Flight of the Jabiru by Elizabeth Haran

might still be a few around. We don’t serve the Abos liquor,” she said sternly, “but they still get it from locals who exploit them, and they can’t handle it.”
    Lara couldn’t believe how warm it was by nine o’clock. She took her time wandering from shop to shop, as being unhurried was the only way not to break into a sweat.
    Lara was amazed by how many military men were in the city. A lot were wearing Australian uniforms but there were also plenty of Americans with strong accents. Most ogled her and whistled. It was hard not to notice that she was the only woman in the street wearing a tailored dress made of linen, nylon stocking and high heeled shoes, so she received many curious looks from the locals who were wearing loose shifts made of cotton, no nylons, and comfortable sandals. They were also tanned nut brown.
    The streets of Darwin were so different and strange, compared to Newmarket. They were wide with deep gutters to cater for the torrential downpours described by Sid. Along the Esplanade, there were boarding houses and private residences. Most of the shops were one street back, in Mitchell Street. As Lara wandered around, she admired the foliage in gardens, which was profuse and strange, exotic and colorful. None of the plants looked familiar, but Lara was in awe of the shady boab trees and bird life that included colorful parrots. She saw really dark natives in the streets but they didn’t seem intoxicated. She noticed they weren’t wearing shoes and although they were covered, fashion was not of any importance.
    After finding some comfortable shoes and dresses which were far from high fashion, but practical, Lara decided impulsively to treat herself and have her hair washed and styled in a hairdressing salon. When she was done, she felt wonderful, just like her movie actress idol, Carole Lombard, who coincidently was also blond and five-feet-two-inches tall.
    It was soon obvious that her likeness to Miss Lombard did not go unnoticed by the American air force personnel. As she walked back to the hotel several stopped her and boldly asked for a dinner date, which she politely refused with some amusement. They were very gracious, funny, and charming. Many were also very handsome, especially in their smart uniforms. Although Peggy had warned her, she enjoyed the attention. She thought that she could treat herself to that.
    Lara’s feet hurt, so she decided to have an early lunch in the hotel dining room, but not before she removed her nylon stockings and changed into a new cool cotton dress that was loose. The relief was heavenly. The Philippine cook had a chicken mango salad on the menu that sounded very inviting. She’d just made herself comfortable when several American air force men came in.
    Lara soon found herself surrounded by men in uniforms. As the Philippine girls ran in and out of the kitchen bringing meals to tables, the men chattered to Lara while she ate her salad, asking her about herself and what she was doing in Darwin. They flattered her with compliments, each more extreme than the last as they tried to outdo each other, while jovially putting each other down as they competed for Lara’s attention. She couldn’t help laughing. Mrs. Parker kept a watch on what was going on, as she ordered her flustered staff around. She was amused to see that Lara had changed her clothing and that the nylon stockings were gone. She still looked very attractive with her hair styled and a touch of coral lipstick.
    When a civilian appeared in the doorway, obviously not looking for a table to dine, Mrs. Parker went to him. Lara didn’t notice him at first as she giggled at the antics of the Americans. Suddenly she looked up and saw Mrs. Parker pointing in her direction. The man with her was definitely looking her way. As he waited, Mrs. Parker came towards Lara.
    â€œThere’s someone here to see you, Miss Penrose,” she said. “He claims you are