A Town Like Alice Page #6

"Let us build it up again,

My fair lady."

[CHILDREN CONTINUE SINGING]

Hello, Robin.

[THOUGHTS] Dear Robin...

...for three years...

...as the rice was sown and harcested,

and sown and harvested again.

I looked after you and

watched you grow.

And when the war ended and

I gave you back to your father...

...it was like losing my

own child.

[CELEBRATORY MUSIC]

The water's good, Suleiman,

you have done well.

Good. Now I must go

back to my home.

- Oh where's that?

- Kuantan.

Kuantan?

Very bad Japanese man in Kuantan

during the war, Captain Sugaya.

Many bad things done.

Many evil things.

Suleiman, I was in Kuantan.

When we were starving, a

prisoner stole some food for us.

Captain Sugaya crucified him.

I remember that. He was

a long time in hospital.

But he died!

How could he be in hospital?

My son shall tell you.

Yaqub, the Australian solider who

was crucified during the war.

Did he die?

He went to hospital.

What?

Yaqub, come here.

Tell Miss Jean if that man,

did he live or did he die?

Captain Sugaya ordered him

to be taken down that night.

The guards where good,

they took him to hospital...

...he lived.

Oh..!

What is it, Jean?

Oh, please help me!

Please help me to find him.

I must know he lived, if he's

alive, if he got home.

[FLUTE MUSIC]

[RUSTIC THEME MUSIC]

You seem to have

everything here.

Sure, we got a picture theatre

and a swimming pool and...

...two hotels and another

one going up.

Alice is a beaut.

There's your man.

Hey, mate.

Hello, Dave.

Jack, I want you to meet Miss Paget.

This is Jack Burns, Shell agent.

He's been here for twenty-five

years. Knows everybody.

- Hello, Miss Paget, pleased to meet ya.

- How do you do, Mr Burns?

- Do you know a Joe---

- You're from England.

I got folks in Wolverhampton,

is that near you?

Oh, about two hundred

miles away!

Well, you know the Fletchers

in Wolverhampton?

- Oh, Wolverhampton's a big place!

- Ha ha. Yes, I suppose so.

Er, what was it you wanted?

Did you ever know a

Joe Harman?

Joe? Yeah I knew him.

- Did he come home after the war?

- Sure.

He took up his old position at

Willstown, that's out in the bush.

He took his family with him,

I suppose?

Didn't know Joe was married.

Oh, perhaps I got it

wrong - engaged?

Oh, could be. Never heard of it.

You, Dave?

No.

How do I get to Willstown?

Eddie Conlan flies the

mail out once a week.

But it's a cow of a place.

[AIRCRAFT NOISE]

- G'day, Dave.

- Hey, Sam.

For Daphne Campbell. Her

shoes will be ready next week.

I'm going across to Millers now,

be back this evening.

I'll bring the beer then.

See ya later. Oh, Sam...

- ...this is Miss Paget.

- How are you, Miss Paget?

- She wants to get to Willstown.

- That's something new!

Most people want to get out of it.

Get inside, Miss Paget.

Thank you.

Don't take a minute to get into Wells

Town - get through it and get out of it.

[STARTS ENGINE]

[BRAKES SQUEAL]

It's all yours.

[WIND HOWLS]

Where can I find Joe Harman?

Joe?

- Yes, is he around?

- He's not here.

He's gone off.

- Where to?

- He didn't say.

He's left the country

I do know that.

He's been gone for

a couple of months.

Well, when's he due back?

He don't write. If he thinks

as I do about Willstown...

...he'll never come back.

It's a fair cow, isn't it?

Yes, it's a fair cow.

[TRAFFIC NOISE]

Well, you see, Miss Paget and I

don't know each other very well.

We never had much

of a chance.

Well, you know what happened.

- Are you all right now?

- Sure, I'm fine.

Well, last time I saw 'er,

she was...

...dressed up like a native, with a

sarong and everything.

I don't remember

much about it.

They were beating her up.

Mr Harman, I've got some

news for you.

You've come across the world to

England to look for her, haven't you?

That's right.

Well, she's gone across the

world to Australia to look for you.

Hey..?

[AIRCRAFT NOISE]

[OVER TANNOY] Announcing the

arrival of Trans-Australian Airways...

...flight five seven one from Darwin.

[CELLO MUSIC - THEME SONG]

G'day, Paul.

I'm going on with Eddie Conlan to

Willstown, any messages for me?

- No, sorry Joe.

- Are you sure?

No, nothing.

Joe.

Oh, Joe!

[ROMANTIC MUSIC]

[END THEME MUSIC]

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