I read the story No Woman's Land by Victoriajohn and very much enjoyed it. It inspired me to write this variant on the theme. If you enjoy this story then part two describes what happens to Kim when she gets to the ranch where she will work.
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I left school in the summer and through friends of the family I got a job working as a nanny to the manager at a mining station in a remote part of Australia. My idea was that I would work there for about a year, tour Australia for a few months with the money I'd earned and then head back home to England.
So in early July I found myself on a train to a remote part of Australia. Towards the end of the journey there was only myself and an older woman in the compartment. She asked where I was going and I said the end of the line.
Was anyone meeting me? No I explained. I'd been told to take the train to the end of the line, then catch the coach to Munroe's Station where I would be working. The woman raised her eyebrows at that.
"It's rough out there. They don't see many women, so you'll be the center of attention. No insult intended miss, but I would change that top of yours."
"What do you mean?"
"A hint of cleavage and they'll go mad. Wear a nice dress so they'll treat you like a lady."
I didn't think my top showed very much, but at the first opportunity I got my case down and changed into a summery dress which buttoned all the way up the front and went to just above my knees.
The woman got off two stops before me. So I traveled the last stretch alone. It was harsh, but dramatic country and the sun beat down from a clear blue sky.
At the end of the line I got down from the train and was hit by a wall of heat. I asked the attendant where the coach left from and he said outside the bar. There was no mistaking the bar because it was the only building and had a large sign telling you it was Murphy's Bar. I picked up my case and walked across. There was a notice over the front entrance saying men only, so I went round the back looking for the women's room. I did a full circuit of the building, but the only other doors were one to the men's loo and another into a kitchen at the back of the bar. I walked round the building again in case I had missed something, but there was nothing.
So I headed in through the front entrance. The conversation stopped dead and about thirty men turned to look at me. Feeling rather intimidated I walked up to the barman who cast a quizzical eye over me.
"G'day miss."
"Hello. I've got three hours to wait for my coach to Munroe's Crossing and I can't see that there is a ladies waiting room. Is it OK if I wait in here?"
"Men only in here. The only way you can stay is if you agree to the rules on the notice board."
He pointed to the notice board over on the wall to my left. I looked at it and almost dropped my case in amazement.
Several pairs of knickers were pinned to it and at the top in large lettering it said "Ladies who wish to stay in here must remove their knickers."
I looked back at the barman.
"Is that a joke?"
"A joke?" he said. "Definitely not. You're welcome to a seat in here as long as you take your knickers off."
"No way," I said and headed out to various derisive comments and whistles from the watching miners.
It was sweltering outside and after ten minutes the train pulled away leaving the place eerily quiet. I went round the back to try and get some shade, but the flies were bad, so I had to return to the front.