Guten Abend liebe Elvis Fans,
weiß jemand von Euch vielleicht, ob das Telefongespräch zwischen Red West und Elvis aus dem Epilog des Buches aufgezeichnet worden war, oder ob es Red aus dem Gedächtnis wiedergegeben hat?
Ich muss sagen, falls es von Red aufgezeichnet worden sein sollte, dann fände ich das ganz schön krass, weil dieses Gespräch doch ein recht persönliches zwischen ihm und Elvis war und es eigentlich nicht für andere Ohren, bzw. Augen bestimmt war. (Ist nur mein persönlicher Eindruck)
lieben Gruß

THIS IS RED WEST, YOU ARE ABOUT TO HEAR A TELEPHONE CONVERSATION BETWEEN ELVIS PRESLEY AND MYSELF THAT I RECORDED SOMETIME IN OCTOBER 1976 WHILE I WAS IN LOS ANGELES WRITING THE BOOK ‘ELVIS WHAT HAPPENED’, ALONG WITH MY COUSIN SONNY WEST AND DAVE HEBLER.

IT WAS NO SECRET THAT WE WERE WRITING THE BOOK AND KNOWING ELVIS AS I DID I KNEW HE WOULD TRY TO CONTACT US. I ALSO KNEW WE WOULD BE CALLED LIARS, JUDAS’, TRADERS AND ANY OTHER EXPLETIVES BY FANS AND EVEN SOME PEOPLE AROUND HIM WHO WE HAD BEEN CLOSE TO UP UNTIL THIS TIME. I KNEW THAT HE WOULD REVEAL IN THIS CONVERSATION ENOUGH INFORMATION THAT WOULD SUBSTANTIATE WHAT WE SAID IN THE BOOK.

IT WAS EVEN MORE THAN I HAD EXPECTED. AND MORE THAN I WANTED TO HEAR. BY THIS I MEAN I HEARD A SAD AND LONELY MAN. A MAN I HAD GROWN UP WITH AND WATCHED RISE FROM NEAR POVERTY TO BECOME THE GREATEST ENTERTAINER THIS WORLD WE’LL EVER SEE. A BOY IN A MANS BODY WHO COULD NOT HANDLE THE CELEBRITY THAT HE HAD NOW BECOME. I HAD A SINKING FEELING THAT I WOULD NEVER SEE MY BEST FRIEND AGAIN AND I DIDN’T.

ELVIS: HOW YOU DOING MAN?

RED: I JUST WOKE UP.

ELVIS: I WAS JUST ON ONE OF THOSE SINGING BINGES. I GOT A COUPLE NEW GUITARS AND SINGING MY ASS OFF. WATCHING LITTLE KIDS MARVEL. I’M BY MYSELF, LINDA IS IN L.A. SHE’S CHANGING APARTMENTS. WE HAD THAT APARTMENT, THE PEOPLE FOUND I WAS IN BACK OF IT AND RAISED THE RENT DOUBLE. SHE GOT ANOTHER ONE RIGHT DOWN THE STREET. CHARLIE TOLD ME ABOUT THE TALK YOU ALL HAD, I GUESS I DO OWE AN EXPLANATION.

RED: I WISH YOU HAD COME TO ME AND TOLD ME.

ELVIS: YOU DON’T DO THINGS LIKE THAT CAUSE THAT’S MY DADDY’S BUSINESS.

RED: NO IT’S NOT.

ELVIS: I WAS GETTING A LOT OF EXCESS PRESSURE. YOU KNOW THAT RACQUET THING. TWO COURTS FOR A MILLION THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS? MY UNDERSTANDING WAS THAT WE WERE GOING TO JUST USE MY NAME. AND THAT’S ALL AND THAT WAS THE CONTRACT I SIGNED. I DID IT AS A FAVOR FOR DR. NICK AND JOE. I’M JUST TRYING TO TELL SOME OF THE THINGS THAT LED UP TO IT. I WAS WRONG ABOUT HEBLER. JUST A BAD THING ON MY PART. HE WAS VERY UNDERMINING AND SNEAKY.
HE HATED ALL YOU GUYS AND EVERYBODY ELSE AND I KEPT THIS ****. IT JUST BURNED INTO MY EAR. AND THOSE deleted - see guidelines #2 LAWSUITS IN TWO YEARS. I DON’T KNOW WHETHER YOU HEARD IT, BUT THEY WERE TRYING TO PROVE US INSANE. I’M TALKING ABOUT SOME INFLUENTIAL PEOPLE WHO WERE CHECKING PSYCHIATRIST REPORTS. THEY WERE TRYING TO PROVE US INSANE. THE WHOLE BUNCH.

RED: I COULD NOT BELIEVE IT. YOU HAD LEFT TOWN. YOUR DADDY CALLED US AND TALKED ABOUT CUTTING DOWN EXPENSES AND GIVING US ONE WEEK’S NOTICE. THEY GIVE CHINESE COOLIES TWO WEEKS.

ELVIS: I DIDN’T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT. THE ONE WEEK THING.

RED: THE BOTTOM FELL OUT. I GOT A LITTLE HURT AT FIRST.

RED: BUT ANYWAY, WHERE WERE WE?

ELVIS: YOU KNOW MY VOICE IS SO LOW. I CAN MAKE J.D. SUMNER SOUND LIKE A TENOR. WE SANG SO LONG, I GOT A NEW MARTIN GUITAR, MY DAMN FINGERS ARE BLISTERED FROM PLAYING.

RED: YEAH, THAT’S THE WAY MINE USED TO GET WHEN I’D SIT UP AND TRY TO WRITE SONGS. MY THREE FIRST FINGERS WERE JUST TOO BIG. I MEAN, JUST HAD BIG BLISTERS ON THE END OF THEM. BUT AH, AH ****, I WISH I COULD GET MY MIND CLEARED, JUST WAKING UP. BUT AH, TALKING ABOUT, OH YEAH.

ELVIS: I HAVE AH, AH, YUNNO, I’M OPERATING ON BUT ONE CYLINDER.

RED: BUT LIKE I SAID AH, I’VE GOTTA AH, THAT SHOW IS DOING PRETTY GOOD, I’VE GOT A REGULAR RUNNING PART IN IT. IT STARTS IN THE NEXT THREE OR FOUR WEEKS, I THINK. AND I THINK I’M JUST GONNA HANG WITH THAT.

ELVIS: WELL, YUNNO, ONE THING THAT HAPPENED WAS A COMBINATION OF A WHOLE LOT OF THINGS BUILDING UP. IT WASN’T NECESSARILY PERSONAL, OR EVEN THE GODDAMNED LAWSUITS. IT WAS LIKE A FUSE BURNING, YUNNO. JUST BECAUSE OF A LOT OF THINGS THAT PILED UP ON ME.

RED: YEAH, WELL.

ELVIS: AND AH, MAYBE I DID LOSE SIGHT OF... ESPECIALLY YOU, YOUR FAMILY AND EVERYTHING.
RED: YEAH. IT WAS COLD ELVIS. (INTERRUPTED)

ELVIS: I LOVE PAT.

RED: YEAH.

