A few months ago, after a monster marathon of shooting in Sydney, I hoped off the early plane from Sydney on a Sunday morning and jumped straight into a taxi to head home to sleep. Instead of the usual still quiet (or chatter on a mobile phone in a foreign language) that I am used to from most Sydney cabbies, I was met with a smile and great conversation.
Len, my friendly driver, had an English accent and I couldn’t help but engage. And the story he told me just melted me. You see his wife of many years passed away a few years ago, and a very lonely Len travelled to Oz to meet some friends. Whilst here, they suggested he jump online and see if he could find come one to talk to. So he created a profile, and home he went. From England he began chatting with Fridelle, and soon enough she was in England meeting his kids and grand kids! His children loved her so much, they urged him to follow his heart to Oz, and not long after he married the fabulous Fridelle. He could not stop telling me how wonderful she is, and how happy he has been since.
I so loved their story, I told him right away I wanted to photograph him and his wife. After lots of phone calls, texts & date switching, I finally got to meet this wonderful woman, and what a great burst of energy she is! She is a great force of positive juju, and I can only hope that when I get to be close to her age, I have the same confidence, passion for life and zest 🙂