Jim grew up in rural Victoria during the post war depression era. Life was tough at the time and any expectations for his future were fairly limited to working on the farm as soon as he was of age. While Jim had a great love of the outdoors, he was also creative, clever and loved to cook. He dreamed of being a chef, an occupation not particularly well supported at the time. For years he toiled until he spied a job advertised for a chef to cook abroad in Antarctica, of all places. With no formal training, Jim applied for the role, studied as much as he could and practiced in his tiny kitchen at home. He was interviewed, offered the role and suddenly found himself to be a gourmet chef in an icy wilderness far from home.
Following his divorce, Jim abruptly disappeared and Shannon didn’t see him again until she was 21. She adored her father, his absence broke her heart and she grieved deeply for many years. She recalls the photograph she had of them walking along the beach with their backs to the camera. It was clear their steps were in perfect unison, her hand in his and yet, between them there was an ominous space. She would look at this photograph, see their separation and pray
for him to come home.
Many years later, he did eventually return, but it would take some time for the two to truly reconnect. At his mother’s funeral, she held his hand and the memory of holding his hands as a little girl flooded back to her. In that moment, no time had passed. She was still that little girl and he was still her father. She felt safe, she felt loved and she felt as though he was home.
During their shoot together, they held each other’s hands, his dwarfing hers, slender, sleek and bejewelled. She realised family isn’t blood, family is the people you choose to to have in your life and her father is an old friend. She sees so much of herself in him, they both possess a cracking wit, their personal resilience would see them attempt anything and succeed, their work ethic is unparalleled.
They laugh and talk on the phone for hours, take long drives together and barely stop to catch a breath. They are so similar, they fit so well together, it’s as though no time has passed. Holding his hands and embracing eachother in that moment she came full circle.
