Elvis - A Lighted Candle

[Wanda June Hill]

(NOTICE: These posts may be copied to other Elvis websites for the purpose of sharing with other true Elvis fans. Should you choose to copy them, we ask that you include the address www.elvislightedcandle.org as your source. Thank you, Wanda June Hill and Maia Nartoomid, ELC Host.)

1973 [Called him to check on him and get his tour schedule-Vegas mainly...he's been suffering one of those bad headaches and holed up in his room in the dark.]
Elvis: Hello...(said very softly, not sure it's him.)
W: Elvis is that you? Are you all right?
Elvis: Ummm..yea...jus' tired an' kinda got a hellova headache 'gin."
W: Oh-I'm sorry, I'll hang up so you can rest-it's not important.
Elvis: No...don', jus' talk soft to me...don' yell at me or nothin'... (As if I ever did!)
W: Wouldn't do that-is it your eyes?
Elvis: Started it but jus' top of ma head an' one side kinda...be okay tomorrow I hope...gawd...makes me feel like tossin' ma cookies-if had any.
W: So you've not had food either-nothing sounds good, honey?
Elvis: no...(Very weakly said, like a little kid)
W: Who's there-who's looking after you?
Elvis: Don' know...locked the dough...don' wanta see no one...now.
W: Ice pack, maybe?
Elvis: Did it, don't help none...jus' need some one to love and hold me..
W: Oh you would say that..must be someone around who'd be happy to do it.
Elvis: No...jus' me 'n Teddy...
W: Well, Teddy's cuddly.
Elvis: Got him layin' on my eyes...
W: (Laughs softly) That's a picture.
Elvis: un-huh, you think I got some kinkda tumor or somethin' goin' up there...gawd it's pressin' a hole right through top front of ma head, feels like.
W: I think you need to see an eye specialist-not just a guy who fits your glasses-one who goes into the eye ball and can fix things. Have you?
Elvis; Uh-huh, said it was beginn' stages of glaucoma, closed end something like in football an' gonna be blind if I'm not stayin' outta bright sunshine an lights um workin' under, told me to cut the candle watt power way back an avoid my eyes. Or can get some kinda lens to wear in ma eyes-can see that goin on-they'd be fallin' out an' I'm up there crawlin' 'round tryin' to find 'em!
W: Yeah, that wouldn't be too good-but you can get drops that help that-and save your sight.
Elvis: Got some...jus' hafta remember to use 'um-guess hafta get someone do it for me or I'll forget.
W: You-forget?
Elvis: 'bout me...a do...
W: Do you want to just lie quiet now?
Elvis: You gonna talk alot?
W: No, just do you want to lie there in peace and quiet?
Elvis: Piece ...sounds good but naw...forget it, can't laugh now.
W: What...oh...good grief...guess you're not THAT sick.
Elvis: Jus' lonely...an' um hurtin' ....(he says in a pitful little boy voice.)
W: Well, if I lived closer I'd come keep cold compresses on your face and make sure it was quiet and you had fresh air.
Elvis: Wish you did...
[His other phone rings loudly and he moans and groans, cursing as he gets it.]
Elvis: Gawd...who is it? (He growls) Oh...no, he's not here....Huh? Yeah, it's me, what do you want?
Elvis: Oh...no...no...NO! Jus' save your time darlin', I'm not interested.
(He's listening)
Elvis: Gawd-no way! Sorry honey, not my kinda thing really...(Laughs softly and kind of softly moans, ohhh shit) No, not you...jus' got a headache and laughin' hurts. Huh? Who said that? Oh...that's all, I mean jus' 44,000? Man, I'm slippin'...gettin old I guess, huh?
(He Listens)
Elvis: (Laughs softly) Really...that many. You think so- naw...no...no...no...couldn't do it...no not that...just don't want to be standin' in no newsrack buck naked don't care how much you'd pay me! No. What? ...I've seen 'em..so what's the point? Really...think so...I'm no spring chicken...not old yet...but-but....What? (Listens)Really...gawd...you think so? How old are you? Good lookin' too huh...been in what? Oh Playboy-month? Yea, you're the one with the long black hair down to your ass...'member you! So..you'd be the one with me?
Teddy Bear...me with a bear? Holdin' it so nothin' d show...yeah...honey, I got it...I'm no super stud model lookin' kinda guy like you all have in there.-got skinny legs an' big knees (listens)..no...no...not interested, thanks any way. Yeah..kinda but then I seen me naked...you haven't....but you could....what's your phone number? (Soft laugh) Okay...I know where you work. Bye-bye, 'n tell your boss lady thanks...um flattered...yeah, know her from her...eh...reputation...(laughs) Bye, thanks for askin'. I'll keep you in mind...sugar. don't cut your hair...! bye-bye.
Elvis: Gawd...that was Playgirl magazine wantin' to do a lay out with me front view-buck naked! Can you jus' see that! Scare the chickens right off the nests! I don't look that great in the buff...can ask eh...jus' bout anybody! (Snickers)
W: They wanted you huh-that would have been a big seller-you know that!
Elvis: Gonna have me holdin' a Teddybear-you'd think a guitar would've been better-so nothin' serious would show.
W: Serious huh? What about those skinny white legs and knobby knees?
Elvis; That's what I said...she said make up would do wonders...it wasn't ma legs they'd be lookin' at any way.
W: Really...
Elvis: Ma face honey, upper body...that's what they'd see mainly...an the Teddybear...imagination is better than reality any time...really.
W: Yeah-guess so in your case...
Elvis: Hey, ma head is killin' me an' you gonna drag ma ass around now?
W: She didn't help any?
Elvis: Naw...but maybe later she can...she'd come after work...bet on it.
W: Nope, don't like losing my money.
Elvis: (Slight laugh) Gawd, um feelin' sick...too much excitement guess...
W: Okay, I'm going to say bye and you get some ice for your eyes and lay really quiet so it will go away.
Elvis: Um tryin'... gonna turn off ma phones...thought had it off but didn't. It really hurts honey, not kiddin' so better jus' get somethin' stronger for it-been hurtin' for days an' got to start work this week. Um' pale too...got circles down to ma chin...seems like...un good thing is lost some weight 'cause can't eat nothin'...can't take no pills on empty stomach-jus' come right up an' all that...need to get a shot of somethin'-guess jus' call the doc...get 'em to send somethin' over...man...hate this!
W: You get to a doctor an eye doctor-not just one that fits glasses, you hear?
Elvis: yes, will do it. Keep seein' big red spots of light flashin' an' that's blood vessels that could break an' cause more sight loss they tole me. High blood presure is bad for it an' I got that ...hyper..tension they call it. Damn it...okay, bye-bye, thanks for thinkin' of me sugar, please pray for me-I need it today.
W: I will buddy, and I'll tell Suzy too.
Elvis: Thank you, bye-bye. Don' worry 'bout me-it'll go away soon...always does. call me in a few days...fore the weekend.
W: Okay, sleep and be well, buddy. bye.

