Amelia

Amelia works in the hospitality industry at one of the local bars. In fact I’m not sure whether it is really a bar or a restaurant or a pub. I’m not sure whether it knows what it wants to be either. You can tell it’s old school though. Speaking of which, Amelia reminds me a little of Anna from Downtown Abbey, not because she transcends the times, rather because she has this lovely manner about her that is inviting, warm and wise beyond her years. The environs are certainly fitting and not dissimilar to the 20s era with a combination of wood and sandstone bricks. Just imagine if these walls could talk. I’m sure many a wonderful yarn has been spun over a pint (or 5) over the years. The partial one I’m about to share was told half an hour before Amelia’s shift. 

From the outset she has a lovely smile. It’s engaging and authentic. She’s one of those people who has spark. Someone you’d remember long after you’ve met them. She loves her job and she really makes an effort to go out of her way to make patrons have an enjoyable experience. The bar/restaurant/pub is one of my writing venues and the moment I walk in the door she asks “prosecco?" with a raised eyebrow. The first time she served me I was after a quiet place so she suggested I go upstairs and perch by the window. I had the entire top floor to myself. It was warm and there was a gentle summer breeze. A writer’s dream! I doubt Lizzy of Buckingham Palace is fussed over so much. She always goes the extra mile. 

I’m excited about our chat. There’s typically never any structure to these conversations so I just start off by talking about how she came to be in Australia. I presumptuously commence with ‘so you’re Iri….’ to which she interjects, ‘I’m French’. There you go. Despite her lilting Irish accent she is a Breton. In fact her father is half Moroccan to be precise. She describes her folks as being ‘hip’ parents who cannot be categorised by any standard tick/box hobbies. They have a strong appreciation for the arts and between them they’re into mosaics and mixed media. They’ve never really settled having led quite the nomadic life to date. Her family moved to Ireland when she was around two years old, initially living in Dublin, followed by Lucan and then finally Kildare. Perhaps not surprisingly, she seems to have inherited the gypsy gene, and was also bound to travel. 

She arrived in Australia with her partner Daragh in 2017. Daragh is a mechanic. He’s a little older than her and I’m not surprised as she’s mature and insightful for her tender 25 years. Being forward when it comes to matters of the heart I ask how they met. They were seeing other people at the time, but hit it off instantly, and after a while, when everyone followed their own path, they discovered that theirs was circuitous, almost predestined.

There’s no end to her talents. She’s an avid horse rider and frequently rode horses while in Ireland. It’s something she’d like to pursue in Australia. Specifically, she would love to become a track rider. Perhaps it’s no surprise she has a degree in event management and she’s also very musical singing the blues and jazz. As a massive Ella Fitzgerald/Nina Simone fan I’m very excited and probe her for good venue suggestions. She must get the creative and musical flair from her parents. Whenever I listen to one of the greats I’m often transported to another place (the red wine also helps). I can imagine Amelia in her element singing like no one’s watching, immersed in the moment and content with life. 

Perhaps one of her biggest achievements is rediscovering her sense of self. It’s always been there, I’ve absolutely no doubt, but a few years ago she didn’t really know where she was going or what she wanted to do. A pivotal moment occurred when was out kayaking with friends. She used to be a larger girl and a member of the crew that day made a comment that really stuck with her. They drew a correlation between her weight and the the size of the waves. She returned home, looked at herself in the mirror and just didn’t feel an affinity with the person staring back at her. It was a turning point. She engaged a personal trainer and hit the gym with fierce determination. While everyone put on weight during the COVID lockdown she lost it and lots of it, 25kgs to be exact. 

I find it amazing that when you look at life and smile it has a way of smiling back at you. Amelia is beaming. She’s stared down her challenge, said bring it on and gripped life with both hands. Life used to be one foot in front of the other but now there’s too much to do, too little time. There’s catching up with friends, 'Pinot and Picasso’, not to mention developing her skills in the hospitality industry and learning jump-rope. She’s taking driving lessons knowing the acquisition of a licence is twofold, it’s both a licence to drive and an enabler of greater freedom. 

The image for her blog profile was painted by her mum. It is called ‘L'obscurité en lumière’. If my Google translation is correct, then in English it means ‘darkness into light’. She’s invariably been asked or received the following comments: “How do you get so much energy? How did you lose all that weight? Are you going to get a real job?” And my personal favourite, “You’re too happy!” 

Amelia states the painting reflects her multitude of personalities and the faces aligned with each. I think this summation is quite apt because while she’s outwardly bright, bubbly and positive it belies the internal challenges she experiences every now and then. She believes Future’s candle burns brightly, but if, on occasion, the darkness begins to seep, she reminds herself of the things she’s grateful for in life. Just typing this makes me pause and reflect. 

I typically take the light rail past Royal Randwick Racecourse every morning to work. As the carriage glides along Alison Road I have a tendency to look at the thoroughbreds going through their morning paces under the tutelage of their track riders. I know I’ll recognise the day when Amelia is one of them. She and her mount will be out in front, wind ripping through hair and mane alike, galloping along confidently, each stride in synch with life, with no capacity for letting up.