As I sit in this cell, waiting to hang, I am at peace. I wouldn't change anything that led me to my conclusion. Her name was Susannah. She was a dark haired beauty, with porcelain skin and deep,  blue eyes that had seen too much. She was a convicted murderer. I first saw her on a cloudy day in The Port of Bristol. She had chains on her wrists, and looked small next to the other Sydney bound prisoners waiting to board the 'Cleopatra', a convict ship set to embark on the notorious year long voyage to the land down under. I was in charge of all supplies aboard, the Jack of the Dust is what they called me. It wasn't...
A Tale told by a working man...  "Remember, this was Kororareka in the 1830s. A godforsaken, lawless land back then. Wasn’t called the 'Hellhole of the Pacific' for nothin’. Everyone knew Jack. He had the respect of both the Ngapuhi tribe and the seafarers from abroad. I was just a young fellah at the time, working the docks, trying to hold my own. Jack had his own ship, running cargo back and forth across the Tasman. Rum, gunpowder, livestock, whatever the demand was. He had his business, and he had a woman he loved. Miriama, The daughter of the Ngapuhi chief, was she a beauty. I think he was happy, or as close as a man can come to it....
Today is White Ribbon Day aka International Elimination Of Violence Against Women Day. As a men's brand, we believe it is our social responsibility to take a stand against violence against women. If you know it's happening, don't look the other way. Don't pretend it's not happening. Stand up. Take action. Do the right thing. Be the man you want to be. The following short story is in honour of the victims of this violence.  The woman caught a glimpse of herself in the reflection of her glass. She remembered a time when her hair was long and dark. She wasn't yet 40 and it had long been speckled with grey. She had been afraid of him for 16...