{He went to the eye specalist that night and they drained fluid from his eye balls with a big long needle. He said it didn't hurt as he had been given a sedative that numbed everything clear to his toes...and lasted for a couple of days and his eyes felt much better after that.
But he was concerned at first because he "couldnt feel nothin'" and he didn't like that-he said, "um an emotional kinda guy...I need to feel...ya know, un that was-was scary!"]

[Blue Moon]

What a range of emotions I felt when reading this. I'm feeling such compassion for him in the first part, as I read where he could go blind if he keeps exposing his eyes to the bright lights. And, of course, we know he never stopped performing. I was thinking maybe it was better he died so young because what if, assuming he lived longer, that he did go blind. Blind and completely at the mercy of the MM. Shutter to think. Maybe God took him home early as an act of mercy.

OK then when reading the next part where he has the conversation with Playgirl & afterwards with you, I was crackin' up. Had to be divine providence for you, Wanda, to have happened to call Elvis when he got the PG call. The teddy bear parts...just too funny. This is such great comedy. And I just love this line:

I don't look that great in the buff...can ask eh...jus' bout anybody! (Snickers)

What a great piece of conversation you've posted here. One can feel his pain and his sense of humor. And it's obvious Wanda you were the perfect friend for him, as he appears to just be himself -- in pain & able to still be comical.