ELVIS: AND AH, YOU GOT A GOOD FAMILY AND EVERYTHING

RED: WELL, I’VE HAD A LOT OF TIME TO THINK ABOUT IT, I MEAN, YUNNO, I CAN SIT HERE AND PEOPLE SAY “OH, THE OLD DAYS” AND ALL THAT ****, BUT IT DID CROSS MY MIND. AND ALL I’VE EVER DONE IS TRY TO AH, MAYBE SOMETIMES I OVERPROTECT YOU. AND THAT’S THE GODS TRUTH.

ELVIS: YEAH.

RED: AND AH...

ELVIS: WELL, I KNOW THAT.

RED: AND HERE I WAS. HERE I WAS. AND, BUT THAT, YUNNO, ELVIS, LIKE YOU SAY YOU HAD PROBLEMS.

ELVIS: WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT IT IS. THAT OLD GUY SAID IN COOL HAND LUKE, A FAILURE TO COMMUNICATE.

RED: YEAH, WELL THAT’S THE GOD’S TRUTH WE SURE THE HELL DIDN’T COMMUNICATE IN THE LAST YEAR OR SO.

ELVIS: YEAH. AND IT WAS JUST LIKE I SAID, IT WAS JUST A SERIES OF THINGS. IF I COULD LAY THEM OUT TO YOU ONE BY ONE...

RED: YEAH.

ELVIS: TO SHOW YOU THE REASONS WHY THE SEPARATISM’S. LACK OF COMMUNICATION.

RED: RIGHT.

ELVIS: MY DADDY WAS SICK. NEARLY DEAD. MY FAMILY IS STRUNG ALL OVER THE FACE OF THE UNITED STATES. IT’S THE deleted - see guidelines #2 LAWYERS AND LAW-SUITS MAKING A MOUNTAIN OUT OF A MOLEHILL.

RED: YEAH. YEAH, I KNOW, YUNNO, THAT WAS SOME ROUGH TIMES GOING THROUGH THAT. ONE LAWSUIT CAME ALONG AND THEN EVERYBODY ELSE SAW A CHANCE TO JUMP ON IT. IT MUSHROOMED AND THEN BOY EVERYBODY AND HIS COUSIN WAS AFTER OUR ASS.

ELVIS: YEAH, THAT’S WHAT I MEAN. ONE GETS AWAY WITH IT OR THINKS THEY DO. WHAT THEY TRY TO DO IS ESTABLISH A PATTERN OF INSANITY AND VIOLENCE.

RED: YEAH.

ELVIS: LIKE CONDEMN ME FOR SHOOTING OUT THAT LAMP UP THERE IN....

RED: WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?

ELVIS: THE HILTON HOTEL WITH A .22 TARGET PISTOL.

RED: YEAH, OH YEAH, WELL WE WAS KNOWN AS THE WILD BUNCH.

ELVIS: YEAH, THAT’S FOR SURE. BUT THE GOOD OLD DAYS ARE STILL A FACT.

RED: THEY’RE DEFINITELY A FACT AND ALWAYS WILL BE. I MEAN, WHAT’S DONE WAS DONE. WE HAD A LOT OF GOOD TIMES MAN, THERE FOR A WHILE, LIKE YOU SAID, THINGS GOT REAL SERIOUS. A LOT OF PROBLEMS CAME UP.
I DON’T KNOW WE JUST LOST SIGHT OF A LOT OF THINGS. A LOT OF THE GOOD THINGS. I DON’T KNOW. JUST THE FUN, THE FUN LEFT.

ELVIS: THE FUN CEASED TO EXIST.

RED: YEAH.

ELVIS: I COULDN’T PINPOINT IT. JUST COULDN’T QUITE FIGURE IT OUT. YUNNO. deleted - see guidelines #2, SHHHHHH, deleted - see guidelines #2 RACQUETBALL COURTS.

RED: YEAH, I PASSED BY THERE THE OTHER DAY, WELL, I PASSED BY FOR A WHILE WHILE YOU ALL WERE GONE AND IT WAS STILL PRESLEYS CENTER COURT AND THEN...............

ELVIS: THEY OUGHT TO TAKE THAT DOWN CAUSE...............

RED: HUH?

ELVIS: THEY OUGHTTA TAKE THAT DOWN.

RED: THEY ALREADY HAVE, YEAH, I WAS GONNA SAY, JUST BEFORE I CAME OUT HERE I DIDN’T SEE THAT SIGN ANYMORE.


ELVIS: OH WELL, THE LAST I HEARD IT WAS STILL UP. I DONT KNOW, BUT YOU KNOW, A GOOD CONMAN, WHEN ITS MY NAME... THEY GOT THESE BUILDERS AND THEY GOT THEMSELVES BOUND TO A CONTRACT. TWO COURTS, THERE UP TO A HALF A MILLION DOLLARS EACH?

RED: THAT’S TOO EXPENSIVE.

ELVIS: WHAT THE **** MAN! POOR OLD JOE HAD HIS MOTHER TO HOCK HER HOUSE. TO GET A LOAN ON HER HOUSE, TO GET THE MONEY.

RED: I COULD TELL YOU ABOUT GOING INTO BUSINESS WITH SHARP, SHARPIES. THEY DON’T CARE, YOU COULD HOCK YOUR MOTHER’S ASS.

ELVIS: THAT’S WHAT HE HAD TO DO.

RED: YEAH. DID JOE GET OUT OF IT?

ELVIS: HUH?

RED: IS JOE OUT OF IT, IS?

ELVIS: UM YEAH, HE’S IN THE PROCESS OF TRYING TO GET OUT OF IT. THE BUILDERS, WHO WERE CONTRACTED TO BUILD THE DAMN THING ARE THE ONES HOLDING UP THE BALLGAME. BUT I PULLED OUT OF IT, YUNNO, I JUST.

RED: YEAH.

ELVIS: I HAD TO. CAUSE I SAW THAT IT WAS A CON JOB. I HAD A SNEAKY FEELING, YUNNO.

RED: WELL, I DIDN’T KNOW, YUNNO, I DIDN’T KNOW IF IT WAS OR NOT. I JUST HAD A FEELING IT WAS.

ELVIS: IT STARTED OFF KINDA INNOCENT. I WAS TOLD ONE THING, LIKE I WOULDN’T HAVE TO PUT UP A DIME, YUNNO. WOULDN’T BE NO MONEY OR NOTHING.

RED: YEAH.

ELVIS: WELL, THAT WAS THE CONTRACT THAT I SIGNED. I TALKED TO DADDY ABOUT IT JUST AFTER HE CAME OUT OF THE HOSPITAL. WE TALKED OVER A PERIOD OF TIME, BUT YUNNO, IF IT WILL HELP JOE AND NICK, THEY COULD USE MY NAME BECAUSE I COULDN’T BENEFIT NOTHING FROM IT.


RED: RIGHT, IT WAS JUST SOMETHING TO HELP THEM OUT. NICK, YUNNO, NICK DIDN’T, I DON’T THINK NICK KNEW THE GUY THAT WELL. THE GUY WAS.....

ELVIS: I DON’T THINK HE DID EITHER.

