But I uh, I started traveling all over the world and it's been uh, it's been enjoyable but it's been a constant battle of growing beards and this and that to keep from being recognized and I guess, I guess about two years ago I went to Europe, which is something I had always wanted to do for a long time. I mean I've always been sorry that I didn't go to Europe before but I couldn't have, I guess I just didn't uh, I just didn't take the time.

Anyway, uh, the first place I wanted to see in Germany was a place called Weisbaden. I don't know whether or not youv'e ever seen Weisbaden before, but uh, my girlfriend was with me and we went to a place just to get something to eat and uh, a waitress there asked what we'd like to have and I said' Well, I don't really know I--what would you suggest?' and she stood still. She kept staring at me and uh, I started getting very nervous. At the time, I had a beard and lost a few pounds and I thought it would be uh, I thought it would be very hard for anyone to recognise me. Then uh, she asked me if I've ever been in Germany in the past, and then I got more nervous, but uh, she said I, I never forget a face and then she said, I don't care how you did it. She said I just hope your as happy as you made me feel tonight.

And you know, that's, that's the type experience that I'll never forget.

There's been uh, there's been a lot of times, I, I would liked to have changed some things, but I've learned that when something is done, you can't look back. I mean sometimes it's good not to look back.

I, I think you know that, that she, she means as much to me as life itself. And hopefully, the Good Lord willing, sometime fate will be kind to us, and, and I'll see her again.

As far as enjoying life now, you know I, I could go to football games and to the movies but what interests me most is seeing people in a way that, that I hadn't before. I mean I've talked to people who have been sick and, and I, I thought I could help in some way. And for me thats been the best part of life.

As far as, as far as she is concerned or, or any part of my family, I, I really don't think it's a good idea right now. I mean there's, there's no hard feelings or anything but shes she always wanted her own life, and it makes me happy just to see that she's all right. You know uh, alot of times people walk up to me and say uh, that their concerned about, about people, about people finding out and then they think about it for awhile, and, and then they usually say that nobody would belive them anyway.

I, I, I don't know. In, in the first place it would be, it would be foolish to walk back into a lifestyle that, that I just escaped from but I'm going to continue my music and give people as much as people want as I can. I've had a, I've had people write letters to me that I've just been fantastic. It's, it's nice to know that there are people that are truly concerned about you that much. I mean you have to do something and there's, there's a lot of things I would like to do and, and there's a lot of music I would like to attempt.

As far as, as my dating is concerned, uh, uh, (laugh), I, I still date. I'm dating a young lady right now that, that has been very helpful to me as far as keeping my sanity, and she's been good for me. When we uh, when we first met she kept telling me how much she liked my music. She, she kind of looked at me in shock when we first met, like most people, but, she was still glad I was still here and one thing led to another and now she, she goes about every place I go. I mean uh, it's, it's nice. I, I have a lot, a lot of time on my hands now, and now I'm getting, I'm getting back into sports a lot, and I'm still working out and playing raquetball and karate whenever I get the chance. It's, it's helped me to, to stay in shape, and, and the clean living sure can't hurt.

You know that's, that's one thing that's always gotten to me. I mean there are a lot of people making a lot of money off the drug thing and if that's what makes them happy, that's fine. But it's not true. The fact of the matter is I haven't even taken a sleeping pill in three years. If I had the uh, if I had the chance to do everything over again I'd probably make the same mistakes but uh, if you, you grow attached to people who are with you and your life a lotta of times becomes more important to people than, than you can realize sometimes yourself. You know that's uh, you try to help as many people as you can, and, and sometimes you can't please anybody.

No, a lot of times I, I felt the image hurt me but I always knew there'd be a price I'd have to pay. You know there's, there's a lot of people who are lonely. I mean you don't have to be on the poor side of life to be lonely. You don't have to be rich to be lonely. You can stand in a group of a hundred people and be lonely.

Strange thing, you know, um, lately I, I've been trying to write music, which is something I've always wanted to do and I just never took the time and, and I'm trying to play the guitar better. I still play piano.

I've spent most of my time trying to get myself back into shape. It's not easy trying to get everything done at the same time. There's been uh, there's been a lot of things that have never happened. I've gotta be, I've gotta be very careful. I mean uh, I met a young lady in a supermarket once and she kept following me. Finally she said, "I almost can't believe it, but uh, I think I know who you are", and I said, "uh, honey, if you don't tell anybody, I said I won't", and then right then and there in the supermarket she started crying and I said, "don't you cry", and the tears just started to fall and she put her arms around me and she said, " I feel I know what you been through", she said "I will always love you", and things like that are, are experiences that you just can't, you can't buy.

It's very hard. It's very hard to forget anything like that but uh, things like that, uh, have been happening to me a lot.

I don't think uh, I don't think anybody can really tell what's going to happen one day to the next. Uh, I,m not completely hiding now you know. I mean I'm seen by people all the time. As far as appearing nationally I think it would be silly to say the least, to be back into something that's taken me this long to get out of. But uh, I'd like to. I'd like to continue my music. I'd like to do some new things. I'd like to do some things that uh, because of contracts or something couldn't be done in the past. But uh, mostly I just want to, I want to continue to entertain people. I've said it before and uh, it's something in my mind to uh, I would just like to get into it not as much as I used to and I'm sure that uh, that sometime in the near future I, it has to happen, but until it does I'll just go on living as normal life as I possibly can.

