“BOXCAR BRILLIANCE” – by Des Kelly Merle Ronald Haggard was born in a converted boxcar at Oildale California on the 6th of April 1937. At the tender age of 3 months, his dad & mum noticed him “keeping time” to the radio music outside his bassinet. It was obvious that he already had music on his brain and in his heart. His dad passed on before Merle was even ten years old, leaving his mum to look after the family. Merle turned out to be a little musical rebel, who quickly picked up an old guitar, left by his dad, disobeyed his mum, and, in his early teens, got involved in various unlawful escapades with other young teenagers, getting themselves frequently into trouble with the police and even into jail on several occasions, prompting him to then also become an “escape specialist”, until finally, he really got into big trouble ...

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“TRIPLE TALENT” by Des Kelly  Two words, not often associated with their true meaning. A “talent”, IS, however, often associated with “a legacy” left by parents to their children, in my own case, my dear Mum,  God rest her soul, was a prize-winning “vocalist” during her School years, in Ceylon (of course). Through my “writings” for H.M.S.eLanka (Her Majesty’s Ship),our Captain, Neil Jayasekera, & lowly Vice Captain,(myself), have decided to, firstly, delete the word “Vice”(I am too old for any of that), & substitute the prefix “Co”, making me therefore a bloody “Co-Captain”. Where was I going with this ?, what the ! ?. Oh, yes, it was “talent” we were talking about. “okay, Sir”!       Secondly, whenever & wherever possible, my “stories” for eLanka will feature “You-Tube” clips, as an added “entertainment”, if you like, for “on-line” members of our good Ship eLanka. If you are not a member, ...

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