[Wanda June Hill]

I laughed over that line too when I found it and again when I posted it. It was the funniest thing I had put back for Face to Face, the rest is little short things but that was just too much! He kind of was tickled that Playgirl would ask him...he mentioned it several times and laughed when he was feeling better. And they did cut back the candle power of the stage lighting in Vegas and at most concerts where they could-depending on how far the lighting was from him. He avoided the lights as much as he could but he was "staying blind" longer and longer after performances...taking longer to regain his vision - it was stressing him out-he sure didn't want to go blind and he was using the drops, trying to rest his eyes, wearing the glasses and he had some lens to wear but they moved around too much when he was on stage and caused his eyes to be sore and so he didn't wear them long for that reason-he just tried to avoid the lights...but still almost every show at one time or another he'd get hit directly in the eyes and that hurt he said, kind of like a razor knife slicing through the back of his forehead-and from that point on, he could barely see anything and depended on Charlie to "guide" him with the cord and cue him verbably off mike. People didn't notice anything, he was so professional and had done it so long, he just went on like everything was fine...he did say he could see shadows of things so he didn't go into the orchestra but he stayed away from the stage edge at those times...unless they had stage floor lights at the edge-some did, some didn't. One time he said that he couldn't see much of anything for almost 3 hours after a show and that really distrubed him-he didn't know what to do-he didn't tell anyone other than who ever the girl was with him and she helped him cover it up so his dad and some of the others didn't notice...he went to bed early too to keep anyone from knowing that he couldn't see. After he slept he woke up and things were okay but he said he couldn't see outside in the daylight very well after that-the sun was just too bright-that was late in 77. I guess that's why he liked to sit outside at night-he could see and didn't have to wear shades and he could see the stars in the dark night sky. Plus it was quieter with most people going to bed. I liked that line you did too-so Elvis...he was really in pain, I hadn't heard him sounding quite so childishly hurt but of course he was a good actor...but I know he did hurt as he didn't moan and groan about things often...or curse quite the same way-either. Lisa left Teddy for him to sleep with when she wasn't with him-or she'd leave one of her dolls and he'd keep them with him...even took one to Vegas with him as she was going to come visit while he was there. He was such a good daddy-he made certain he did things that kept him close with his little girl, lots of dads wouldn't even have considered doing some of them but not Elvis. So what if he brought a doll with him and had it in bed-etc:...and you know it meant a lot to little Lisa to know that her effort to console her daddy meant something to him. Just like keeping the scrubby hand puppet thing in his bathroom and using it...because she gave it to him. How many would do that? Not manly etc;...but it didn't matter to Elvis-I think he pretty much knew he was manly anyway and so what...if he wanted to wear a lace shirt...he would and it didn't distract one iota from his manhood or image of himself.
Or anyone else's image-especially the females. The only thing he ever complained about was having to wear pale "pink" tights in that one movie when he swung from the trapeze and "dropped his brother"-Fun In Acapulco.
He hated them-didn't see why they couldn't be some other color-like black! Rick and David Nelson taught him to do that bit-he actuually did it himself-no double used.
And he said he did the dive too...he said "I had to" and then added, "after that 15 year old kid showed me how".
and laughed. He couldn't swim very well so they had a net to catch him should he be pulled out by the undertow in that alcove where they dive. The mm guys say he didn't do it-he didn't even go to Mexico etc;...but the hotel down there says differently and some of the people who were there say he was there and that they saw him do the dive....I can't believe the jealously and petty stuff those guys come up with...they will all get their just reward in the end....right up their ugly butts I hope! wjh

[Rainbow Light]

Thanks for sharing this conversation with us, Wanda! As with Laurie, had mixed emotions on reading this: was comical indeed to read of Elvis' words and thoughts in relation to the conversation between himself and the playgirl then to have been able to be (as always) so natural and relaxed with you!

Also though, shows Elvis' selfless caring in giving that much of himself to others, know he's safe and at peace now, thank the Good Lord but with the glaucoma, headaches and all that pain and considering how much he went through, but always being the professional he was, managed to carry it off and make it look like nothing was going on.

It's so sweet in how Lisa did her best to console and comfort her Daddy too, leaving him her teddy and all the other little things that reminded Elvis of his little girl. That's so touching to read; she was such an insightful caring child and I'm sure some memories will be haunting as some are happy and precious now for her.

Wow, what a wealth of emotions in one conversation! It means so much to know he had such a great friend as yourself to be there for Elvis, Wanda!

[Amanda Viola]

I share exactly everything said by you two, Laurie and Sue. (Right now he is singing "I'll Remember You" in my player. Of course, we remember him. Could not be otherwise!)

