Joan Barker

Bag Lady Joan Barker

Esther is a lady of the road, but why? She tells her story to Jess, a young nurse who cares for her after she is savagely beaten. Jess' life is interwoven with that of Esther's and she learns of the trauma caused to Esther by a tyrannical husband and how in defending herself, thinks she has killed him. Esther escapes more violence with her young child but on the way to the Women's Refuge starts to lose her unborn baby. Esther's father Tom takes her child while she flees. Illness brings her to a kindly nursing nun who takes charge of her life. Trauma is not yet over for Esther who again runs into danger and an horrific crash. Not until a special event due to take place in her home town does she return as a 'bag lady'. Here Esther is assaulted and comes under the care of Jess at the Women's Refuge. Here she is privileged to write Esther's story and become more closely involved in her life. After more drama engineered by Esther's husband, she is eventually able to attend the event of her dreams, be with her family and reunited to her son.