Elvis - A Lighted Candle

[Wanda June Hill]

Today, 30 years ago, Elvis gave his last performance, took his last bow, said Adios, till we meet again. And just about 8 weeks later he left everything behind except the deep abiding love in his heart and went to meet the Lord he so revered and trusted with the faith of a child.

He wasn't feeling well that trip, was all he could do to get out there, but said once he was on the stage, everything was okay and he felt better. He said, "It's the folks out there, they fill me up." He meant with their love and delight in seeing him.
I spoke with Suzy last night having finally caught her in her room as she was getting ready for bed! She was very "alive" sounding and thinking good-remembering the past and she said she had spoken with Elvis in July, that he told her he was scared sometimes and was crying because he didn't know what to do- she had told me this story before on a couple of occasions-shortly after his death when she wasn't forgetting things and a gain a few times but this time she finished "his" sentence. He was worried and didn't know what to do about the book coming out and what all it might have in it. He was afraid his fans would think he was "awful" and afraid that they wouldn't understand what was going on in his life, how he had been emotionally distrought over the divorce, his health and even his career. She said she told him he would always prevail, that he should not worry as he had led an extraordinary life, he had stood tall and remained a good example publiclly, he had been charitable beyond his means at times and he had refrained from reckless abandon in his personal life. He had shown everyone how to be caring, to love openly and without expecting anything in return. He had turned the other cheek when he could have done otherwise and he had forgiven even those who betrayed him, accused him and slandered him, including the "marksmen reporters". She said he cried softly, thanked her for reminding him, for thinking he was so "pure of spirit and body" and that he appreciated her words, he would hold them close to his heart, take them out when he needed to feel better. She said he told her that he only knew of a few "good women like her, and his momma was one of them". He said "Thank you baby," before he said bye-bye. Later he would call again, speak to her husband briefly, then to her and she felt he was telling them good bye as when he was going to hang up he said, "I love you, thank you. Good bye friends". She didn't hear from him again and he was gone within days of that last call. She thought he was possibly close by but wasn't sure when that call was made. He had Lisa with him. wjh

[Rainbow Light]

SPENDING MONEY----AN' WOMEN....1973
E: Hi, it's me again-(laughs) bored out of what's left of my mind...
W. Okay-I'm not doing anything important-paying bills.
You do that?
W. Yeah-
Oh-
W: Yeah-OH! Surprised?
No-not really, I guess. It's jus' that women don't do a good job of handlin' money usually. But my momma did-so you could also.
W. Boy-he's one of those! I knew it!
I am that. My experience has been that women don't think before they spend as a rule.
W. Do YOU? I doubt it-judging from your spending habits.
I get what I want-but I know if I can or not-
W. Unless you really want it-then you just buy it-right?
Don't judge women here Elvis, I KNOW you.
(laughs) Okay, you're right-I'm poor at it. But I've never had to do it see-an' I know there'll be money to cover it. That's not like a normal...family-financial arrangement-see? Women that I meet aren't into saving or nothin' they just want to get and do-that's why they're with me. They know I got the means-an' they just want to get their hands on my wallet...or check book. I know that.
W. True, but you encourage that thinking with your own spending habits-
I know that also, I'm smarter than you think-, bout such things, really.
W. Really?
Reallllyyy really(laughs) I may look like a ...dumb blond, but I ain' dumb-I dyed my hair-that's smart!
W. Yeah-you said it, not me!
Reallly...(he's sounding very hoarse from talking)
W. Do you have some throat spray?
Yeah, but can't use it except every few hours-powerful.
W so-who's the blond keeping you company?
What! It's out already! Gooodddd, I can't do nothin'!
W. That's right-so watch your step!
Eh...she's jus' a friend-stayin' a while. Nothin' serious...Met her in Cinncinatti, an' she was nice so I asked her to come back for a few days vacation, an' she did.
W. Where is she now.
Sleepin' she's tired, you know, jet lag an' changing schedules an' all that. I'ts tough if you're not used to it. An' then too-we didn't sleep much the last two days, talkin' and gettin' to know each other takes time.
W. Uh-huh
(laughs) Talkin'! I talk...when I make love...guess you don't have to though, if you know the person, but in this case-didn't know her. Like to know somethin' about them first...so took two days...an' now I know.
W. Okay, I get the picture...
Black or white?
W. Funny. Not nice enough to stay around longer than-a while?
Nope, wouldn't want her under foot all the time-she's too...eh eh possessive an' I hardly spent any time with her. Women are that way, often. They immediately start to think they own me, my time, everything, jus't because their sleepin' in my bed. Damn, it makes me angry...
W. Well, that's the nature of the species...
I know, she's fun, we've had fun, laughing and talking' but I'll be glad when tomorrow comes an' she goes home. I'll miss her...but enough is enough...man...some times more'n enough.

