During the Scottish autumn of 1891, Irishman, Lucan Hayes, a coal miner, loses his wife to childbirth. In his darkest hour, he meets prostitute Meg-Anne Dunn. This brief encounter would alter their lives forevermore.
Lucan must find a way to rais...
"Come in gents. We've got the best lookers in town!"
"No thanks."
"Welcome, sir. Up for a game. The girls are sweet."
"How much you askin'?"
"That depends, sir whether you want an Asian or a white girl and the service you require. Come in now and Judith will set you right."
"What about you, lads? Off the boat, are you? Need some company. Yes... yes that's right, come on in!"
The School of Arts was holding its annual ball and those, who weren't of an acceptable class to attend, frequented Sachs Street instead. Meg-Anne watched as men were encouraged inside the brothels, shanty hotels and gambling dens, which lined either side of the street. She followed Kim Lee along the busy lane where Chinese lanterns sprinkled an array of gay flickering light onto the pavement. The smell of tobacco and opium smoke wafted through the air.
"You wan... flied lice, lady... berry nice... or chicken stick?"
Meggy shook her head at the unusual food offered and almost ran into Kim Lee as she stopped at a red and gold door. The body of a black dragon was silhouetted against the painted timber panels. Strange lettering decorated the top with English words underneath. Meggy assumed they read Matthew Woo's Emporium becausethat's where Kim Lee said they were going.
The clear glass panes on either side of the door displayed satins and silks, dressing gowns, strange cooking ingredients, urns and dried flowers. She studied them and heard Kim speak in the language of these people.
The large Chinese man who stood guard and to whom Kim spoke looked from her to Meggy, and then back again. He nodded his head and let them in. Kim Lee led her through the shop and into a dark passage. Meg-Anne could hear music, mellow and enchanting, being carried along the walls and with-it soft laughter, hushed voices and the occasional cheer.
A large smoke-filled room opened at the end of the hall. The crowd shrouded in a haze. Meggy gasped. The walls were draped in soft pictured fabrics of mountains, warriors dressed in traditional Chinese garb, waterfalls and beautiful exotic women. Men sat in circles on wonderful ornate rugs, large water pipes with numerous attachments from which they inhaled the smoky substance shared between them.
"Kim Lee, I'm nae sure I want tae be here."
"You say you come. You tell Kim Lee you want money. My cousin run good place. Many men." She smiled. "You smoke. You enjoy."
Meggy moved her eyes around the room. Women both Asian and white, naked or semi naked served drinks. She saw others having intercourse with more than one man. Meggy gasped, never had she seen such a thing. She felt sure it was not for her but Kim Lee drew her on through the crowd.
"What are they doing?" Meg pointed to a group of men crouched around a large game board.
"They play Fan Tan. Chinese betting game. The Tan Kun he put many..."
Meggy stopped Kim Lee's explanation with a shake of her head. "Tan Kun. What is that?"
Kim Lee laughed "He how you say, banker. Croupier. He run game, put many buttons in square and cover with tan koi. Bowl. See numbers around square, one, two, three, four. Men place bets on number and Tan Kun use bamboo stick to take buttons away. Four at time. When last lot counted however many left that number win."
"What do they win?"
Kim Lee laughed. "Money most time but, tonight they play special game. They play for woman."
She pointed to a red head, who was sitting naked against the wall, her hands tied to a post. She appeared to be drunk but Meggy decided as she looked around that perhaps, she was drugged.
"If five men win." Kim Lee continued. "Five men have her. Share. She do what they want."
Meggy gasped again and stared disbelievingly at Kim Lee.
Kim laughed. "Kim Lee prize sometimes but tonight many white man. They not always like Chinese girl. That's why Kim Lee bring you. You say yes. You not say no."
"But I dinnae know it was like this." Meggy looked around. A young Chinese woman lay naked, on her stomach, on a bench like bed, with her legs apart. Meggy could see the outer folds of her vagina. She was drawing on one the pipes and laughed when a Chinese man ran his hand down her back and onto her backside; his fingers pushed her thighs further apart. Meggy looked away. To be here and having sex so openly did not appeal to her. "I cannae do this, Kim."
"Yes... you say yes... you tell Kim Lee, Bill no pay you. You only clean, no money."
"I said he hasn't let me have clients yet because me hair's too short. Kim, this isn't what I thought it'd be. It's nae for me." Meggy turned and started back the way they had come.
"Mathew be berry cross!" Kim yelled. "He beat Kim Lee. He say she lie. You must stay." Kim grabbed onto Meggy's arm and tried to pull her further into the room.
"I'm sorry, Kim." Meg pulled free. "I'm not staying!" She yanked out of Kim's hold and ran towards the door. A drunken European tried to grab her but she spun out of his arms. Meggy was in the passage and out through the door so fast that the Chinese guard didn't have time to react. She didn't stop running until she had safely reached the Crown Hotel.
Bee saw Meggy enter and followed her into the kitchen. "What's the matter?"
"I... I... told Kim Lee I'd work with her tonight. At Mathew Woo's. Oh my God, Bee. What is that place? I've never seen anything like it."
"Meggy what were you thinking? It's... it's a gambling den. A brothel for orgies and opium. A hell hole!" Bee sat down on one of the chairs and said calmly, "Why did you say yes? You know there's work here for you?"
"Bill says not until my hairs longer and cleaning the floors and rooms for my keep leaves me penniless. I need some money, Bee."
"I'll talk to Bill." Bee sighed and shook her head. "Meggy, you've got to promise me you'll never go to that place again. Once they get you there's no turning back. They're unscrupulous. You'll be treated like a slave and when you lose your appeal or don't make enough money, they'll give you a good thrashing." She shook her head. "I know of many women who took it on while their stupid husbands left them with no money for weeks, even months, in the hope of striking it rich. They were treated really bad, Meggy. Tell me you won't do it."
"Oh no, not after what I just saw, it's nae for me. It's why I ran. Oh my God," she gasped. "I at least have some dignity left."
"Good lass," Bee patted her cheek. "You go home and I'll talk to Bill later. We've a busy night and you'll need to be back early to clean."
OMG, I'm so glad Meggy ran from that place and I hope she never goes back.
Top Photo - commons.wikimedia.org Chinatown - Crown Hotel on the corner.
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Originally named Sachs Street after Leopold Ferdinand Sachs, manager of the A.J.S. Bank in Townsville in 1876, Sachs Street quickly built a bad reputation as it was full of wayward establishments. It was later renamed Grafton Street because the council at the time wanted to try and improve its standing. Now renamed Grafton Street after the birthplace in NSW of Mrs Hoare, wife of Alderman Hoare.
