“STORIES IN COUNTRY MUSIC” (SERIES 2)

By Desmond Kelly “the Star of eLanka”

Australia has just “gone thru” another “Budget”. I use the term “gone thru”to indicate that while most Aussies & Lankan/Aussies would not even understand what our “Pollies” are talking about on television as regards these “Budgets”, (billions for this project, millions for this,), bringing a huge deficit into a tiny surplus (in 2021), borrowing from Peter, to pay Paul, fixing this infrastructure, wreaking that, closing the “black-hole” of National debt, favouring the City of Sydney with “hand-outs”, while ignoring the City of Melbourne, all talk, talk, & more talk, ordinary folk (myself, included), “watch & wonder” about the intricacies of it all .

However, all “plusses & minuses” aside, one of the MOST IMPORTANT decisions made in this budget was all about NDIS (National Disability Insurance Scheme), also, now known as “Australia Disability Care”, in a healthcare program that EVERY AUSTRALIAN should be proud of.

ALL disabled people who are resident in this huge Country have every right to be looked-after.

Some of them have had unfortunate occurences after “working” & paying their “taxes”for years, before an accident has rendered them disabled, some of them are born disabled, other brave souls have “gone to war” & come back home, disabled in both body & mind. Every one of them should be looked-after, by this Country, one of the wealthiest, forward-looking Countries on Earth.

WHAT, in Heaven’s name, has all this got to do with “Stories in Country Music, Series 2.?

Well, as I have said, “Country-Music” is the “Story of Life”& it really does not matter where you live.

I’ll say it again. “I love Country Music”, Because Red Sovine, an American Country Singer,

Songwriter of note ( R.I.P. Red, who passed away in 1980 aged only 63), had a huge “hit” in 1970

with a very sad, yet happy song entitled “Teddy Bear”. Because I have not heard of a song in THIS Country, that brings to mind “Australia Disability Care”, any better than this particular one, I have decided to tell “Red’s Story” in print to all my readers everywhere.

Please have a box of tissues handy because these are superb “Country Lyrics” of yet another

“Story in Country Music” Series 2, Happens in America, but could happen anywhere, I suppose.

“TEDDY-BEAR”

I was on the outskirts of a little Southern Town

Tryin to reach my destination before the Sun went down

The old CB was blarin away on Channel 1-9

When there came a little boy’s voice on the Radio-Line

And he said “Breaker 1-9, is anyone there?

Come on back Truckers, and talk to Teddy-Bear

Well, I keyed the mike and said “you got it, Teddy Bear

And a little boy’s voice came back on the air

“Preciate the break, who we got on that end ?

I told him my “handle”, and then he began

“Now, I’m not supposed to bother you fellas out there

Mom says you’re busy, & for me to stay off the air

But, you see, I get lonely and it helps to talk

Cause that’s about all I can do, I’m crippled & I can’t walk”

I came back and told him to fire up that mike

And I’d talk to him as long as he liked

“This was my Dad’s radio”, the little boy said

But I guess it’s mine & Mom’s now, cause my Daddy’s now dead

Dad had a wreak about a month ago

He was tryin to get home in the blindin snow

Mom has to work now, to make ends meet

And I’m not much help, with my two crippled feet

She says, not to worry, that we’ll make it alright

But I hear her cryin, sometimes late at night

You know, there’s just one thing, I want more than anything to see

Aw, I know you guys are too busy to bother with me

But, you see, my Dad used to take me for rides, when he was home

But I guess that’s all over now, since my daddy’s gone

Not one breaker came on the old CB

As that little crippled boy talked with me

I tried hard to swallow a lump that just wouldn’t stay down

As I thought about “my boy” back in Greenville Town

“Dad was goin to take Mom & me with him, later on this year

I remember him saying “someday this truck will be your’s, teddy bear

But I know I’ll never get to ride an 18 wheeler again

But this old base will keep me in touch with my trucker friends

Teddy Bears gonna back on out now and leave you alone

Cause it’s about time for Mom to come home

But, you give me a shout when you’re passin through

And I’ll sure be happy to come back to you

Well I came back and I said ” uh, before you go, 10-10

What’s your home 20, little CB friend ?

Well, he gave me his address and I didn’t once hesitate

Cause this hot load of frieght was just gonna have to wait

I turned that truck around on a dime

And headed straight for Jackson Street, 229

And as I rounded the corner, oh, I got one heck of a shock

Late wheelers were lined up for three City blocks

Why, I guess every driver for miles around

Had caught Teddy-Bear’s call & that crippled boy was having a ball

For as fast as one driver would carry him in

Another would carry him to his truck and take off again

Well, you better believe, I took my turn, at riding Teddy Bear

And then I carried him back in and put him down in his chair

And buddy, if I never live to see happiness again

I want you to know I saw it that day, in the face of that little man

We took up a collection for him, before his Mama got home

And each driver said goodbye, then they were all gone

He shook my hand with a mile-long grin

And said, “so long trucker, I’ll catch you again

Well, I hit the Interstate with tears in my eyes

I turned on the radio & I got another surprise

“Breaker 1-9, came a voice on the air

Just one word of thanks from Mama Teddy Bear

We wish each & everyone, a special prayer for you

Cause you just made my little boy’s dream come true

I’ll sign-off now, before I start to cry

May God ride with you 10-4, goodbye”

The 2017 Budget has just come and gone

But true”Country Music” will ALWAYS go on

Desmond Kelly

“Star of e’ Lanka”.