My father walked out of my university graduation about half way through.

I never really expected him to come. I had a long list of school plays, parent-teacher interviews and sporting activities that he failed to show up for. So it was a great surprise to me that he volunteered to drive me the 600 odd kilometres from the farm to where I had been attending university.

It would be the third time he made the trip in three years.

The first was when I had left home to go to uni. This was a time filled with perpetual panic. Dad had had cataracts which had meant that he had gone virtually blind and was unable to drive. I had friends going to the same university but somehow it never occurred to me to ask for their help. I had nowhere to live once I got there as I was one of the unlucky ones who had missed out on a room on campus and was to be billeted with some stranger. I had no idea how I would get myself and one suitcase of precious things (including a few new clothes bought especially for the occasion) from one place to another once I got there as Dad’s grand plan was to put me on a bus. It was a disaster of epic proportions. As often happened in my life family friends intervened when things spiralled out of control and my Uncle Peter volunteered to drive me. So Dad came too.

The second was at the end of my final year when he came to collect me and the car full of books and sundry detritus I had managed to collect.

So here we were at my graduation. I was so proud I had made it through and that he was there to see it. I know he was there for the keynote speech. There couldn’t have been too many people besides him and me who were riveted by a scientist speaking about working in arid countries in Africa and the new drought tolerant bean crop they were developing. I remember it quite clearly. I might have a Bachelor of Arts in Late Medieval and Early Modern History with minors in Classical Literature and English but I am still a farmer’s daughter.

He stayed to see me get my “piece of paper” and then he wandered off to the campus shops.

I know other girls who got pens, earrings, necklaces and some even got cars for their graduation presents.

I got half a Cherry Ripe.