[Rainbow Light]

Elvis' comments, put together taken from 3 different conversations explaining about that Comeback Special-and his first Vegas shows.

"Just so-so involved with trying to make the damn show the best could be-didn't know if I'd ever get another chance to-to eh-to get my career back up like before. God, things been so f.... awful, the movies goin' to the shit can an' nothing...in the future but more lies an' disappointments... An' God knows I was losin' my mind! Havin' the baby meant so much to us...we wanted more kids but not immediately ya know, needed some time and here I was workin' and havin' to put every thing into getting it done. Man, I-I can't, I mean, when it's like that, it's just-just I- I have to put every thing into doin' it-there's not much left of me...kinda takes over an' I-I can't help how it is, it's a part of me, what I do and it was wrong for me to think she'd understand an' be okay with it all. I didn't realize, she never said nothin' but she really didn't want me to do it-to go back to live shows. She was-was afraid an' for good reason.
I told her that was what I wanted to do, had to do, and she said she understood and it would be okay, all she wanted was for me to come back to her, to be with her and the baby. Only thing was, I couldn't just turn it on and off like that, even when I was there with her, it was still in my head, things to plan, think about and was on the phone with all of 'em , director, an all and we were planning moves and songs, routines and then there was the sets, all that. It was the biggest production anyone ever planned for tv and it had to be the best we could make it. Spent hours an hours rehearsin' ever little detail, trying to make it outstanding. And then Tom was...was draggin' his feet an I was havin' to tell him okay, then tell the others don't pay him no mind, let's do it your way. And takin' the heat for that-people started getting some weird things from him, fired and so forth an' I was hirin' 'em back, payin' 'em myself an' then he'd be causin' other problems. But other than that, it was just tryin' to do a good show...to bring back the lost years an' all, it was hard. I was...was...scared silly worryin' how I was going to be able to-to talk out there in front of those-those people. Lord, it had been so hard before an' now here all that fear was right back at me. You don't know, I can't-I don't have the words to experss how-how I felt about it. Every thing just came back...like I was 18 again and scared so bad couldn't move, couldn't talk! God, I just knew I was gonna fall on my ass in front of ever body! Shakin' man, couldn't stop my teeth from rattlin'-picked up on the mike too! Gawd... An Steve was tellin' me it was okay, an' I'm sittin' there shakin' , sick man, just sick clear through me. An' they had the people there an' I'm supposed to come out an' do it an' I can't get out of the damn chair-like froze or somethin'. Man, my throats so dry couldn't hardly swallow, can't make spit an' I'm gonna go out an sing something! They was all tryin' to get my nerve up an' I don't even know what they was sayin' my head's like spinning! Got the damn black suit on an' it's wet from the skin out-stuff was hotter hell! Steve come back an said, Come on now...we got a show to do! I'm sittin' there shakin' an sayin' I can't do it...can't go out there... Charlie's pokin' water at me sayin' drink this, you'll be fine...come on...your friends are all out there waitin'.... Charlie said, give him a minute, he's going to do it. And every body left me alone 'cept him. I could hear the orchresta playing and people noises...they kept playin the music supposed to bring me out an' I had to do it. I knew I had to do it. It took some doin' but I drank some water, dried off some an got my nerve up enough to walk out there. God it was awful, standin out there couldn't look at anyone- too scared man. I was shakin' couldn't stop it first few minutes...that stage was little too an' they were all sittin' right there close. Finally got that first song goin' and then I knew it was okay, I could do it, I had to do it! Man, that was the worst-then we were doin' the dance routines an that was okay, wasn't alone out there doin' that. And most of it didn't have an audience really, just friends watchin'. Man I was too scared to see any of it fore' it was done...Steve kept tellin' me it was great, I looked great an' there wasn't anything to worry 'bout... still didn't believe him.
I couldn't-couldn't tell anyone how-how scared I was...man, no body. Cilla didn't know, wouldn't understand. Hell she wasn't there back then, didn't know how hard it was for me-just Scotty 'n J.D. they knew man, they were there! We sat 'round and talked bout it all, that helped me some, a lot really, if-if they hadn't been there, I don't know...might never happened.
