Elvis - A Lighted Candle

[Wanda June Hill]

[His housekeeper answered-he was out side][I wish I had put the year down-but I wasn't into that then-after all why would I need to know? He would always be around-right...? How I wish that he were...then it wouldn't matter what the year was-to me or anyone. I know he was starting a film and he wanted to be tan-he hated the make up caked on his face.]

Elvis: Hello? Who is it? (Crabby sounding)
W. Me-but if you are busy, it's not important; Jim said you called?
Elvis: Me? I'm me-who are you? (Giggles)
W. Guess, smart aleck!
Elvis: Can feel who it is...my little berry-berry-ummm!
W. Are you stoned?
Elvis: Stoned? Me? Hell no! Why'd you ask me that?
W. Ever been?
Elvis: Had rocks throwed at me some times-(Laughs)
W. Really...I just wondered-you sounded kind of ...different, you know...
Elvis. Naw. Feel really good though-finally over the cold-got laid 'n that cured me.
W. Just had to say that, didn't you? Why is that-to prove something to yourself?
Elvis: Ummmm...nobody ever asked me that before-don't think got an answer...give me a minute...(laughs)
W. I didn't realize you had such a...complex.
Elvis: What....does that mean?
W. Ego problems...a need to exploit one's self in every way possible.
Elvis: I'm a movie star-guess that's a good one.
W. (Laughs) I guess so! But you get such a kick out of it too.
Elvis: Being a movie star?
W. No bragging a bout all your conquests.
Elvis: Naw...no...no...just teasing is all it is-I don't need to brag-it's obvious.
W. Good grief...that's what I mean!
Elvis: Truth's truth-can't argue with that.
W. Oh boy, what an ego! You know, it's a good thing I know a little more about you than I did, I'd believe you!
Elvis: I don't lie-much. (Snickers)
W. Uh-huh really, truth comes out.
Elvis: You know people tend to think that of me really, an it's not so...sure got an ego but doesn't every man?
Am in the business of lookin' the best I can-on screen even when it's not the-the best script in town I'm playin in-but I have to look good anyway, really.
W. I know that, it just struck me funny. I know you were teasing.
Elvis: I was-if had got laid wouldn't of told you, really.
W. I wouldn't want to know, really.
Elvis: Really?
W. Really, really!
Elvis: Really really. REally?
W. Like that word huh?
Elvis: Really?
W. Okay, so what are you doing besides playing with really?
Elvis: Awww...now she's done it! Playin' with...what? Really?
W. What movie are you staring in?
Elvis: It's called "Really".
W. Oh all right. Good-bye Elvis, really.
Elvis: (Laughs) Okay, I'll be good-always am-really.
W. When are you coming back to town?
Elvis. I am in town.
W. I mean Los Angeles.
Elvis: Oh, in few days; goin' to get some sun out here-fry my brain some then I'll be there in a few days. You gonna come by?
W. Depends on the weather and the job.
Elvis If you do, I got two books for you-one of 'em was given to me 'n autographed an' I want it back when you're done readin' it. don't write in it or nothing, please.
W. When you're home, let me know. I'll try and get by there after work though.
Elvis. Okay-did you see the magazine that came out-Mirror?
W. No what did you do now?
Elvis: It was a survey thing an' I was No. 2
W. For what?
Elvis: Popularity...with younger fans.
W. Who was No. 1?
Elvis: Beatles.
W. Well, there are more of them than you, you know! That's not a fair survey because you're just one guy-there's 4 of them!
Elvis: Yeah....haven't had a hit in a while though-makes a difference ya know.
W. Yeah...but you've had so many hits and I don't care if they put all four of their best parts together and made one-you'd still be the best looking, have the most sex appeal and the best voice!
(Silence)
W. Struck dumb?
Elvis: No-thank you. Jus' tryin' to picture what a guy would look like made up of their best parts, ya know.
W. Oh good grief! Paul is cute-got the best voice of them all.
Elvis: I'm cute...
W. No...you aren't.
Elvis: I am.
W. Nope.
Elvis: Sure-you said so.
W. Changed my mind.
Elvis: Gawd...damn it, first you build me up, then throw me down...
W. You are cute...put on a wig and a little lipstick, guys would go for you big time!
Elvis. Shit! (snapped out)
W. Really, you don't have to worry about being second to anyone Elvis. There isn't any one out there who could replace you-ever. And that is the truth!
Elvis: Really? (Snickers)
W. I am not going to play that really game any more-I'm paying for this call!
Elvis: Oh...hang up 'n I'll call back, darlin'... Really...(Snickers)

(He did for 45 minutes while he was laying by the pool with a fan and a spray bottle of water keeping cool. He joked about being almost naked-worried about burning parts that hadn't seen the sun in a while, etc: but didn't do the really thing any more til the end when he said, "Please call me in LA-an' come up 'n see me, some time...baby...Really." (said in a May West kind of style)

[Blue Moon]

What funny banter between you two. I needed a laugh to lift my spirits. Thank you.

And I'm also curious . . .

Elvis: If you do, I got two books for you-one of 'em was given to me 'n autographed an' I want it back when you're done readin' it. don't write in it or nothing, please.

What two books did Elvis loan you?