RED: NO, HE JUST GOT SUCKED IN. HE SAW A CHANCE TO MAKE SOME MONEY, HOPING, AND JOE DID TOO. BUT THIS OTHER GUY IS THE ONE I WAS LEERY OF.

ELVIS: OH, THAT SON OF A BITCH, I DUNNO, I’VE TALKED TO MY ATTORNEY’S YESTERDAY ABOUT THE RACQUETBALL THING, YOU KNOW MR. DAVIS DIED.

RED: YEAH, I KNOW. I SAW THAT IN THE PAPER JUST BEFORE I LEFT.

ELVIS: WELL THE GUY THATS TAKING HIS PLACE. JUST AH, SAID THAT, HE SAID THAT AH, HE STARTED TELLING ME, TO HELP, ALL THIS LAWYER STUFF, AND THEN HE SAID, HE SAID, ELVIS, THIS SONOFABITCH IS A CON ARTIST, RIGGED UP. YA SEE, THEY CAME RUNNING IN AND SAID ONE THING... WELL YA SEE, WHAT STARTED HAPPENING WOULD BE AH, THEY STARTED HITTING ME UP FOR TEN THOUSAND, TWENTY THOUSAND.

RED: START HITTING YOU UP FOR IT?

ELVIS: YEAH.

RED: OH YEAH, WELL THERE’S A PATTERN.

ELVIS: THATS WHAT I THOUGHT WELL, I SAID, YOU GUYS PUTTING UP THAT KIND OF MONEY? YUNNO. THEY SAID, YEAH, WE’RE IN, SO ITS ALL MINE. LAWYERS, THEY’LL **** YOU BLIND.

RED: YEAH, I REMEMBER HE WAS ON ONE OF THE TOURS WITH US............

ELVIS: ON THE TOUR, PRETENDING TO BE INTERESTED IN NUMEROLOGY BOOKS AND STUFF. BUT IT ALL FALLS INTO PLACE. BUT WERE SMART ENOUGH TO DO THAT. ALRIGHT. THEN AH, IT AMOUNTED TO THEY NEEDED EIGHTY THOUSAND DOLLARS. AND I SAID OK, FOR WHAT? FOR A SECRETARY.

RED: GOD DAMN! BOY I’LL TELL YOU, THOSE SECRETARIES, THEY GOTTA UNION THERE OR SOMETHING?

ELVIS: THATS EXACTLY WHAT I SAID. I SAID HOW IN THE HELL IS A SECRETARY GOING TO COST EIGHTY THOUSAND DOLLARS?

RED: ****, NAW, IN THIS TOWN YOU GOTTA GET OUT OF THAT ****.

ELVIS: YEAH, I MEAN I TRIED TO HANG IN THERE WITH THEM, YOU KNOW.
I DIDN’T WANT TO CRUSH THEIR ENTHUSIASM, THEIR DREAMS OR WHATEVER.

RED: JUST CRUSH THE SECRETARIES.

ELVIS: EIGHTY THOUSAND DOLLAR SECRETARY.

RED: ALMIGHTY, HOW MUCH DOES THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD MAKE?

ELVIS: YEAH, WELL YOU KNOW THEY’VE GOT ALL THESE CARDS AND **** PRINTED UP......CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD. IT STARTED OFF PRESLEY CENTER COURTS AND THEY CHANGED THAT TO ELVIS PRESLEY CENTER COURTS WITHOUT EVER EVEN ASKING ME ONE THING ABOUT IT.

RED: AH HA, DAMN.

ELVIS: THEY HAD ALL THESE CARDS AND **** MADE UP, PRESIDENT, VICE-PRESIDENT. STILL, DIDN’T EVEN COME TO ME AND ASK ME.

RED: OH HELL, ONCE THEY’VE GOTCHA YOUR NAME ON IT. ONCE THIS MIKE GOT YOUR NAME ON THERE. I HEARD HIM YUNNO, HE WENT TO NASHVILLE AND EVERYWHERE JUST SAYING WELL I REPRESENT MR. ELVIS PRESLEY AND THIS RACQUETBALL VENTURE. JUST ON YOUR NAME ALONE, YUNNO. HE JUST AH, GOT JUST WHAT THE HELL HE WANTED. BUT AH, I DON’T KNOW WHAT I’M TRYING TO SAY, E. WE’VE GOT TO GET BACK TO MY PROBLEM. MAN, I’VE NEVER DONE THAT. JUST OLD RED TRYING TO DO A JOB, MAN, AND....

ELVIS: NO, I WASN’T USING THAT AS AN EXAMPLE. I WAS JUST TELLING YOU.

RED: YEAH, AH-NO, NO, I KNOW IT. I JUST WE’RE TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING I DON’T KNOW ABOUT IS THAT RACQUETBALL COURT. I JUST KNOW ABOUT MY PROBLEMS.

ELVIS: WHAT STARTED OUT AS A FRIENDSHIP AND A FAVOR AND THEY TURNED INTO A MILLION THREE-HUNDRED-THOUSAND DOLLAR PROJECT.

RED: YEAH.

ELVIS: DO YOU REALIZE HOW LONG IT WOULD TAKE TO REALIZE A PROFIT, AFTER PUTTING THAT MONEY INTO IT?

RED: YEAH, I AM AFRAID SO. IT WOULD TAKE...

ELVIS: THEY’D BE SO OLD, UNTIL THEY THINK THE RACQUET RESEMBLES A ****ING BANJO. HEY, WHAT IS THIS? I’M TRYING TO PLAY IT.
RED: PLASTER FALLING OFF THE WALLS. AH ****, WELL, LIKE, NICK,
POOR OLD NICK, EVERYBODY’S TRYING TO MAKE A BUCK.... LIKE NICK’S CHIPS HE WENT INTO MAN, HELL, THAT WAS A FLOP. THEY HAD EVERYTHING FIGURED BUT THE DAMN TRUCK THAT HAULED THEM OVER FROM ARKANSAS. THAT FELL THROUGH LIKE.....

ELVIS: NICK’S CHIPS, ****...

RED: WELL, THAT FELL THROUGH, LIKE.....

ELVIS: I NEVER SEEN ANYBODY DRIVE TO A HOSPITAL IN SOMETHING.
deleted - see guidelines #2 I MEAN, I HAD MIXED EMOTIONS; I HIT THE FLOOR THE FIRST NIGHT, JUST ROLLED THERE. NICK’S CHIP, DAMN, MY ASS. THE FIRST THING I CONJURED UP IN MY MIND WAS A GAMBLER SAYING HE WAS IN VEGAS AND NICK THE GREEK, YUNNO. HE’S THE GAMBLER. THAT’S WHAT I CREATED IN MY MIND. NICKS CHIPS, ****. HE JUST DON’T. HE OBVIOUSLY JUST DON’T KNOW, YUNNO. AND THESE ****ING CONTRACTORS UP THERE ARE JUST COLD HEARTED BUSINESS MEN. I MEAN.

RED: OH SURE. LOOK, YOU START MESSIN WITH A GUY LIKE THAT, I MEAN THAT DOLLARS TALK AND THAT’S IT.