And then it was done an' waiting for it to run, Gawd...sick, man I was throwin' up my nerves were shot to hell! I just wanted to go somewhere an hide til it was over...but then couldn't do that so we watched it together an it turned out okay. Man, I was relieved...just never thought people would-would want me back like that...after-after so long.
So then I wanted to get back to live shows, it was what I needed an' I told Cilla, but-but we didn't really talk about it much. I just told her I had to do it 'n she said she understood, if that was what I wanted but she wanted me to wait, still had those movies to do and all and I said okay. But there wasn't time to wait, so I called up everyone and we were planning what to do and she'd come home an the house was full of equipment, musicians and we'd be playin' half the night an' she told me she didn't want that in the house, the baby couldn't get any rest and the neighbors weren't going to like it.
So got a rehearsal studio set up an we spent lots of time there, ever spare minute kind of an' I wasn't home much-even when I was there-just didn't hardly want to be anywhere but back with the music. Cilla tried keepin' me up on the baby, an' she was growin' fast, but I had to get back to work...if I didn't do somethin' man, we'd all be lookin' for some place to live. It was up to me man, an' I knew it. Films weren't doin' good an' somethin' had to start happenin' or-or our life 'd changin and things weren't goin' to be like-like she was used to an wanted for the future. Money was goin' fast an' it was up to me to get it back. So, me and daddy talked about it an he told me, I had to make a choice an I made it. I told Cilla I signed a contract to work Vegas an she didn't look too happy but she said what ever I thought, she'd understand. Man, it was hard, we had to learn everything an' I'd-gawd, I'd forgot most the songs-had to bring it back for me and my head was goin' round an 'round and I loved it....god, I did. Then the new hotel, Mr kirkkorian planned it for me, biggest show room an all that and I didn't want to be first, you know things happen, an man I couldn't take that on top of the case of nerves I was sufferin' from!
So Barbara did it first an' things got straightened out but there wasn't no suite for me so had to take a bunch of rooms an' that was okay, never had no suite of rooms anyway before. Guess I was...was...kinda a surprise to Cilla...can't say as I blame her for thinkin' she didn't know who the hell I was 'cause she never seen me like that before...like bein' in another world, ya know. I was there, but I wasn't there...kind of...it all came back...just like all that time doin' those films didn't -didn't...like some bad dream or something...Gawd...maybe I am crazy...(laughs) gawd...loved it...just loved it. An you know, I figured maybe first few nights I might fill that big room...but gawddamn never dreamed it'd be full ever damn night-twice a night! The whole damn town was full up! People comin' from ever where man! Hotels crammed full, havin' to hire help, bringin' in more food to meet the demand! I couldn't believe it-no body else did either! An' practically ever body in Hollywood was comin' over-people wouldn't give me the time of day was there waiting in line to see ME! Man, if that didn't scare the livin' sh... outta me...nothin' would! Had hives all over my body opening day-bout itched to death for a while then got a shot to stop that and the dry air was killin' my voice an' here I am shakin' like needin' a fix or somethin' thinkin' I can't move, how'm I gonna walk out there-Cholly looked like he was half a mile away lookin' at him cross that stage! Man, I thought my feet was glued to the f....floor! Daddy knew me, how I'd feel like before an he put his hand on my back and said, Go son, go now! an' kinda pushed me forward so I took that first step...seemed like slow motion crossin' that stage, couldn't hear nothin' but a solid roar then quiet an I just grabbed that guitar an started to sing 'fore I lost my head an run like a scalded dog! Then I thought I was gonna fall over when that first rush of sound an' an' all comin' off that audience hit me...sucked the air out of me man...then they were all standin' up yelling an' clappin'...Gawd...you don't know, I can't say...just can't-no way to say it...how it felt, how I felt bein' up there...gawd...don't hardly remember nothin from that show...went so fast...like-like a dream or somethin'...just didn't want to wake up, didn't ever."
_________________

