Big Lynda

As previously mentioned in my recollections more and more women were employed by Goldsworthy mining. Eventually the quarters became mixed as the average donga only has twenty rooms. Aside from houses for couples and their family’s accommodation was available in flats, dongas and purpose-built rooms with ablution facilities. Two women arrived, I didn’t actually know if they knew each other or just arrived on the same day. They stuck together as they navigated the intricacies of work and social life in the small community. One of the women became known as big Lynda, (only because she was very tall) her love of life, a yarn and of course a drink was only surpassed by her lack of tolerance for bullshit.

Some days you would find her siting at the bar in the club with three drinks one in front of her and one on each side level with the bar stools. If anyone approached and asked if they could sit down, she would answer, fuck off can’t you see I have company. There was often a newbie who felt her wrath when they didn’t take the hint.,

Do you remember back in the seventies “show us your tits” was often shouted by young men for no apparent reason other than they wanted to see tits.

One unfortunate young man visiting town was having a drink with friends in the club when big Lynda walked by, he shouted show us your tits, the club went quiet what happened next was remarkable. Big Lynda smiled, lifted her shirt flashed her tits then promptly smacked the brazen upstart in the face, the applause was deafening as she ordered her drink from the barman. I would put money on the fact that those words never passed the young man’s lips again