I've been uh, I've been very lucky. I also believe as I said the Lord has been on my side. Sometimes I feel like instead of being an island, or on an Island, I am an island. You know uh, it's kinda, it's kinda hard to go through this life just memories, just memories and it seems that's just what I have now, but I would still like to give back to people that have been so much to me.

I'm hoping that uh, that a lot of people out there are not disappointed with me. I mean I didn't mean to put any body through any pain....it uh, it take's a lot to uh, to have to do what I had to do. But uh, I think in the long run it's going to pay off. I believe that in doing things like this may have made it a lot easier for me and everybody else.

I don't know, life is very strange. I have gone through so many different types of experiences I don't even, I don't even know where I'm at, but I've learned a lot, the things I've gone through. I'm always learning more. There isn't anyway you can stop learning, you have to continue to learn.

I know there's a lot of movies that, that have come out in the past and uh, the recent past that uh, I haven't enjoyed at all. It's, it's interesting that when your'e involved in entertaining you realize that, that there's a lot of things like an imag, and various other things that people try to portray. They try to make you a certain way and uh, I think they done the same things with the movies. You know they try to make things a certain way and if they don't, you know, I guess they feel as if they havn't done their job. But uh, just like the drug thing they were ta;lking about, the movies, a lot of it was simply not true. There isn't a lot I can do about it you know, I wish that uh, I wish they'd ask me about it before they made the movie, but there isn't a lot I can do right now.

I do believe that there were a lot of people who don' don't forget and that's good because sometimes you feel as though your the only with any memories and uh, it's nice to know that people, they remember too.

I'm looking forward to looking to spending this coming Christmas in a new way. It's always been a happy time of year for me and uh, I'm looking forward to it. I'm looking forward to seeing some people that, that are going to be shocked, but I, I'm hoping these people won't be hurt, but I know they are going to be shocked. It's going to be good and because Christmas time is, is a good time to make everything okay, to amend. And so if there's ever a time I could make an appearance or that I could come into the open uh, I think, I think Christmas time would be it.

I'm looking forward to a lot of good things in the future. I made a lot of good friends and I think that uh, I think it's gonna be better this time. I could look out the window now and I could see a lot. I can see a lot more than I ever I have this time and I think it's because I, I can actually go to the place I'm looking at and I can be alone. I can be around people and I can do things I like to do without having a hundred people there by my side you know, it's a different experience for me, it's a good experience.

I know that sooner or later it's gonna end. You know I hate to think that it's going to end but I know that sometime the secret is gonna be let out and if, and if it hadn't been for getting involved in what I'm involved in now you know, things or such, maybe it'd be different, but it's not and uh, I have to do my music. There's no getting around it. I just can't go on without entertaining. So, so hopefully things will work out better this time. I don't know, just have to see. I know I've been very fortunate as I said and the Lord has helped me through everything and I don't see how this can be any different.

I think there's some new things coming and uh, it's gonna be good for everybody. I would like to, I'd like to finish the book that's been started about my life and what's going on the past three or four years. I'm working on an album. Something I wanted to do in the last few years were to try to get hold of some people who helped me in the past, you know to help me with the music and to put out maybe the best album I've ever put out. I don't know uh, if I, we can get hold of all the people but wer'e working on it and it's something everyone can looking forward to.

I think uh, a lot of people have given the chance to continue without bringing me too far in the open. It's taken a lot to uh, to get me in hiding and uh, I think it would be a shame if things just turn around in five seconds but uh, it's given me a lot of time to work whereas before I, I didn't have any time to work. I just had to do the same things over and over again as far as my music is concerned and I kept putting out the same things all the time.

It's hard to get something the way you want it and to change it drastically if youv'e been, if youv'e been used to doing it in the past and especially if you haven't, if you haven't got the time. I, I didn't have the time before. My time was taken up but this is different. This gives me a chance to get into something and make it a piece of material that uh, I can do it the way I want to do it instead of the way somebody telling me they want it some way and this and that and just making it a big, uh mess. You know, I just have to do things better this time, the way I want it, and I think it will work out for the better.

The first album that we already released was something that we had done a few months ago and uh, I enjoyed it, but I tell you, I didn't think we'd ever release it. I was just remembering all my old songs and things and it was a lot of fun. It was really a lot of fun but I hope the next album we put out I can get ahold of everyone that's helped in the past because I, uh it would be a rewading experience to thick that uh, everything could work so smoothly.

I, my whole life has been something out of a dream, to have this happen, I mean uh, to have all the people who have helped in the past to help with this new album and to uh, help me with everything that has happened, it would be a good experience in my life and, uh it would be good for them,too. I'm looking forward to it and you know, they are many times when we, we despair and we think that, that life has passed us by, but you know, dreams can come true.