(NOTICE: This post may be copied to other Elvis websites for the purpose of sharing with other true Elvis fans. Should you choose to do this, we ask that you include the address: www.elvislightedcandle.org as the source of the post. Thank you, Wanda June Hill and Maia Nartoodmid, ELC Host.)

(This came from the interview conversations but was not used in WR,E ( Now available as revised book 2006- for information go to above website address) and will be in Face to face next year-it's similiar to another post but not exactly and I had asked him if he was "bullied in school". 1976)
Elvis: No...eh - guess by today's standards maybe so, they just didn't like me much on account of I... eh was...different ya know? Clothes...ma hair 'n got lots of-of jus' lookin' at from their (snicker) girlfriends. Not that they'd of given me the time of day-naw...most of 'em thought eh- I was- somethin'. They didn't quite know what to make of-of me. So...the other fellas, they didn't like my hair mostly, ever body was wearin' crew cuts ya know, sports an all. But...eh...I wasn't gonna cut my hair jus' for that or them...either!
Wanda: So it was your clothes and hair-they just called you names?
Elvis: (Laughs) Mostly-jus' threaten to do somethin'; I could run pretty fast-if had to-'n if I had to, I'd protect myself 'n they knew it. Few times more'n eh...I jus' ran rather'n get into it.
Wanda: Did you ever get caught?
Elvis: You sure anybody wants to hear 'bout this kinda stuff? Man, jus' kid stuff...
Wanda: You can bet people do! Don't you realize everything out of your mouth is like...precious stones to most people-your fans?
Elvis: That's ...scary...Lord, don't have nothin' serious to tell-jus' like millions other fellas growin' up in those times...nothin' any different than...anyone else, really.
Wanda: Elvis, you might as well get used to it-people care about what you do, did, think and how you live. I didn't know anything about your childhood and I was interested-still am!
Elvis: yeah, but you...you're not...you know me! "n you know 'bout...bout me...there's nothin' else to know really. Jus' childhood stuff an' every body has that-'um no different...wasn't then neither...jus' had a different way of wantin' to to look because...'cause of what I liked, you know? Lookin' like-like jus' different. wanted to be different. Guess that's what was wrong at the time, jus' didn't want to be nobody...or one of the crowd...Gawd, this is gettin' intense...gonna sound like some kind of-of weird-o if-if tell ever thing. Un people already think I belong up a tree...
Wanda: I asked if you were caught by your classmates-did they beat you up?
Elvis: Would have-but couple guys saw what was happenin' an' saved me...(Laughs) Man, I was glad to see 'em too!
Wanda: What set them off the most-clothes or your hair?
Elvis: Their girlfriend's givin' me too many looks 'n sayin' too much (Laughs) Funny thing is...girls looked, but wouldn't give me the time of day! Jus' one...'n she an' I dated some-when I could 'n we went to the prom an' all that...gawd it was awful...I mean, she's real nice 'n we looked good...but wasn't much for dancin' 'n we left early. Was workin' then too, 'n had to be up 'n we was home be for mornin' an' jus' no big deal...when I think 'bout it now. (Laughs) Rather went to the show...we looked good, in pictures an all...young...real young. Been a while...man, long time.
Wanda: You mean, you didn't have a bottle of booze hidden in your car, spiked cokes or any of that-didn't go to lover's lane and maybe, look at the stars?
Elvis: (Laughs, giggles) No, didn't do none of that-she was my steady...went to gospel singin's an the movies-sat in her swing an' talked-did some heavy breathin'...but that's 'bout it. (Laughs) Was gonna get married-eh...but my first record saved my ass! (Laughs) Damn sure glad it did...Lord, lord...

Elvis & Dixie at her South Side Junior Prom, 1955

Link to the photo: http://www.bu.edu/alumni/bostonia/2002/ ... ll-03.html

Thanks Laurie, that picture just says it all-"REALLY" and that cheesy smile the boy has on his face. I think he already had some local records out by then-55-so he was somewhat of a celebrity but he said nobody knew who he was except right in town-he was already hitting the road with his little group etc: though. But like he said, his first record saved him-she didn't like him being gone etc: and he couldn't get married because Tom didn't want him to, and I don't think Elvis wanted to either by then...he already saw the potential or felt it or something by then and knew he needed to be free from any "baggage" back at home etc:. It's funny how insecure he was at 41 years old about "not having anything to say" and who'd want to know these "kid stuff" things etc:. It just didn't really register in his mind I guess, that anyone would listen or think he had something of interest or importance to say. I guess because he didn't get that kind of interest himself around home and with his "peer" group he had around him-they all say they tried their best to give him "normal" surroundings etc: when he was with them and at home. It must have been working-he sure didn't develope any "big head" about what he might know etc:. wjh

In that picture it is amazing how "goodlooking" he alreaddy is.

He looks alreaddy like a movie star.

I know for sure Elvis was born "beautiful" and it was not the make up, nor stylists, nor surgeons in Hollywood who made him look that handsome.