ELVIS: STILL, BUT THE WAY IT WAS DONE, I MEAN, THEY LED, THEY LED THEIR CALF TO SLAUGHTER.

RED: YEAH, WELL, YOU GOT OUT OF IT. YOU’RE OUT OF IT THEN RIGHT?

ELVIS: YEAH, I’M IN THE PROCESS OF GETTING....

RED: YEAH, I DON’T BLAME YOU ‘CAUSE...YOU START GOING INTO BUSINESS WITH A BUNCH OF PEOPLE, IF YOU DO IT YOURSELF THEN YOU KNOW WHAT’S HAPPENING, BUT YOU GET TWO OR THREE OTHER GUYS, THEN.

ELVIS: WITH MY SIGNATURE THEY ALL MUST HAVE JUST WENT STARK RAVING MAD.

RED: SURE THEY DID, I KNOW THAT MIKE DID.

ELVIS: THE LAWYER READ TO ME THE CONTRACT, YESTERDAY. WHERE IT SAID THAT IF ANYTHING HAPPENED TO IT, ELVIS STANDS GOODS FOR THE WHOLE THING.

RED: OH, OH. YEAH, WELL SEE THERE. THEY DIDN’T TELL YA (INTERRUPTED)..


ELVIS: YOU KNOW GOOD DAMNED AND I DON’T EVEN CARE THAT MUCH ABOUT RACQUETBALL.

RED: YEAH, RIGHT.

ELVIS: UM. YEAH, I WOULD STAND GOOD FOR THE WHOLE THING. SO THAT WAS NEWS TO ME. ALSO, I JUST FOUND OUT YESTERDAY THAT THIS GUY MIKE HAD SET HIM UP, MANAGEMENT FEE WAS FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS A YEAR.

RED: SURE.

ELVIS: UH, EXTRA. UM, JOE DIDN’T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT, NICK DIDN’T KNOW A DAMN THING ABOUT IT. BUT YET, THE LAWYERS HAD IT RIGHTTHERE.

RED: YEAH. WELL, THAT’S WHAT I FIGURED, THIS MIKE CONNED NICK AND EVERYBODY ELSE INTO IT. HE’S GETTING WELL ON IT, YUNNO. THAT’S A SHAME MAN, NICK ALWAYS MAN, I THOUGHT HE WAS SMART AND I THOUGHT JOE WAS SMART.

ELVIS: NOT WHEN IT COMES TO BUSINESS.

RED: NO. I THINK WE’RE ON A PARTY LINE OR SOMETHING.

ELVIS: AND MY WHOLE THING, SEE, I CAN NEVER POSSIBLY REALIZE ANY KIND OF A PROFIT OUT OF IT. I DID IT JUST AS A FRIENDSHIP THING YUNNO. I DIDNT THINK IT WAS..THERE WAS NO HARM, YUNNO, IN HELPING THESE GUYS GET A COUPLE OF RACQUETBALL COURTS, ONE HERE, AND ONE IN NASHVILLE, HOWEVER IT WAS FINE WITH ME. I DIDNT SEE NO HARM.

RED: YEAH, NO, NOT (INTERRUPTED)

ELVIS: BUT YOU SEE, THE PAPER THAT I SIGNED HAD NOTHING OF THAT MENTIONED. SO MY LAWYER FIGURES THAT THIS **** WAS PUT IN THERE AFTER I SIGNED IT. YUNNO WHAT I MEAN.

RED: YEAH.

ELVIS: UH, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW DAMN NEAR WELL, I WOULDN’T HAVE SIGNED IT. AFTER A WHILE, STAND GOOD FOR A COUPLE OF ****IN RACQUET, HALF A MILLION DOLLAR RACQUETBALL COURTS.

RED: YEAH.

ELVIS: THAT JUST TOTALLY SURPRISED ME TOO. A HALF A MILLION DOLLARS FOR A RACQUETBALL COURT? WHY HELL, I CAN GET EARL IN WITH A HAMMER, AND ALBERT LET HIM CONSTRUCT ONE. DONT GIVE THE WOODPECKERS LONG ENOUGH.

RED: REALLY FOR $39.98. OH, WELL THEY MUST HAVE GONE FOR THE SAUNA, THE WHOLE HEALTH CLUB BIT, OR SOMETHING. THEY HAD TO, IT DON’T COST THAT MUCH TO BUILD NO DAMN TWO RACQUETBALL COURTS. I DON’T KNOW. WELL.

ELVIS: WELL AH, I THINK IT’S GONNA BE TEN COURTS AT EACH PLACE.

RED: OH, WELL, HUH, OH!

ELVIS: I MEAN, TEN PLACES TO PLAY LIKE OUT AT MEMPHIS STATE.

RED: YEAH WELL.

ELVIS: BUT STILL......

RED: THAT’S...

ELVIS: YOU TAKE THAT, YOU TAKE A MAN AND A WOMAN’S SHOWERS, IT CAN’T ADD UP TO NO HALF A MILLION DOLLARS.

RED: THAT’S A LOT OF MONEY.

ELVIS: WELL ****. YUNNO I GOT ONE BUILT HERE IN THE BACK, YUNNO THE ONE I GOT. THAT SON OF A BITCH WAS ONLY EIGHTY THOUSAND. YUNNO HOW PLUSH IT IS.

RED: YEAH, YOU DAMN RIGHT. YEAH, IT’S AH.

ELVIS: THESE PEOPLE JUST, IT’S LIKE YOU SAID THEY SAW MY SIGNATURE AND WENT STARK RAVING MAD.

RED: YEAH, YES SIR. EVERYBODY WAS TAKEN IN AFTER THEY GOT YOUR SIGNATURE, PLUS WHEN WAS THIS DAMN GUYS SALARY SUPPOSED TO START, ALREADY? MIKE AND THE SECRETARY AND ALL THAT ****.

ELVIS: YEAH.

RED: AND YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO PAY FOR THAT HUH? YEAH, BULL****, BULL****. JUST GET THE HELL OUT.

ELVIS: MERCHANDISE AND THINGS. LITTLE CARDS, LITTLE PAMPHLETS, LITTLE ADVERTISEMENTS, AND THIS AND THAT. AND ALL WITHOUT MY ACKNOWLEDGE, YUNNO WITHOUT CONSULTING ME, WITHOUT ASKING ME ABOUT IT, YUNNO.

RED: WELL.

ELVIS: SO IT JUST BUILT UP INTO A ****ING MONSTER.

RED: RIGHT. YOU’RE DAMN RIGHT THEY DID. THEY’RE TRYING TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF YOU. I DON’T BLAME YOU FOR GETTIN’ THE HELL OUT OF IT. BUT AH, THEN I GUESS YUNNO ALL THAT PRESSURE AND EVERYTHING, LAWSUITS, EVERYTHING LED UP TO OUR DEMISE, YUNNO WHATEVER. BUT AH, IT WAS A SHOCK TO ALL OF US. OLD DAVE WAS OUT HERE. HE WAS FLAT ASS BROKE, WELL WE’RE ALL BROKE! COURSE I HAD SOME PROPERTY AND STUFF. I SOLD MY HOUSE, I HATED TO DO THAT, YUNNO. BUT WHEN YOU GOT TO DO SOMETHING, YOU GOTTA DO IT.