[Lighthouseseeker]

thank you Wanda ..wonderful reading again...I totaly agree this type of headache can turn someone into a little kid crying..one sided, begins from one eye, pressure at the top of the head and nausea at the end.. and causes vomiting mostly.. I suffer this since my teens and only getting worse.. so me knows,very well..
while he was in such a pain,he was still tallkin to you and aswering the other call and can be funny and sweet..Only Elvis can do that..God bless that sweetness of him..as for Lisa's doll and teddy bear,that's why I never took serious or even didn't believe that macho joke about him..macho's can't be that sensitive and "mature" with babies or they can't dress freely as he did and.. well done !our unique baby boy...btw,knobby knees or white legs, he would have looked terrific in those photos he had a beautiful posture and perfect body proportion.. oh! ..and he was juuust right about imagination..

[Rainbow Light]

Thanks for your thoughts and feedback on the above also, Zey!

[maral]

Thanx for sharing this......it’s so hard to read he was lonely wile being ill. Makes me want to go back in time and take care of him………. I believe Lisa was one of the few who looked after him even at such young age. While reading this I can’t stop wondering where Linda was at the time.

[Rainbow Light]

Hi Maral!

Great to hear from you! I understand and relate to everything you say specially:

it’s so hard to read he was lonely wile being ill. Makes me want to go back in time and take care of him………

There's something about Elvis that makes so many of us feel just like that! As you say Lisa took care of her Daddy as much as she was able to at such a young age also.

Maybe Wanda could let us know more about where Linda and the other ladies were when this was happening? .....

[maral]

hi sue
it's soooooo good to be able to get back hear. i've lots of cathing up to do here. and it's sooo freshing to be able to talk be where everyone share same fealings.

[Rainbow Light]

Bless you, relate to and understand all you say for sure and great to know you find ELC forums a special place to be to share thoughts and feelings about Elvis!

[Wanda June Hill]

I don't know, I am not too sure he and Linda were living together at that time-we didn't discuss that until it was public knowledge they were-he just didn't talk about his girlfriends that he had "staying a while" like more than a few days at a time-not until later on were there several new ones in and out- Linda might have been on the scene but he was alone at that time-by choice I imagine though he'd play the "I'm alone" routine and enjoy being "babied" as it made him feel better-he didn't want anyone around when he felt bad with those headaches-when I used to have them, I wanted peace, quiet, no talking, no nothing going on and the dark if I could get it - at times I would have gone out and got drugs if I had known how to do it-just to stop the pain. They wouldn't give me pain pills back then-nothing that worked anyway.
And some made me sicker than I was...so it was like that for him too no doubt-although he could get stuff once he had a regular doctor with him all the time whom made a fortune being "on call'. He made Elvis feel good-and that's what Elvis wanted so he could be Elvis for everyone. That may have been a lack of thinking on Elvis' part but I call it too much trusting-and in the end, it didn't help him much-he had to struggle to straighten his body out as much as he could...just to finish what he could. He sure was trying hard to stick it out-for Lisa's sake...I think he did what he had to get done and it was all for her sake. Right to the end, he was taking care of his family...like always. wjh

[Amanda Viola]

[Rainbow Light]

Thank you, Wanda! Not easy thinking of Elvis having to try to deal with so much pain and having to go on, know all he wanted was to take care of his family, and in that he did that more than the best he could but just such a shame his health had to come in a poor second or even third behind everything else but I also know this is how he was and never ever could want to change anything in that nature of his!

[Wanda June Hill]

Ya know, I think everything about him, even the things he went through, both trying and joyful, were the things he needed to experience in order to fulfill his destiny here and in the after life. It just kinda seems that way in so many instances of other people who I have known and lost-and maybe we all learn through their life experiences right along with them and after them. At least that's how I am going to see it from now on-maybe that's the way it's supposed to be-I seem to feel better about things in putting them into that catagory. Right now I need to do that and it's working. I have another older friend who will be leaving in the next couple weeks if not sooner- I know it...have since two weeks ago when she was hospitalized for pneumonia and then sent home where she is on oxygen, has a morphine drip to help her breath as she was a lifetime smoker in a family of smokers and her lungs paid the price...She was also a great horse woman, was the first woman to train, ride and show a Tennessee Walker Stallion . Women were not allowed to ride or show stallions back then-she was 17 years old. He won....and she went on to show him several times and others as well-and was the very first female to do so. She had to pen her long blonde hair up under her hat and wear riding clothes like the men did and she looked great-I've seen photos. She was also an ER nurse, then a hospital administrator and has had a wonderfully full life. She's satisfied with things and that says it all. Life is what you make it-the secret is finding out what makes you happy and then doing it. And then giving back what you have found to others. That's what Elvis did too...he said he found that was the secret to happiness....making other's happy by being happy yourself and sharing it. wjh