[Rainbow Light]

Yes, he did indeed have a great speaking voice as well as for singing so special. He very nearly whispered when talking and one had to really listen at times. Sometimes he sounded so young, vunerable and other times would be more cocky and arrogant-just depended on what mood he was in. He defifently had alot of moodiness at times-but his life was full of ups and downs and not too many lulls and he liked it that way. He was an excitement junky in many ways at times- and that due to his nervous make up-all ways on the go, even when sitting down. He just didn't seem to be able to just sit still for long- I guess he was that way all of his life-from birth according to him and some of his relatives. But that voice could be so soothing, comforting and so kind and sweetly gentle- and when he wanted to and if he wasn't nervous about it-he could read and recite things so beautifully-sometimes sounding like he was on stage, other times not so much and when he wanted to put his feelings into it, he could just as when singing. He didn't read things as well as when just reciting from memory it seemed- I guess reading them required more concentration for him since he had such a good memory for detail and could recall whole sections of many books he had read-those he liked alot...including the Bible. He made it sound exciting and he'd explain verses so very differently than I had ever heard before and I was at an early age in church 2 times a week at least and usually more often- Assembly of God-Penetcostal and hard line Bible in those times. Elvis grew up in that church too and was instructed in very strict and moral codes for life and living. He went back to that most of his life-though he studied all kinds of religions and liked some of them.
It still came back to his roots though-he never left the teachings his mother and the church instilled though he also embraced some other thoughts on the same thing.
I learned a great deal from him. And I am thankful that God had a plan for my life too-and it included Elvis, the man.

[Rainbow Light]

That's a cute one... I'm sorry we didn't get one of him and the bouncing ball ones our girls threw at him! His face was something to see when they flew around him!
And picking up the string one-that was funny-two balls hung off rubber ties and bounced as he held them up and said, Honey, I never seen any with balls on 'em before!"
Then he gave them to Charlie who put them in his "stach" for the evening. I wonder what he did with some of the stuff that Elvis "stached" with Charlie!

[Rainbow Light]

I wonder if it could have been the one that didn't flush properly-and darn near ran over a time or two with him standing there-he didn't have a clue about fixing such things apparently and I can see him losing it. He said, I was studying to be an electrictian-not a xxxxxplumber! The stool was running and running and running when he was on the phone and he went in there and kicked it but that didn't stop it either. I said does it have a shut off knob down at the base where the pipes come in and he said he didn't see any pipes- so it must have been a really old model. Then he must have tried doing something to the handle because he broke it off.
That was the last straw-he cut loose some words I don't think I ever heard said quite that way before, then said he had to go an' get someone to find a xxxxxx plumber....and another string of words and then he said, bye-bye, later baby and hung up. What a guy.

[Rainbow Light]

I hadn't heard words like that strung together as he did them-and in that tone of voice and with that southern accent it was ....different.... I wouldnt have wanted to be on the other end of that temper.