ELVIS: YOU SOLD YOUR HOUSE?

RED: OH YEAH. SOLD MY HOUSE, BOTH CARS AND EVERYTHING. AND UH, HEBLER, HE’S FLAT ASS BROKE AND SONNY WAS DOWN TO THE, WELL YOU KNOW IT WAS A BAD TIME BY ALL, I TELL YA.

ELVIS: WELL, I GUESS THERE NEVER IS ANY REALLY GOOD TIME. IT WAS A BAD TIME FOR ME, TOO.

RED: YEAH.

ELVIS: I HADN’T BEEN OUT OF THE HOSPITAL LONG ENOUGH TO START ROLLING.

RED: YEAH, BUT UH.

ELVIS: MY DADDY WAS, I ALMOST LOST HIM. HE’S MY DADDY REGARDLESS OF ANYTHING ELSE.

RED: OH YEAH. LISTEN, I CAN UNDERSTAND. BUT AH, YEAH, WE WERE JUST, WE WERE IN SHOCK THERE FOR AWHILE. WHAT DO WE DO? YUNNO. BUT THEN WE THOUGHT ABOUT IT, AND ALL THE PRESSURE AND EVERYTHING AND SAID WELL I GUESS HE’S GOT HIS POINT TOO. IT’S JUST, I WISH, YUNNO, WE’VE ALWAYS BEEN ABLE TO TALK, A LOT, MOST OF THE TIMES. THERE HAS BEEN SOMETIMES WE COULDN’T. BUT AH, IF I JUST HAD HEARD IT FROM YOU, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN EASIER TO TAKE.

ELVIS: WELL, IN DOING BUSINESS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE, I DON’T,
I DON’T DO THAT.
RED: YOU MEAN ABOUT FIRING US AND EVERYTHING?

ELVIS: YEAH.

RED: WELL.

ELVIS: I HAD TO GO TO PALM SPRINGS, ANALYZE AND WEIGH...deleted - see guidelines #2 RACQUETBALL COURTS. I’M STILL SEEING LITTLE FUZZY BALLS.

RED: WELL.

ELVIS: BUT UH, CHARLIE WAS TELLING, CHARLIE TALKED TO YOU AND YOU THOUGHT I WAS ON THE LINE.

RED: UH, UH. WELL I THOUGHT. I HEARD THAT....

ELVIS: I WAS OVER AT MY DADDY’S HOUSE GOING THROUGH THESE FIGURES.

RED: YEAH.

ELVIS: YUNNO, IF I WANTED TO HEAR SOMETHING, I WOULDN’T DO THAT. I WOULD GO ANOTHER WAY.

RED: WELL YOU KNOW HOW PARANOID EVERYBODY GETS ABOUT...

ELVIS: OH, SURE.

RED: SOMETHING LIKE THAT. I JUST, I DON’T KNOW WHY, I JUST THOUGHT....

ELVIS: OH SURE, LIKE LOOKING OVER YOUR SHOULDER AND NOT KNOWING WHO THE HELL IT IS, REGARDLESS OF WHAT.

RED: YEAH. BUT, UH, ANYWAY’S, YUNNO, IT’S ALL DONE AND THAT’S IT, I GUESS NOW, YUNNO, CAUSE AH.

ELVIS: HOW’S PAT AND THE KIDS AND STUFF?

RED: THEY’RE ALL FINE. THEY JUST HANGING ON UNTIL I GET SOMETHING GOING.

ELVIS: WELL.

RED: BUT AH, IT’S BEEN KIND OF ROUGH.


ELVIS: I WAS VERY DISILLUSIONED BY HEBLER. HE FAKED ME OFF SOMETHING TERRIBLE. I THOUGHT HE WAS THE WAY THE BOTH OF US UNDERSTOOD.

RED: WELL, WHAT DID HE DO, WHAT DID HE DO?

ELVIS: WELL HE JUST, HE WOULD SAY LITTLE THINGS TO ME, WHO HE HATED.

RED: (LAUGHING) WHO HE HATED?

ELVIS: YEAH.

RED: DAMN.

ELVIS: AND UH, THIS WENT ON OVER A PERIOD OF TWO YEARS. ED PARKER TOLD ME TO KEEP HIM AT ARMS LENGTH. BUT I STILL DIDN’T CATCH ON. DUMB ASS ME, YUNNO.

RED: I REALLY DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT, AH.

ELVIS: WELL. IT’S HARD TO EXPLAIN. I DON’T THINK THAT HE LIKED ANYBODY IN THIS GROUP, EXCEPT MAYBE DEAN.

RED: YEAH, WELL, I....

ELVIS: I THINK THAT I’D BECOME A DOLLAR SIGN TO HIM, RED. I THINK IN THE PROCESS HE LOST SIGHT OF ELVIS, FIRST, YUNNO. THAT CAN EASILY HAPPEN.

RED: OH, YEAH, I GUESS SO, UM.

ELVIS: YUNNO, AH, WHEN THAT HAPPENED, RED, I’D BECOME AN OBJECT, NOT A PERSON.

RED: YEAH.

ELVIS: BUT AH, YUNNO, I’M NOT THAT SIGN, I MEAN THAT ROUGE TOURING DOWN THERE. I’M NOT AN IMAGE TO BUILD UP. I’M MYSELF.

RED: YEAH, THAT’S THE WAY I ALWAYS TRIED TO LIKE TO THINK OF IT.

ELVIS: AND UH, YOU’RE SO WRONG ON ONE THING AND LISTEN, DON’T GET PARANOID. BECAUSE I’M JUST TALKING TO YOU AS A FRIEND. NOW WE’RE ON A PRIVATE LINE AND THERE IS NOT A ****IN SOUL BUT US.

RED: RIGHT.
ELVIS: I AM NOT ****ED UP BY NO MEANS. ON THE CONTRARY, I’VE NEVER BEEN IN BETTER CONDITION IN MY LIFE.

RED: WELL, WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT THEN YOU HAD BEEN PRETTY ****ED UP, WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT.

ELVIS: WELL, I WENT THROUGH A DIVORCE, YOU KNOW, YOU WERE THERE.

RED: YEAH, WHAT I WAS SAYING...

ELVIS: THAT WEDDING THING, THAT WEDDING THING, I HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THAT. THAT WAS RAILROADED THROUGH. UH, I DIDN’T EVEN KNOW WHO WAS THERE. IT WAS ALL IN A LITTLE ROOM ‘BOUT THE SIZE OF A BATHROOM WITH A SUPREME COURT JUSTICE. IT WAS IN THERE OVER AND DONE WITH SO QUICK I DIDN’T REALIZE I WAS MARRIED.

RED: OH YEAH, YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT YOUR WEDDING.

ELVIS: YEAH.

RED: RIGHT. WELL YUNNO, LIKE YOU DON’T THINK ABOUT THESE THINGS. BUT AT THE TIME, IT, IT, ONCE AGAIN, THAT, IT’S THAT OLD, I BEEN WITH YOU AND ALL OF A SUDDEN I WAS HELD BACK AND TOLD ONE, THAT I WASN’T SUPPOSED TO COME IN.

