in her mind. They sit in an ethereal room and their observations of Simon’s journey
and on gender issues flow with the story.

On early dates he’s rusty and amusingly awkward. He connects deeply with Chau. But she’s trapped with a  crime family. He notifies the police and watches them rescue her. Then then they fence her with security, return her from Australia to Vietnam and cut her out of his life.

Chinese woman Lisa lures him with words of love and a taste of crypto wealth. He sells his car to invest.  She’s a romantic scammer who plunges him into a winter of misery. He closes his dating apps.

Catherine urges Simon back to therapy just as she severs ties with a surprised husband Nick. She connects Simon with Laura, her friend, and a gorgeous looking, talented therapist.

Months later Catherine praises Simon’s progress and encourages him; “try again.” With Chau in his heart, he joins dating site Vietnam Cupid. Chau’s not on the site but he connects with Thuy and finally plans time with her in Ho Chi Minh. A business opportunity also arises. Thuy ghosts him just before his flight.

On arrival Mai, a friend of his business interpreter Wendy, greets him. Mai’s a free spirit and they connect intimately. But just hours later she dashes his hopes. She gives him a bittersweet consolation, a tour of amazing Vietnamese places courtesy of her travel company. It happens to be with a coach full of monks and elderly Asians!

After the tour, he scours Ho Chi Minh City for Chau, his hopes fading in the oppressive heat. Circumstances snuff a fleeting spark with Wendy. In the dying days of his trip, he dines where seemingly by chance, Chau works. Romance soars along with mesmerising Bamboo Theatre a sensuous tango and  a spiritual high. But tension flares as Mai returns early and wants Simon. She’s pregnant!

A year later, back in Australia, Chau is Simon’s partner, and Mai is their close friend. At the very end we see Simon absorbed, happily holding his baby.

This picaresque tale flows with engaging characters, magical realism, and thoughtful social comment. Along the way we discover that the three Vietnamese women, Chau, Mai and Wendy, are subtle echoes of the Fates.

Audiences will laugh at Simon, grow to love him, and leave uplifted.

“Simon’s story resonated with me deeply. I have a strong interest in personal growth and love, so I felt emotionally connected. The dating scenes were humorous and heartfelt, and the tour with monks and elderly travellers was especially intriguing—it felt like a turning point in his growth.”
— Liana Kim, 34, Korean Australian creative writing graduate.

• 3 Awards, 3 Official Selections, 2 Finalist Positions from 10 festival competitions
• Ranked highly in the 2025 HOT 100 list by Capital Fund Screenplay Competition
• Petros Silvestros, Head of Scripts at UK Film Festival – London:

“….the emotional trajectory of the main character is compelling, the atmosphere is extraordinarily authentic, and the characters are beaming with life. Darryl Bubner writes from his heart and through an immense life experience that enables him to observe universal themes and delve into a complex man’s psyche.”