[Rainbow Light]

His temper fits could be as bad as any "spoiled child's" and he did things like break up stuff and then shoot things as well...but never to hurt anyone. It was a way to let off steam and often as he said, he'd just leave rather than create a scene-go hole up in his room and throw a fit. I can imagine his room would look pretty well trashed in many ways at those times-and he wasn't one to pick up things much either-though he did know how, he said...he just didn't. He had people to do that so he could be "free to think, plan and make things happen". okay, sounds good. His eye problems probably did start about then-the bright lights etc: and then too, he was taking tranqulizers again for his nervousness (prescribed) and those can cause any type of glaucoma tendencies to pop up in anyone. It was around 70-71 when he found out he had glaucoma coming on...the kind that could blind him. wjh

[Rainbow Light]

Elvis came up with this when I was "interviewing" him and had asked him a currently popular question (1976-77) about which animal or bird he would be if he had to choose one. I asked because there was a write up in the newspaper and I knew he liked to read the paper each day and would have come across it...it was a way to tell what a person's traits and personality could be by their choice of animal or bird. His answers are in the soon to be out book-it's in the final stages-yea!

He picked an animal talked about why, then threw this in at the end, "Wouldn't want to be no elephant though, daddy's friend told me how mean the big bulls can be ...tough thing, the bulls...man they got to wait 11 years just to have sex-no wonder their so pissed off all the time!"

In case some of you hadn't thought about it, the female elephants carry their young for 11 years apparently. I never checked that fact-but Elvis said that's what he had heard...so he's probably correct-usually was. wjh

[Rainbow Light]

Yes, he did choose songs that he could relate to and that said things he wanted to say and did say, through his songs as well as other ways. He liked songs that were playfull too, that would get laughs or be exciting and he orchrestrated his show to build excitement in waves-to stimulate people's emotions and minds he said, and to help them release tensions, worry and every day cares of living in this world. He liked all kinds of instruments in his music-and even used a harpist ! Some thing other people didn't have-especially in a "rock and roll" type situation but that was Elvis-music was just that to him- and he liked having violins and drums and little things like oboes and flutes that some people wouldn't have bothered with -the amazing thing was he could isolate and "hear" them as they played, and even direct what he wanted to hear from them in certain areas of the songs. Those people were marveling at this when he opened in Vegas and they had rehearsed with him so much-they were stunned at his knowledge of music and how he could put things together and he didn't read music at all-didn't want to read it he said-he thought it would "get in the way" of his natural ability to plan it in his head...he said he lay awake listening to the music, putting things where he liked them and so forth in his head-he could hear it all...and had always "heard" music in his head-since a child. He said he was about 3 or 4 when he was at church early with his parents who were "cleaning the benches" helping out, and they had a piano up there-he was told to sit and wait by his mom but the lady was practicing a song on the piano and he couldn't see-so he went down there and watched her play-he wanted to play it but he couldn't reach the keys and he wasn't supposed to be there-but the lady picked him up and set him beside her and let him put his fingers on the keys-he said he felt such a thrill go through his body, deep inside when the keys made music and that he was uspet when his mom got him and took him to the bench and sat him back down and told him to stay there. He cried but then he couldn't hear the piano so he said he shut up and listened. He was a little older and his mom taught him to play some on it-and the lady who played in church showed him some too-that he could play gospel songs before he was 6, "a little bit" he said, "but I knew that's what I was going to do-and did ever chance I had". Play the piano and sing- he'd do it at home for hours-by himself even and he had an organ that did all the musical sounds he might want to hear. It must have been something to be there and hear him playing upstairs though he said he had a headset he could plug in and he could hear it but it didn't "bother anyone". And too, his upstairs room was "soundproofed pretty well" so he woldn't hear the traffic and household sounds when he tried to sleep in the daytime. Anyway, he certainly did choose the songs he recorded that were not movie songs-those he mostly dispised though he tried to put something into them. I don't know which movie it was but one of the fellows who mixed sounds for the studio in LA that Elvis often recorded at (Not the one used for Jail House Rock) but another one-said that when Elvis came in and heard some of the stuff he was supposed to "sing" in the film he started working on it and suddenly got up and headed to the john-he threw up his breakfast-and kept having to go back because he was so upset over the material he had to do. Finally he got through it but didn't get a couple done good enough because he had made his throat and vocal cords sore vomiting-he was hoarse and couldn't hit some notes good enough to suit him. So he came back a couple days later and knocked them off so quickly and left without saying much or playing around as he normally did. The guy said, Elvis was pale and trembling when he was sick-but he didn't have the flu-it was just emotional stress and distress at the material he was expected to present in that film. It may have been Easy Come-Easy Go-I am not sure now...that was one he hated pretty much. wjh

