“FOLLOW THE LEADER” – by Desmond Kelly – ‘the Star of eLanka”
In Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), there used to be this childrens’ game called “follow the leader” The rules were simple.
You chose a leader & tried to follow, as best as you could, anything the “leader” did. Whoever did mimic the leader as closely as possible, won the game & the plaudits that followed. The game, at times was hilarious, at times, rather dangerous, too, as was the time when I, as “leader”, led the rest of the team (about five others), into a fairly large tunnel, ( drain) which began at the “bottom” of Lorenz Road, Bambalapitiya, where we guys all lived, running the total length of, & underneath the Sports-Ground of St.Peter’s College, & practically into a Canal, on the other side of it, about a thousand metres away.The rest of my “gang” included my younger brother Ian, Maureen Hingert’s older brother “Budgy”, R.I.P.,Sydney deJong, Carl Jansz & Denis Roberts, both. also now, sadly no more, the actual tunnel was a huge concrete “half-pipe”drain of stagnant water, at the bottom, which we had to then “straddle”, crouched very low, your’s truly leading the way with a rather dim torch, a few startled “bats” flying past our heads, and I remember Denis saying to me, “Desmond, I don’t think I can make it, I’m going back”, but, looking over his shoulder I think he realized that it was just as far to get back, as going forward, and then Carl Jansz, our buddy, who always made bad matters worse, “came across” a “man-hole” cover above his head and decided to lift it up to get some welcome fresh air into this gloomy situation we now found ourselves in, & there he was, CarlJansz, in the middle of St.Peter’s College cricket ground, which would have been quite o.k. except for the fact that the then head- curator of this piece of land, saw this “head” coming out of the ground, screamed out a choice “ranting” of Sinhala blasphemy & ran at Carl’s head with a rake- handle set to strike. Carl did the only thing he could do and ducked while he slammed the”cover” back in it’s place. The curator was not game enough to re-lift it, not knowing what lay underneath and we were able to finish our underground journey, have a bit if a wash in what was a filthy canal & head back home. Things like this, spending entire weekends at the beach, body surfing.and generally, having a good time with very little money was our “lot” in Ceylon, at the time, giving me cause however, for a million happy memories of those bygone times. Every day spawned something else that was exciting to do.
Many of us have since migrated to Australia, many of us are still playing this old game. For a.start, I am not sure if too many of our people are aware of the fact that the little Victorian Suburb of “Baddaginnie” (near Benalla) was named after a Sinhalese man who was possibly a very early “migrant” who found himself looking for something to eat, and, not being able to talk English, walked around this unnamed Suburb, pointing, in turn, from his stomach to his mouth, saying “mata baddaginni, mata baddaginni”, until some Aussie cow-cockie (Country bumpkin) felt sorry for this guy and handed him a couple of snags off a barbeque at his home. The story goes that this good Samaritan was a local Councillor who, at the next Council meeting, put it to his fellow Councillors that this Suburb would in future be known as Baddaginnie.
More Read
“Students to the grave” that’s who we are. We live and learn, but do we? !.
Right from the start, I did notice that Australia seemed to “follow” everything done by the Americans. America seemed to be the “leader” with Australia following suit, all the time. Australia ALWAYS had great, talented, “Show-biz” personalities BUT they had to go to America to make a name for themselves. Australia always had the capability of making great films., but not until quite recently, has this Country shown that their “actors” are World class & we are able to make films, some of which are far better than the American ones. What is happening? , Australia, priding itself as being one of the most multicultural Countrie at the moment, started with “the white-Australia Policy in the late 1950’s, determined to “admit” ONLY people with sickly, pale, white skins, made it almost.impossible for “Asians”(as Pauline Hanson, put it).to come here, then, instead of “closing the gate” on ALL undesirables from the 1960’s, slowly but surely, began letting in the RIFF-RAFF-RUBBISH who migratwd here with just the one idea, and this was to RORT Australia for everything she was worth.
This writer has pointed it out, over many years now. “SCREEN EACH & EVERY MIGRANT & “REFUGEE” TRIPLE-THOROUGHLY, BEFORE LETTING THEM IN”!!.
SKIN COLOUR MATTERS NOT A JOT. RACE/RELIGONS, NEITHER. EVERY COLOUR, RACE, OR RELIGON HAS IT’S “PARIAHS” Throw the pariahs out and admit ONLY those who will be an ASSET to what is a Baby-Country.
Adopt a strict ZERO-TOLERENCE POLICY for EVERY MIGRANT OR REFUGEE. “Toe the bloody line or we’ll THROW you out, lock, stock & barrel. Do NOT hand out the DOLE willy nilly & keep getting back into a black HOLE. Use tax-payers’ money wisely . Australia should NOT have any employment problem, period.!! A young Country, with white-collar, blue-collar, brown-collar and multi-colour- collar jobs, in both Town & Country situations. Here, work is available for “Clerks or Cherry pickers”. No excuses for unemployment are necessary
There are jobs, both full & part-time. So, with the ONLY exemption of the severely handicapped, young people should accept ANY job offered to them . Every one of them cannot aspire to being a Politician. Perish the thought. We already have too many of them anyway. In Australia there is absolute DIGNITY OF LABOUR. If it is impossible, due to marital or family reasons, a job (away from the home enviroment) cannot be accepted, give these jobs to the Refugees who should be willing and able to accept them,thqt makes them Assets to Oz.
Australian jobs however, SHOULD BE offered to Aussie Citizens first.
Unemployed? , The “DOLE” should be paid for 6 months ONLY.. Unemployed for 7 months? Be then prepared to WORK FOR THE DOLE or BE DRAFTED INTO ONE OF THE ARMED FORCES to put on a smart uniform and fight for your Country, if need be. You will be well will be well looked-after., don’t worry about that. Believe me, compared to the discipline we guys went through in the Royal Ceylon Navy, especially having to put up with the “cooking” of some of our Navy Cook -Stewards, life in the Royal Australian Navy would be a “cake-walk”. The “cakes” in the R.A.N., much softer too.
To finish this hopefully interesting & informative article (if I say so, myself, because nobody else will), “Follow the Leader” seems to have “followed” me to Australia. President Trump has already introduced his “elaborate “VETTING” procedure in America. Prime Minister Turnbull has echoed the “Trump- Triumph” & extended vetting procedures will now be in place for those who want to come to this Country. After all is said & done, Australia MUST “Follow the Leader”.
LEST WE FORGET – ANZAC DAY- TUESDAY 25/4/2017.
” How sleep the brave, who sink to rest
By all their Country’s wishes blessed.”
Desmond Kelly
“Star of eLanka”