[Wanda June Hill]

One of them was by Jess Stern and Maia has it on the books section (Documents) and the other one was The Life of Jesus Christ. It's packed up in the fire shed so I don't know who wrote it but I think it's listed in the books list that Maia has for Elvis' books I should read. In the end he said I could keep the Jess Stern book as he had two copies of it. So I did and now Maia has it. It has on the book cover which is torn, what looks like blood and I wondered if his nose had bled or something-I never did get an explanation though he said something about his nose bleeding but didn't ever say for sure it was his blood. Maybe he didn't want me to think that???
That it was coffee or something-it wasn't coffee.
He eventually loaned or gave me several of them including one of the first he gave me being The Impersonal Life-with his notes and underlined sections here and there-Starla has it and reads it faithfully all the time. It and another one he gave me that was given to him by a Hollywood columnist May Mann-she autographed it to him and there was a snapshot of her inside it that she'd given him. He had lots of pictures of her and him taken together-he liked her as a friend. wjh

[MaryInTheMorning]

Wanda much like Laurie I myself needed my spirits lifted big time today and after reading this hilarious conversation between you and our favorite "funny boy" they were lifted "fer sure"-LOL! REALLY!! (Sorry, couldn't resist or help myself) Thank you so much for sharing it with us.

[Amanda Viola]

W. Really, you don't have to worry about being second to anyone Elvis. There isn't any one out there who could replace you-ever. And that is the truth!
Elvis: Really? (Snickers)

REALLY, ELVIS!!

Thank you so much for this, Wanda. It's REALLY a treasure!

[Sarena]

Thank you so much for this, Wanda. It's REALLY a treasure!

Yeah, it REALLY is!!

[Rainbow Light]

Many thanks for sharing this great and very funny conversation, Wanda!!

ABSOLUTELY SECOND TO NONE, EVER, ELVIS!!!

[Raina]

This conversation realy made me laugh
Thank you for sharing Wanda

Love, Raina

[MaryInTheMorning]

REALLY Elvis, NO ONE can or will ever replace you in our hearts! REALLY! REALLY!

[Wanda June Hill]

I love the conversation that is on one of the talking cds where Elvis is the only one talking-as the interviewer which I believe was May Mann who wasn't allowed to interview Elvis (Col. Tom's words) so she couldn't use her voice-but it came out with his answers and comments. It was on a movie set-he is talking about himself in a kind of monotone/dreamstate way but every other comment is ended with "really" and he's being serious. I just love hearing him on it as it's so him and he trusted the interviewer-it's obvious they were a friend to him and she respected and kept his "secrets" all this time-only telling what he'd approve when I know she had more-she was his friend, whom he trusted. And she knew him well-knew his liking in books etc: and she kept his secrets. A friend does that...in life and after.
Elvis said that-after one dies, real friends stand out few and sometimes far between. He was sooo right.

[Rainbow Light]

I'm not familiar with this so will have to try and find it, thanks for mentioning, Wanda - sounds a great interview for sure!

[Elvis'SweetSweetSpirit]

Thank you so much Wanda for sharing the wonderful conversation with us!

[Wanda June Hill]

The interview I mentioned was on a boxed set of records back in the 80's I think...before cds etc; and it was on the set, there was hammering in the back ground as they were building sets' etc: and Elvis is just talking, answering questions, talking about reading books, etc: and saying that people tell him he ought to do different types of movies etc: and he didn't think it was wise to change what was working etc: (repeating the Col's statements he'd heard over and over). The way he's answering is kind of quietly, not in his later on Elvis on stage kind of way-but very openly expressing thoughts etc; and mainly I like the "really" as I heard it so often during those years. He kind of dropped that as he got older, out on stage etc: though sometimes it would crop up at the end of statements. He was a sponge, he soaked up whatever was going on in the world of conversation remarks etc: and picked up phrases etc: and used them and then too, he loved words. Sometimes he used some pretty big ones-a thing he liked doing. He didn't want to appear uneducated and he felt very much that he was-he tried his best to get past the "hillbilly hick" names he had heard in the early days and he said they tended to "stick with" him among a lot of people. Elvis was anything but a hick country boy-he was very into learning, studying and improving himself. Very much sophisticated and polished when he wanted to be and he loved dressing up and being the "southern gentleman of the manor" kind of thing...and having fun wearing anything that struck his fancy. I laughed at Linda Thompson's story of meeting him and he was wearing a black cape with a red lining and her commnent about "dracula" -that would have tickled him I know. Someone who "understood" his sense of fun and drama. She was perfect for him and he was smart enough to realize it right away! wjh

[Rainbow Light]

Thanks for elaborating with some more details, Wanda - will go check this out!

[Amanda Viola]

Elvis was anything but a hick country boy-he was very into learning, studying and improving himself. Very much sophisticated and polished when he wanted to be

It calls my attention how so many people -not so close to him as you were, Wanda- comments in many interviews I have read, that they were quite surprised about that quality in Elvis, his acuracy, his intelligency and clarity of thinking. And his wide unexpected knowledge on many, many matters.

Probably, the dull roles he had to play along so many years in his movies, gave a plain impression of his capacities, with very rare exceptions.