[Rainbow Light]

Hi, yeah, he did. But in his typically insightful way, he commented on how badly the song writers must feel when they have to struggle, work and come up with material to fit this (blank blank) and (blank). The way Elvis thought was it must be a real blow to their talent and ability to write song lyrics and music- but he said the musicaly quality wasnt bad-some he liked but the lyrics were what blew his mind quite often. I know the guy said that Elvis was physically shaking and could barely calm his voice enough to not waver the vibrato? is that the word for that quavering quality he had through out his life- even at the end it didn't increase that much-it was still strong, still beautiful and though he had to put more effort out to bring that voice up to par-he still could and it didn't fail him as much as one would expect such physical breaking down as his body was doing. It was amazing.

Now, I have to tell you about my "amazing event" and it is that! But first I have to tell you about the other night-about 3:15 am (very often the time that Elvis would call me-his late evening you know, often his bedtime if he were going to read himself to sleep and was a lone) I was waking up. I thought some thing or some one was lying beside me-I sleep on my right side at the very edge of the bed too-but I felt a presence and then I got a wiff of Elvis scent-I came to fast-I heard him say-in my head I think-not out loud- "It's okay-don't worry." in a very calm, reassuring voice. Now, there wasn't room for anybody to lay beside me on that edge so "he" would have been maybe kneeling beside the bed? I felt his face, his hand on my head over my ear and hair. I woke up and was wide awake but I remember that scent very well-it wasn't really in the air-it was like from him-as when I hugged him and was so close the scent was warmed by his body heat and was very subtle-and that's what I "smelled" or recalled smellling when I was waking up. Whatever... I went to the eye doctor and they did a very thorough study and look see into my eyes-both of them. Since I was younger I have had a nivis they called it in my left eye-it never did change during all the eye tests and photographs taken of it-until 3 weeks ago when I was tested for glasses and they wouldn't do the dialation test because-the nivis had changed-was sticking up and pulling whatever to one side in my eye and they were afraid to dialate without an eye doctor to do it in case of???? Anyway since I had the melonoma
cut out of my right cheek and I have it inside my mouth on the wall of my cheek and lip where the "oil gland" is about 1/4 inch from the corner (but it's still small and unless it grows and hangs out of my mouth or something they ain't gonna touch it!) they were worried it could be that cancer spreading as it's prone to do when it is the virlient kind- Anyway, photographs on their computer show nothing- zip- perfectly clear eye with not even the original nivis showing at all. Not a sign of it-nothing. But I have in the past seen it on the photographs taken of it-it was there- but it ain't there now! It was there 3 weeks ago- I saw it- the eye specialist saw it- but it's gone. So, I "don't worry, it's okay." Did he come to tell me? I think so....I really did not want to know for sure and wasn't going to go to the doctor at all.... but he came, said that and I went the next day....and didn't cancel the appointment. Weirder things have happened-but not quite that wierd-to me.
He came when I had my face cut open- he let me know by filling my living room with cherry scented cigar smoke-the exact one he lit up at the end of our last visit together- I had only been around him when he smoked vanilla scented cigars-though I knew he sometimes had the cherry ones-I just didn't see him smoke those... so
that's my story- and I am sticking to it. I had Suzy's church people praying for my eye and I had Elvis' words of consoluation and conviction- He probably went personally to God or whomever and made a request-and you know, no one could tell Elvis Presley no....wjh

[Rainbow Light]

