MY 'ELVIS STORY'


I GUESS EVERYBODY HAS AN ELVIS STORY AND, LIKE MOST PEOPLE, I ENJOY TELLING MINE.

I GREW UP IN MEMPHIS AND FIRST HEARD ELVIS ON WHBQ'S "RED, HOT, AND BLUE" RADIO SHOW WITH DEWEY PHILLIPS AS D.J. -- DURING THE TIME "HOUND DOG" WAS JUST BEGINNING TO GET POPULAR, I WAS IN JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL (SHERWOOD). MY FRIENDS AND I DISCOVERED THAT ELVIS ONLY LIVED ABOUT 4 OR 5 MILES FROM US. THIS WAS BEFORE HE MOVED TO GRACELAND - HE THEN LIVED ON AUDABON DRIVE.




(Elvis & his mom and dad)
(This was taken before the gate was added)

WE STARTED RIDING OUR BIKES OVER TO HIS HOUSE IN HOPES THAT WE WOULD GET A GLIMPSE OF HIM. SEVERAL TIMES HIS DAD, VERNON, WOULD SEE US AND COME OUT AND TALK. HE WAS SO NICE TO US 'STAR-STRUCK' KIDS!! HE INVITED US TO COME IN THE CARPORT AND SEE ELVIS' PINK CADILLAC AND TOOK THE BOYS OUT TO THE GARAGE TO SEE HIS MOTORCYCLES. YOU COULD TELL HE WAS VERY PROUD OF HIS SON!!

ON ONE OCCASION, ONE OF MY GIRLFRIENDS LEFT A BOOK WITH THE MAID AND ASKED HER IF SHE'D GET ELVIS TO SIGN IT - SHE SAID SHE WOULD BE GLAD TO. WE WENT BACK SEVERAL DAYS LATER TO SEE IF HE HAD SIGNED IT AND THERE WERE SOME MEN PAINTING THE FRONT OF THE HOUSE. WE ASKED THEM IF THEY WOULD CHECK WITH THE MAID AND SEE IF SHE HAD GOTTEN ELVIS TO SIGN THE BOOK YET. ONE OF THEM WENT INSIDE FOR A MINUTE AND CAME BACK OUT AND SAID SHE'D BRING IT OUT.




WE WAITED AND WAITED AND JUST AS WE WERE ABOUT TO GIVE UP, THE SIDE DOOR THAT LED ONTO THE CARPORT OPENED - NATURALLY,WE THOUGHT IT WAS THE MAID. B U T ---- YOU GUESSED IT!!! ---- OUT STEPPED ELVIS!!! OF COURSE, WE ALMOST PASSED OUT, BUT THANKFULLY, WE DIDN'T SCREAM (More about that later). HE GOT ON HIS MOTORCYCLE AND CAME TO THE GATE. I'LL NEVER FORGET THE SOUND OF HIS VOICE SAYING "HONEY, WOULD YOU OPEN THE GATE?". IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, HE HAD TO SAY THIS AT LEAST 3 TIMES BEFORE ANY OF US COULD MOVE!! AFTER THE GATE WAS OPENED, HE DROVE ON OUT AND WE GOT HIS AUTOGRAPH AND TALKED TO HIM FOR A FEW MINUTES. ONE OF MY FRIENDS WAS A GREAT ARTIST AND SHE HAD A DRAWING WITH HER THAT SHE HAD DONE OF HIM AND HE SIGNED IT AND TOLD HER IT WAS 'VERY' GOOD. (I COULD HAVE SWORN THAT HE TOUCHED MY HAND LONGER THAN HE DID ANY OF THE OTHERS WHEN HE HANDED MY AUTOGRAPH BACK!!) WISHFUL THINKING MAYBE??

DID I MENTION THAT HE HAD THE MOST BEAUTIFUL JET-BLACK HAIR I HAD EVER SEEN AND IT JUST SPARKLED IN THAT SUNLIGHT!!

ANYWAY, HE LEFT ON HIS MOTORCYCLE AND BEING THE KID'S WE WERE, WE KEPT WAITING FOR THE MAID TO COME OUT WITH THE BOOK. WE KNEW IT WAS TIME FOR US TO BE HEADING FOR HOME AND DIDN'T EXPECT TO EVER SEE ELVIS AGAIN. BUT, IN JUST A FEW MINUTES HE CAME BACK!! (THIS TIME HE DIDN'T HAVE TO ASK US BUT ONCE TO OPEN THE GATE!) HE SAID HE HAD FORGOTTEN SOMETHING. HE CAME BACK OUT AND THIS TIME HIS DAD CAME WITH HIM. ANOTHER THING I'LL NEVER FORGET IS, ABOUT THE TIME HE GOT TO THE GATE, A CARLOAD OF GIRLS CAME BY AND STARTED SCREAMING THEIR LUNGS OUT. ELVIS MADE A SILLY FACE AND MOCKED THEM (NOT SARCASTICALLY, BUT HUMOROUSLY). That's when we were REALLY proud we had not screamed!!
AFTER HE LEFT ON HIS MOTORCYCLE THIS TIME, WE HAD TO LEAVE FOR HOME. WE NEVER DID GET THE BOOK!!!

REMEMBER THE AUTOGRAPH I GOT???
WHEN I GOT HOME I COULDN'T FIND IT. I WANTED TO GO BACK AND LOOK FOR IT, BUT AT THE TIME, MY MOM DIDN'T THINK ELVIS WAS THAT IMPORTANT SO SHE SAID "NO".

WHEN ELVIS DIED, I REALIZED JUST HOW SPECIAL THAT AUTOGRAPH WOULD BE, AND I GUESS THAT'S WHY I STARTED COLLECTING ALL OF THE AUTOGRAPHS I CAN GET MY HANDS ON!!! SO, IF YOU'RE A STAR, OR EVER HAVE BEEN, (OR PLAN TO BE SOMEDAY) SEND ME YOUR AUTOGRAPH!!! (OR AT LEAST SIGN MY GUESTBOOK)

THANKS TO THE ONES WHO ALREADY HAVE!!

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