ELVIS: I ****ED THAT UP. I COULD SEE IT, I COULD SEE IT BACK THEN, BUT SEE IT WASN’T MY DOING.

RED: RIGHT.

ELVIS: WASN’T MY DOING.

RED: YUNNO, I FIGURED THAT WAS THE COLONEL AND....

ELVIS: IT WAS A RAMROD TYPE THING. I HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH...YOU KNOW, ALL OF A SUDDEN I WAS GETTING MARRIED.

RED: YEAH.

ELVIS: YUNNO, WHEN YOU GO THROUGH THAT, YOU KEEP YOUR MIND ON ONE THING.

RED: YEAH, YEAH RIGHT....

ELVIS: IT WAS PRETTY TOUGH.
RED: WELL I CAN UNDERSTAND THAT. THAT WAS A LONG TIME AGO, BUT THAT WAS JUST A POINT I WAS BRINGING UP TO CHARLIE, AND UH, BUT LET’S GET BACK TO, TO THE LAST COUPLE THREE YEARS. LET’S FACE IT MAN, YOU HAVEN’T ENJOYED YOURSELF. YOU JUST BEEN...YOU DO YOUR WORK, YOU GO WORK AND THEN AH...

ELVIS: I ENJOY MY WORK.

RED: YEAH, I KNOW THAT, THATS THE ONLY TIME WE REALLY SEE YOU, I REALLY SEE YOU ANYMORE. THE REST OF THE TIME, IT’S JUST AH, I DON’T KNOW. IT’S JUST AH......

ELVIS: WE HAD A PRETTY GOOD TIME UP IN VAIL.

RED: OH YEAH, WE HAD A BALL IN VAIL. THAT WAS THE, MAN, THAT WAS THE ONE TIME OUT OF THE LAST FEW YEARS THAT WE REALLY GOT BACK TO THE, BACK TO THE, WELL, WHATEVER, BACK TO KNOWING HOW TO ENJOY OURSELVES. AND I MEAN EVERYBODY JUST HAD A BALL.

ELVIS: YEAH, I KNOW I DID.

RED: YEAH, I KNOW I DID TOO. CAUSE THAT WAS SOMETHING WE’D ALL BEEN WANTING TO DO, JUST TO GET OUT AWAY FROM IT ALL, MAN AND...

ELVIS: YEAH, YUNNO, THAT’S OK, BECAUSE UH, YUNNO, THEY JUST WANT ME TO HAVE A HOUSE UP THERE.

RED: YEAH.

ELVIS: AND THEY WANT TO BUY FOOD AND EVERYTHING. SO, THESE REAL ESTATE GUYS GET A HOLD OF THAT. I MEAN ITS A BEAUTIFUL PLACE BUT MY THINKING IS NOT ALONG THOSE LINES RIGHT NOW.

RED: RIGHT. I DON’T BLAME YOU, YOU CAN ALWAYS GO UP THERE AND RENT SOMETHING.

ELVIS: YEAH, EXACTLY.

RED: BUT UM, I DON’T WANT TO GET REAL UPSET YUNNO, IT’S BEEN SO LONG SINCE I TALKED TO YOU. I DON’T WANT TO GET REAL SERIOUS ON THE CONVERSATION. BUT, WE WERE ALL WORRIED ABOUT YOU, I’VE ALWAYS BEEN WORRIED ABOUT YOU. ABOUT TAKING QUITE A FEW THINGS, I THOUGHT.

ELVIS: YOU WORRIED ABOUT ME SO MUCH UNTIL YOU TURNED AROUND AND TRIED TO HURT ME. BUT SEE, I KNOW WHAT THAT IS.
RED: WELL, THAT’S AFTER YOU HURT ME. YOU ALREADY HURT ME AND MY FAMILY VERY BAD. YUNNO, YOU LEFT US OUT IN THE COLD. SO LETS DON’T TALK ABOUT ME TRYING TO HURT YOU.

ELVIS: THINGS WENT ON THAT YOU DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT.

RED: YEAH, WELL ALL I KNOW IS I WAS OUT IN THE COLD AND COULDNT UNDERSTAND.

ELVIS: ALL I KNOW IS THERE WAS FRICTION CREATED IN THIS GROUP. THE VIBES WERE SO BAD, PEOPLE WERE SCARED TO MOVE AND EVERYTHING.

RED: YEAH THAT’S TRUE TOO.

ELVIS: SO WHO KNOWS, AH, WHAT THE HELL THEY WERE HEARING AND BEING TOLD. I JUST KNOW IT GOT TO BE VERY, VERY TENSE. A SITUATION WHERE IT COULD HAVE BEEN A FUN AND A RELAXED KINDA THING.

RED: YEAH.

ELVIS: SOMETHING WENT WRONG.

RED: YEAH.

ELVIS: AND AH, THEN ON TOP OF THE RACQUETBALL THING AND EVERYTHING ELSE ALL THE PERSONAL THINGS. I WAS UPSET TOO. IT WAS A FACT, YA KNOW, BUT A, WE DID HAVE TO CUT DOWN ON EXPENSES.

RED: YEAH, WELL (INTERRUPTED)

ELVIS: I HAD THE FEELING ...(INTERRUPTED)

RED: WHATEVER YOU HAD TO DO, YOU’RE THE DUDE. I TOLD YOUR DADDY, YUNNO YOU GOTTA DO WHAT YOU GOTTA DO. IF YOU NEED TO CUT DOWN ON EXPENSES BY FIRING ME, YUNNO, THAT’S A LITTLE WEIRD TO ME. SEEMS LIKE YOU COULD HAVE CUT SOMEWHERE ELSE. I THOUGHT I WAS IMPORTANT TO THE ORGANIZATION. BUT I’M GLAD I FINALLY FOUND OUT I WASN’T. CAUSE THEN, I STILL GOT A LITTLE LIFE LEFT. I’M GONNA, I’M GONNA ENJOY THAT. I’M STILL YOUNG ENOUGH I CAN FIND SOMETHING ELSE, YUNNO.

ELVIS: OH, YEAH.

RED: BUT AH, IT WAS JUST, CUTTING DOWN ON EXPENSES. I JUST COULDN’T UNDERSTAND THAT. ALL THE OTHER, A LOT OF GUYS AROUND I THOUGHT I

WAS MORE IMPORTANT TO THE ORGANIZATION THEN THEY WERE, BUT I GUESS I WASN’T. BUT I’M GLAD I FOUND THAT OUT. SO.....

ELVIS: WELL, ITS JUST AN UNFORTUNATE SITUATION. HE’S JUST NOW, HE’S STARTING TO GET BACK ON HIS FEET. MY DADDY HAS LOST DOWN TO ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY-FIVE POUNDS.

RED: YEAH, YOU MEAN NOW?

ELVIS: I THINK HE’S UP TO ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY, EIGHTY, SOMETHING LIKE THAT. THAT JUST SHOCKED AND SCARED ME TO DEATH. BECAUSE YOU KNOW HOW I FEEL YOU KNOW HOW YOU FELT ABOUT YOUR DADDY.

