We drove through the tiny town of Barmedman, in western NSW.

I (Tom) started school here many decades ago. Today I chatted with one of the school teachers, to explain why some stranger was taking photos out the front. She said that it happens often! I said I came to the school in kindergarten and that I think I got the cane while there. She said she wasn’t surprised. I said I thought that was a bit judgey, since she’d just meet me. She said she meant that several people had told her that they had received the cane.

Population: 200
Number of students in the school: 10

My old house doesn’t seem to have changed much, except for the solar panels.