We did too! We saw them all, even the one he said would "sicken" us... Double Trouble. Anyway, we went to see him, to watch his eyes, his expressions and just watch him.... it was also interesting to watch some of the actors watching him... and people who were extras in the films. I hated it when they used some one elses hands in close ups...it's so obvious in Tickle Me when they are in the "haunted" hotel and Elvis supposedly knocked on the door-it's not his hand! Elvis had beautiful hands, long slim fingers and hairless for the most part-just fine blond that didn't show-that is a hairy wrist and hand! With stubby male fingers! No way! And then the times they showed someone other than Elvis wearing the same clothing walking away-Elvis didn't walk like those guys and he sure wasn't dumpy looking either! I complained about that to him and he just laughed... He said well during those scenes I was ...eh... busy or something...and he laughed. He was so bored with it all he was not called in for anything they could work around him for and that suited him fine. Usually if he wasn't sitting out on the set waiting to work, he was in his trailer reading his head off... or with someone talking his head off... when he found someone to listen-boy did he talk! You see him flapping his mouth in scenes where he's riding with someone, kind of off camera he thinks, and even when riding with Barbara Stanwyck in Roustabout...he's talking away... and the same thing in Tickle Me riding with one of the guys driving. He's talking a way. yet he could be so shy and like subdued too. And stutter...I liked hearing him stutter and liked him to get where he's not sure what to say...and stammers...just made him "real" I guess. wjh

[Rainbow Light]

Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2007 10:19 am Post subject: Please-just listen, okay.... 1975

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(Elvis was complaining about feeling bad, sluggish, head aches, stomach cramps, leg pain keeping him awake, having to take so many sleeping pills to go to sleep (he would not tell me how many he took-it was at least 4.
I would have been out a week on 4-his were strong...and they were having to change prescriptions all the time and messing up his routine. He was touring, stewing over lawsuits,his ex-wife's troubles, his own and then feeling awful as well. So I decided to tell him what I thought he should do about it-a no-no thing to do as you will notice.)

w. I know you don't want to hear this, to have people telling you what to do-This is a suggestion, okay?
E. Now what? (dry tight voice)
W. Just listen please and think about it-
E. Awww sh-#&$* do we have to do this-now?(Snarling tone of voice.)
w. No but time is moving fast-
E. So's my....@#$*&# -gawd...ok, ok, lay it on me! (Nasty dry voice)
W. Not that way! Just listen, you have doctors but they are all around you, you see them a lot, it's like the hype and glitz Elvis, you are him-understand?
E. Yeah-I do- I DO! Get on with it. (Dry tone, disgusted)
W. You feel bad, you swell up, you do eat wrong, fast foods and pay for it later, but you have other things, head aches, can't sleep, stomach pain, your legs hurt badly when you're laying down-that's not a good sign honey, none of these things are. Your head and eyes hurt so often, you need to see doctors who don't know you, haven't been around you and not just take pills and hope for the best. They just hide it temporarily and often make things worse. You know that Elvis.
E. Damn... (Muttered)
W. Don't talk-listen. I think you need good doctors...not showbiz ones who charge a lot of money because they have a "name" patient, understand? You need to tell them everything, how you feel, emotionally as well as physically and then let them do tests, find out what the bottom cause is and go from there. Okay? It wouldn't hurt you and it might do you so much good you'll be back like you were in 69 Elvis. You felt good then, you were excited and happy to be out there. And heavn knows your fans would be in heaven all over again...more so than they are now! You work so hard, you deserve far better than you get Elvis, I mean in self worth areas and how you feel physically too. Okay, I'm through. I'll just hang up if you want me to.
E. Silence
W. Did you fall asleep?
E. No-No- didn't...(flat, quiet voice)
Silence
W. Are you angry?
E. No-eh-some-it's okay. I try. (Quiet, snapped I try out)
W. You need new doctors-not pill pushers as you've said yourself before. (I sounded like my voice was shaking and it probably was)
E. Yeah- Dr. Nick's not from there. (Kind of coldly said)
W. you met him through there though.
E. Yeah-did, huh-
W. Please think about it. We are very concerned about you buddy. You try so hard, you're so good at it and it's hard to watch knowing how much you are going to pay in pain afterward.
E. Thank you sugar. I appreciate it...I do. I got to go-have to talk to ma lawyers today damn it. An I will think about what to do...really. Don't worry 'bout me...I'm doin' ok. So much goin' on, it's busy. That's all...I don't get time...to think....much. (Said very fast, clipped out)
W. Have a good day buddy, love you a lot.
E. (Awww... he said, then silence, then softer voice said)Same here honey, a lot. bye-bye baby. I do, really.
W. You light our world Elvis, really.
E. Jesus is the light and the way, I'm just a man tryin' to use the gifts He gave me an' if doin' that lights your world, then it's a good thing, really.
W. That's right, a really good thing! Thank you very much for everything you do buddy, bye-bye.
E. Honey....eh....it's okay. bye-bye, see ya soon...Vegas ya know. (Regular voice, warmer)
W. Count on it dude! bye.
(He didn't call again until we went to Vegas and he called to see if we liked the show-he said he'd changed it some-all I noticed was more instruments added in the orchresta and maybe a couple songs different-mostly rearranged songs he'd done before. The lighting was a little different. And he was not well, had fever and coughing quite a bit a couple of nights.)
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[Rainbow Light]