He just was hearthbreaking gorgeous.

It's something to read and learn about all the things that we know Elvis did-and then astounding to think that there are so many more that we know nothing about! A few will trickle in here and there but soon they will be gone also, and those things will be treasures in Heaven and I guess we can share them all once we get there too. That's my goal...my foot's ready to step up when that time comes! I have a feelilng that my dear Uncle Raymond and Elvis will probably have to draw "straws" to determine which one of them will be "meeting" me!!
And if my dad beats me there-there will be three Capricorn types drawing for the position-ha. It's a funny thought anyway. It is so strange how all the men in my life have been the sign of the "goat"...I wonder what that means-really.... Is it me-or them? Guess that's another question to be answered some day in the future.

I was thinking and reading old files and trying to hoe out some of the paper I seem to "collect and hang on to" for years and years-to make room for more "current" paper of course...ha. I came across the transcript of Elvis talking to the Avon lady whom I got acquainted with more after she talked to him- and was remembering her situation and how he came into the picture and now I realize, he did it purposely and with intent. She had a little girl about 9 years old who was mentally disabled, very bright and cute and she and her mother were "on their own". Her mother worked and the daughter went to special classes at school and together they "sold" Avon for extra things as money was tight. Along about then some of the government services for disabled kids and people were being cut as usualy when Repblicians are in office-oh, excuse me, sorry to make my commentary political-really. She was telling me how her daughter wouldn't be able to attend the classes every day and that mean she would have to put her in care somewhere while she worked and she was about to cry-I barely knew the lady, having only seen her over about 3 months when she delivered my orders if I had any. Anyway, she was very upset and before she left she told me something her little girl said after I ran into them at the grocery store. I was introduced to the daughter as Wanda and after I moved on her little girl was so excited she said, she thought that I was "Wonder Woman" her favorite show to watch at that time, because I had a gold band holding my long hair back out of my face, I was wearing a sparkly shirt and had a belt on with silver conchos and my inital W in gold holding up my jeans and I had on boots that were black-I never tuck in my jeans but the black shiny boots showed below and they had pointed toes-cowboy boots ya know, still wear them too. I was really laughing, me Wonder Woman-what a compliment! We both laughed and she left my house smiling again.
A couple nights later Elvis called, it was very early, just barely after midnight and he was not sleeping well so he wanted to talk himself to sleep- in the course of the conversations I told him about the Avon lady and her little girl and how I was "Wonder Woman" to her. He laughed and said, out of the mouths of babes comes forth the truth-you are! And we laughed some more. He asked me about the daughter, her problems and I told him about the government's cuts and how her mom was selling Avon on the side to make ends meet and she was so worried about where she would put her little girl 3 days a week since the school funds were being cut and her child was on that list as not as needy. Anyway he was kind of quiet, not saying too much for a few minutes then he asked me for her phone number saying he wanted to order something he'd seen in one of their ads but he couldn't find his grandmother's book. He said she got them when they came in and that she liked to look at the "pretty things" in them. He said he might call her and see if she could take his order for his grandmother. The next thing I knew, the Avon lady was estatic, she had talked to Elvis and he was ordering things from her-not a lot but enough that she had extra money and she was being noticed in the Avon business meetings. She was being asked to be a teaching representive that was a paid position too. Elvis never said a word... A few weeks later she brought the tape of her conversation with him wherein he thanks her and says to thank the Avon ladies for the card they sent him when he was sick and in the hospital while in Vegas. He also speaks of the book coming out and that he did not take any drugs other than prescribed by his doctors. That portion of that conversation is on Maia's map site and I think in Elvis-the Man-or his Ailments maybe? Anyone who knows, please put a link up as I am as you know, a computer dummy. I read how, someone tells me how and before I can do it, I forget it all-even what I've read...it's so stupid! I've spent days trying to learn things on here-think I have it and then draw a blank! Must be a reason-I might turn into some sort of weird computer whiz or something-huh-Me? Hardly that. Oh well, just chalk it up to having too much other stuff to remember and think about. overloaded circuits.
anyway, Elvis was gone before he could do much to help the Avon lady, but the the last I heard, some 12 years or so ago, she was working for the Avon company and doing pretty good. Her little girl was going to school and her health was still holding as well as could be expected also. Elvis had intended all along to do something-and I guess he thought that was the best route to take, or maybe he was working up to knowing her mother a bit and then going to find out what was needed and do it sneakily no doubt. He just didn't have time. The Avon lady wrote her story for WR,E. wjh

one of those moments..nothing more to say..thanks Wanda

Here is the Avon story link: http://www.elvislightedcandle.org/thema ... pened.html but since it is in the middle of other stories and may be hard to locate, I also pasted the story below:

