In my idle moments, of which there are relatively few, I wonder how I would’ve coped if I’d followed my parents’ plans for my life. My Father was a businessman, my Mother was a real estate agent, and together they’d get up every morning and head off to work in their crisp business attire for the grind of the 8:30-6, sometimes longer if there was filing. Now, Father did work his way up, starting off as a tradesman and advancing to the point where he was the business owner, and thus he had to idea that I would follow in his footsteps.

Alas, the thought of zipping around Melbourne doing aluminium window replacements was not my dream. Retired as he now is, with the business in unknown hands, Father still talks as if one day I’ll drop all my artistic pursuits and realise my destiny as a window replacement specialist. He does not understand that I’m at the top of my artistic game, head of my own industry and quite content to leave the window replacing to people with an actual passion and drive to do so.

Mother understands, although she’s a bit nonplussed at how she’s never been able to convince her husband. For you see, Mother started off with dreams of being a stage actress. It was, perhaps, a different time and more difficult, hence why she pursued a more sensible career. And yet, she has always supported me, coming to every show and dragging Father along when it was reasonably practical. I certainly know where my thespian brilliance came from!

I wonder if window replacement and business management is in my blood, somewhere. I suppose I am in a managerial position right now; just lacking an office and a suit. I may not tend to Melbourne’s timber windows, but I create a window through which an audience may see another world. And thus, I have followed my Father’s path after all…in my own way.

-Aubrey