RED: YEAH, THATS RIGHT. WELL.....

ELVIS: WELL SUSPICION, RED, WAS CAST ON THIS GROUP. I COULDN’T FIGURE OUT THE SOURCE OF IT. SUSPICION. JUST LIKE THAT SONG WE DID, “WE CAN’T GO ON TOGETHER WITH SUSPICIOUS MINDS”.

RED: YEAH.

ELVIS: SO AH, MAYBE I DID ACT ABRUPTLY. FIRST ONE TO ADMIT IT. WITHOUT THINKING.

RED: YEAH, WELL.

ELVIS: YOU KNOW SONNY WAS NEVER AROUND, RED.

RED: YEAH.

ELVIS: YUNNO, WE’VE TALKED ABOUT THAT.

RED: YEAH.

ELVIS: AH, HE’S A GREAT GUY BUT HE NEVER SHARED ANYTHING WITH US. I AIN’T, I AIN’T GOT NOTHING AGAINST SONNY. JUST AH, HEBLER TRIED TO BULLY HIS WAY THROUGH EVERYTHING WITH SCARE, SCARE TACTICS......

RED: YEAH.

ELVIS: WITH SOME OF THESE YOUNG GUYS.

RED: WELL.


ELVIS: THEY WOULD ASK QUESTIONS LIKE...AND THEY NEVER COULD GET A STRAIGHT ANSWER...THEY WERE JUST TURNED DEAN, YUNNO, DOWN AT EVERY CORNER.

RED: YEAH.

ELVIS: THAT’S THE ONLY WAY THEY COULD FIND OUT. I KNOW, YUNNO, WHAT IT WAS LIKE, YUNNO, WHEN I WAS TWENTY FOUR YEARS OLD, ****. I MEAN MY MIND WAS JUST SCATTERED TO THE FOUR WINDS.

RED: YEAH.

ELVIS: THEY NEED SOME KIND OF GUIDANCE. SOME THINGS JUST WEREN’T BEING DONE, YUNNO, JUST LITTLE THINGS JUST WEREN’T BEING DONE. RED, YOU KNOW HOW THEY TRAIN FOR THE SERVICE. REGIMENTATION. DOING THE SAME THING EVERYDAY AND NIGHT. I MEAN WE KNEW BY GOD, YUNNO, YOU DID IN THE SERVICE WHAT EVERYBODY ELSE HAD SERVED LEGITIMATELY. BUT BY GOD AT SEVEN O’CLOCK WE HAD TO DO THIS AND AT THREE WE HAD TO DO THAT. AND THEY DO THAT BY REPETITION.

RED: SURE.

ELVIS: THAT’S HOW THEY TRAIN. AND ALL THEIR ENERGY AND YOUTH AND EVERYTHING WITHOUT PROPER GUIDANCES IS WASTED.

RED: YEAH.

ELVIS: I JUST FELT I SHOULD TALK TO YOU AND LET YOU SEE MY SIDE OF IT.

RED: YEAH, I APPRECIATE THAT. YUNNO, THAT’S WHAT I WISH WE HAD DONE AT THE VERY FIRST. YUNNO. MAYBE I COULD HAVE UNDERSTOOD IT A LITTLE BIT BETTER. BUT AH, WHAT’S DONE IS DONE. YOU GO ON FROM THERE. I MEAN, I JUST, BELIEVE ME WHEN I TELL YOU I WISH YOU ALL THE LUCK. I HOPE YOU GO, RIGHT, STAY RIGHT WHERE YOU ARE, RIGHT ON TOP FOR AH, FORTY MORE YEARS MAN. I REALLY DO, I MEAN IT WITH ALL MY HEART.

ELVIS: I’M WORKING ON IT.

RED: BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE YOU GET HEALTHIER, E. YOU HADN’T BEEN HEALTHY IN AWHILE.

ELVIS: OH YES I AM.

RED: NO YOU’RE NOT.

ELVIS: YES I AM.

RED: WELL, OK YOU SAY THAT.

ELVIS: I JUST HAD AN ABSOLUTE COMPLETE PHYSICAL HEAD TO TOE, IN THE LAST AH, TWO WEEKS.

RED: OK, WELL THEN I’M GLAD TO HEAR YOU’RE HEALTHY.

ELVIS: ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT IS REQUIRED BY LLOYDS OF LONDON, THE INSURANCE OFFICE.

RED: WELL, THEN I DON’T NEED TO WORRY ABOUT IT THEN.

ELVIS: THAT AH, THAT THING THAT I HAD, THAT LOWER INTESTINAL BLOCKAGE CORRECTED ITSELF, THANK GOD.

RED: GOOD.

ELVIS: I JUST, I WENT ON A WEIRD LIQUID DIET. THAT BIG INTESTINE DOWN THERE HAS TO HAVE BULK.

RED: YEAH, THAT’S BEEN DISCUSSED.

ELVIS: WENT ON A DIET. TWENTY DAYS WAS RIDICULOUS. THEN I HEARD THAT WAS ANOTHER MISTAKE.

RED: YEAH.

ELVIS: TURNS OUT THAT LARGE INTESTINE HAD NOTHING TO WORK WITH SO AS A RESULT IT STOPPED WORKING. I KEEP HEARING THAT **** ABOUT BEING FAT AND MIDDLE-AGED, YUNNO.

RED: NO, NO, I KNEW THAT WASN’T IT. I KNEWYOU WEREN’T, YOU ATE A LOT BUT YOU WEREN’T FAT, LIKE PEOPLE ARE FAT. YOU COULD TELL THERE WAS SOMETHING ELSE WRONG. THAT’S WHAT I MEAN, YOU HADN’T, YOU WASN’T HEALTHY. SOMETHING WAS WRONG INSIDE. THAT’S WHAT I’VE BEEN TRYING...WHEN I TRY TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT IT YOU GET MAD, JUST YOU DONE AWHILE AGO. YOU WOULDN’T LISTEN TO IT. THAT’S WHAT I’M TALKING ABOUT MAN. YOU WERE, SOMETHING WAS WRONG INSIDE OF YOU. WE DIDNT KNOW WHAT WE WERE WORRIED ABOUT, WE DIDN’T KNOW WHAT IT WAS. WE NEW IT WASN’T FAT THOUGH, IT WAS SOMETHING ELSE. AND YOU JUST....

ELVIS: YOU KNOW, I THOUGHT THAT I TOLD Y’ALL IT WAS THE LOWER INTESTINE. I SUPPOSED TO UNDERGO SURGERY AND TAKE PART OF IT OUT.
RED: YEAH, RIGHT I WAS THERE I REMEMBER WHEN WE WERE GOING TO DO IT. I’M JUST SAYING...

ELVIS: THAT WAS PSYCHING ME OUT BECAUSE I DIDNT KNOW WHAT IT WAS.

RED: YEAH. WELL, I AM GLAD TO HEAR ITS ALL STRAIGHTENED OUT. I REALLY AM.