I was afraid he was going to die, it was just that feeling I got in On Tour, I could hardly see the screen for tears and I didn't know why I felt that way. It was twice as bad when he did die, but it was a forewarner of what was to come, I guess. I was so worried about him as I had talked with him a few times when he was trying to go to sleep and had taken pills and then took more because the first ones were not working-combined pills and diffrent kinds. All prescribed and all of them he said his doctor said he could take safely...if he didn't use alcohol or anything else. And he had to let any other kind of medication he had taken earlier wear off several hours etc: and some he couldn't mix. Here the man was taking high blood pressure pills, water reducing pills, and tranqualizers and sleeping pills!!! And he all so had pain medications-how in the world was he supposed to handle all of that? I'd like to know that-who was doling it out or was he supposed to keep up? I think someone else had to be helping him as he wasn't able to handle it all and do what else he had to do-be Elvis Presley every night etc:...remember things, do the things required of him to keep things going. I don't know how he did it.
I know his girl friends often were in charge of meds and some of them gave him shots that were supposed to be B-12 but I bet money they were laced with speed as they made him feel good quickly and he had stamina to go on stage. I don't think Elvis knew it was a mix of stuff either-he believed that it was B-12 because that's what he was told-and would his doctor lie? No, he trusted him. After a while that didn't work either-and he felt wiped out-so something else had to be done to keep him going. It was a horrible rat race-and in the end it all caught up with him...Anyway, I had to say what I did and I never said it the same way again. I wasn't afraid to, but I didn't want to rock his boat too much-he had so much going on that rocked it, nearly sunk it and as he said, he didn't swim well... I wasn't going to be the one to toss him in the drink. He did finally get himself together better but he waited too long I guess. The good always seem to die young-maybe because they are so close to being angels anyway. wjh

[Rainbow Light]

On that post I left out something that I remembered-it wasn't on the phone cassette tape as they didn't record much back then. He was speaking of the oldest record he had-called it a sleeve and acetate that he didn't play often as it was scratchy and he was "saving it". He told me he found it in Alabama in a book store that had used books, and various old copies of things and some odd and end records. He just came upon it was the way he put it-(most people would say "found it" I think but no, he had to say "upon it" and I recall almost laughing at that-it was such an "old timey" way of saying something like that. The lady had it in her glass case with some others and he "came upon it" and asked what she wanted for it. She didn't want to sell it, but she asked him some questions and if he was a musician and he told her he was trying etc: (he already had signed with Sun and was a bout to sign with RCA at the time) anyway she did sell it to him because "she liked the way I begged" he said and kind of snickered. He didn't pay a lot for it, seems like he said $25 but back then that would be a lot I guess. He was so proud of that record-and some of the others he had that were very old as well, but that one I think was a prized one for him. Maybe because he was just getting a foot in the door and he'd heard it when he had nothing going; he didn't explain and stupid me, didn't ask. It was the O.B. Jessie one- I think the guys name must have been Orin or something-haven't a clue...and didn't ask. [/quote]