My Dad, Vic Reeves, separated at birth?

My dad died recently – an event which could be responsible for a year’s worth of blog posts in itself. One of the cool things that happen when a parent dies (and believe me, you can count on ONE FINGER exactly how many cool things happen when you lose your folks) is that people produce photographs that you’ve never seen before.

After Mum died a friend of hers produced a photo she’d made of Mum just hours before she headed off to the big white light. A couple of weeks after Dad died a cousin produced this photo (Yes, Mary, I promise I’ll return it) of Dad and there are a few special things about this image.

Dad looking as though he’s just discovered that the “Dove From Above”
(Reeves and Mortimer, Shooting Stars) has pooped on the roast pork.

One is … get a look at that great vintage party spread. It’s all wooden bowls and brown Temuka pottery screaming “It’s the 70s and we’re doing pork crackling, butter and full-fat cream”.

Another is … Dad looks remarkably like Vic Reeves and being a bit of a fan I’m glad to be the daughter of Vic’s doppelganger. In all honesty the resemblance possibly starts and finishes with those fabulous glasses Dad’s wearing. I’m tempted to hunt them out and have them fitted with my own prescription lenses. It won’t make me look like Ulrika-ka-ka-ka-ka but the family resemblance may have carried through enough to get me a stand-in part for Vic when he’s off work with a tummy upset. I’m sure I could Coo Down the Dove From Above, and even my normal singing is in the club style.

And to make this completely spooky, both Vic and Dad’s real names are Jim!