There were times toward the end due to the pain and a dangerous mixture of medication given to him to intentionally keep him 'under control', when he could barely stand and sometimes passed out on the floor (often to simply be left there). Yet for the most part he was alert and rational. I have heard a conversation of him talking with some Avon ladies (who sent him some gifts while he was in the hospital) in the last few weeks of his life in which he was discussing the upcoming book written in a fit of betrayal by three of his employees. He was not only completely clear-headed, but so very wise and fair in his assessment of their motives. It was most certainly to his credit that despite terminal illness and great pain, and being periodically rendered nearly comatose by his captors, he could still exhibit such clarity and wisdom in his final days. One of the Avon ladies knew Wanda Hill and gave her a copy of the taped conversation which this author has heard. The following are excerpts from that taped conversation:

Elvis: There’s a book that you all will be seeing in the stores, wherever, in paperback, about, uh, an expose of my life, my private life, and I would like to say that all of you who will read it, you can believe what you like, but I would like to say right here that it’s been distorted drastically, and, uh, sometimes when people get angry at someone they do things that they regret later, and this is sort of the case. The two former employees of mine got very upset and very angry at the fact that we had to let them go, and they know very well why they were discharged and they couldn’t accept it, and somebody offered them a lot of money, and you know, uh, you’re all aware that nice things don’t sell. People aren’t interested in hearing about how good someone is, or what kindnesses they may do, or if they live a quiet life. They want risky things and the bizarre. So this is what they’ve given them...there are a lot of things that are distorted and anybody that followed my career will know that it’s impossible for someone to live that type of a life, even behind closed doors, without somebody saying something about it before now. Nobody leads that charmed of a life, especially not myself.

....as far as the drugs, I did not take drugs from 1960 on. I’ve never taken any drugs except for medical reasons.

Thank you Laurie! You are so great to do these things!
I read that and I can hear him saying those things in my head-it was so great. If I could I would give copies of just that part of him saying that away but it is not mine to do that and the lady did not want it to be public-it has not come out that I know of so I do not think she has changed her mind. I haven't had contact with her in years and have no clue how things are going but one thing I do know, she has not released that tape or it would be available everywhere via the internet! I can't believe the stuff they have-most of which I do not believe and much I find questionable... it's like "anything goes" as long as people come. wjh

The Avon lady played her taped conversation in part at her Avon meeting-the place was full as she had told one of them she was going to do it-this after he was gone. Even one of the Regional Supervisiors showed up-
The ladies in her group who knew he had ordered from her and asked her questions all the time, if she'd heard from him, where he was, how was he and some of them went to vegas to see his last show-he had cancelled due to ill health and so they all signed a get well card to him. The card said, "Hurry up and get out of that hospital bed or we'll all get in there with you!"

Elvis' response was: "Tell all those Avon ladies that I said with offers like that, I ain't ever gettin' out of this bed!" They all laughed and then they cried when they heard him talking-she played the part about the book and the drugs and she said all you could hear was dead quiet and sniffling and tissues being pulled out. There wasn't a dry eye in the place. Avon then came out a bit later with a little statue of Elvis that was quite cute-of when he was young and full of it on stage with his gi-tar. wjh

I told this story to my mother this morning, while taking her for a car ride (you know, with Elvis singing his "Today" album in the car player). She said, with so much wonder in her voice: "But this guy really was doing good all the time! There is not people like him nowadays! He was really GOOD!"

Well, I have not many things in commun with my mother, but this, I do share without any doubt. It warms so much my heart when I learn about the so many different ways to help people in need Elvis had. ( I need here an emoticon. I'll have to learn how to use them from other sources.)

As I was reading through the story he was telling you Wanda the first thing that came to mind was "most definitely we'd like to know about stuff like this Elvis even if it is just kid stuff." Reason being is that it is about the man(or in this specific case the boy ) rather than just the image. Yet another reason I am SO glad for your book Wanda and for ELC so that MORE people can see how many wonderful and shining facets there were within this diamond of a man!! His purposeful way of trying to help the Avon Lady out is just one of the MANY generous and radiant ways he sparkled so well. Wanda my many thanks to you for all that you've shared and continue to share with us here at ELC and Sue thank you also for bringing this back around again. Laurie my thanks to you as well for providing the link to the incredibly cute picture of Elvis and Dixie at her Prom. They look so happy together.

Thank you, it was my hope that people would read, learn and marvel at the man who loved to perform for his friends...that's what he'd call his audiences- his fans were his friends and he loved them, because they came, they cheered, they filled him up with their love for him, took his heartaches away, wiped his tears with their applause and delighted responses to his antics and hushed so quietly, it scared him a few times when as he put it "it was goin' good, the feelin', the song you know" and he was almost afraid to "peek 'n see if ever body got up an' left". Because they became so quiet, to listen to his voice-he just couldn't quite understand that-he always said, "it's not just me, it's the orchresta, the groups-ever' body doin' it. Couldn't do it without them." And he meant it, believed it. Made it so. wjh

YES! Our friend Elvis had/has such a great soul...!

A BIG AMEN on what you said from me too dear Amanda!!