ELVIS: IT’S BEEN STRAIGHTENED OUT FOR A LONG TIME. IT’S JUST A FAILURE TO COMMUNICATE. WHAT WE HAD RED WAS CRAZY. LIKE THAT SONG ROY HAMILTON DID, “UNDERSTANDING SOLVES ALL PROBLEMS.”

RED: YEAH, WE DIDNT...

ELVIS: ITS A GOOD FOLK SONG.

RED: YEAH, THAT’S RIGHT. WE DIDN’T HAVE MUCH UNDERSTANDING THERE FOR A LONG TIME.

ELVIS: WELL, I DON’T KNOW IF IT WAS YOU AND I AS MUCH AS IT COULD HAVE BEEN COMING FROM SOMEBODY ELSE. YOU KNOW NEGATIVE VIBES.

RED: RIGHT. WELL THAT COULD VERY WELL BE TOO. I’M, I’M NOT REALLY INTO THE PSYCHIC THING.

ELVIS: WELL I’M NOT EITHER, BUT I DO KNOW, AH THAT AH, WE ARE CONSTANTLY SENDING AND RECEIVING. ALL THE TIME.

RED: RIGHT. YEAH, WE’VE DISCUSSED THIS. MINDS, IF THEY CAN PUT A PICTURE THROUGH THE AIR I GUESS THEY CAN PUT A THOUGHT WAVE THROUGH THE AIR TOO.

ELVIS: SO THAT’S WHY I WAS FEELING, I WAS FEELING THE NEGATIVE THINGS BUT AND I COULDN’T EXACTLY PINPOINT WHAT IT WAS. SO I JUST REACHED A BOILING POINT, HOPED THAT AH YOU’D UNDERSTAND. IT WAS A TEMPORARY THING.

RED: WELL.

ELVIS: THAT WAS WHAT IT WAS. RED SEE, I DIDN’T TRY TO GET COMMUNI-CATE WITH ANYBODY. I FELT TERRIBLY LONELY. YOU KNOW LIKE THAT NUM-BER EIGHT. THE THING THAT SAYS THEY’RE INTENSELY ALONE AT HEART. FOR THIS REASON THEY FEEL VERY LONELY WHEN IN REALITY THAT HAVE WARM HEARTS TOWARD THE OPPRESSED. BUT HIDE THEIR FEELINGS IN LIFE BUT DO WHAT THEY PLEASE. WELL, I’M A NUMBER EIGHT PERSON AND SO ARE YOU.
RED: YEAH, THAT’S TRUE. AND IT’S BEEN LONELY. IT’S BEEN LONELY MAN, I TELL YA. IT’S BEEN DOWN RIGHT SCARY.

ELVIS: WELL, I CAN SEE IT.

RED: BUT LISTEN, AH I JUST, I’M OLD ENOUGH, I JUST CHALK IT UP TO LIFE. IT’S ANOTHER STEP DOWN THAT RAILROAD, YUNNO. I HAVE TO LEARN TO COPE WITH IT. GO ON AND TRY AND DO SOMETHING. WHAT CAN I SAY. I DON’T WANT TO FEEL SORRY FOR MYSELF. I’M A GROWN MAN. I CAN DO SOMETHING ELSE, OTHER THINGS. LIKE YOU SAID THERE WAS A FAILURE TO COMMUNICATE THERE AT THE LAST. MAYBE I DIDN’T, I WASN’T AROUND ENOUGH WHEN YOU WANTED TO TALK TO SOMEBODY OR WHATEVER.

ELVIS: WELL ALL THAT AND MAYBE I WAS ABSENT AND LISTENING TOO FAST. BUT, AH IT JUST KINDA BUGGED ME WHEN YOU SAID, THAT WAS A CRUEL THING OR WHATEVER TO CHARLIE.
RED: I CAN’T HEAR YOU, E. I’M SORRY.

ELVIS: SAID I WAS ****ED UP.

RED: YEAH.

ELVIS: CAUSE I’M NOT. I GOT A DAUGHTER AND A LIFE. WHAT PROFITETH A MAN IF HE GAINS THE WORLD AND LOSES HIS OWN SOUL?

RED: YEAH.

ELVIS: I LOVE TO SING FOR MY FANS, SINCE I WAS TWO YEARS OLD.

RED: YEAH, I KNOW.

ELVIS: WE WERE SITTING HERE PLAYING THE GUITAR AND EVERYTHING SINGING SOME SONGS, “LOVE IS A MANY SPLENDORED THING,” AND ME AND CHARLIE TALKED ABOUT THAT HARMONY PART, MISSING THAT HARMONY PART.

RED: YEAH. WELL, WHAT I CAN SAY, I MISS SINGING IT, YUNNO. BUT THAT’S THE WAY THE BALL BOUNCES.

ELVIS: WELL, LOOK, YOU TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF AND YOUR FAMILY. AND IF YOU NEED ME FOR ANYTHING I WOULD BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO HELP OUT.

RED: I APPRECIATE THAT. I APPRECIATE THAT.

ELVIS: I MEAN IT. I DONT GIVE A deleted - see guidelines #2, THE ARTICLES OR PUBLICATIONS OR NONE OF THAT ****, THAT I’VE HEARD. I’VE JUST HEARD RUMORS, BITS AND PIECES. I DON’T KNOW NOTHING. I WAS ON TOUR AND I HAVE NEVER REALLY SAT DOWN WITH ANYBODY AND HAD IT LAID OUT TO ME. I DON’T EVEN KNOW I JUST KNOW THAT YOU AS A PERSON AND PAT, IF THERE IS ANYTHING I CAN DO, ANYWAY OF GETTING A JOB, ANYTHING ELSE. LET ME KNOW. I’M STILL HERE, SON.

RED: I APPRECIATE THAT. I REALLY DO. I’LL TELL PAT WHAT YOU SAID THAT WILL MAKE HER FEEL BETTER SHE WAS HURT. SHE COULDN’T UNDERSTAND IT. MY KIDS REALLY, ESPECIALLY (INTERRUPTED) .....

ELVIS: ALL OF US WERE HURT. IT’S LIKE THE SONG “DESADA DERAIDA,” LISTEN TO THE DULL AND THE IGNORANT BECAUSE THEY TOO HAVE A STORY. AND THEN HANK WILLIAMS WROTE. “YOU NEVER WALKED IN THAT MANS SHOES AND SAW THINGS THROUGH HIS EYES.”

RED: RIGHT, THAT’S TRUE.

ELVIS: AFTER ANALYZING THE BLAME THING, I CAN SEE IT CLEARLY. THAT’S WHY I’M SAYING, ANYTHING I CAN DO AT ALL I’LL BE MORE THAN HAPPY.
RED: OK, I APPRECIATE IT.

ELVIS: YOU TAKE CARE OF YOURSELVES.

RED: OK, LET ME SAY ONE MORE THING BEFORE YOU HANG UP. IF EVERYBODY IS WORRIED ABOUT THE BOOK TELL THEM NOT TO? MAN, I MEAN INCLUDING YOURSELF. WE’RE WRITING THE GOOD STUFF ELVIS. PEOPLE.....

ELVIS: WORRIED ABOUT THE BOOK? I DON’T THINK SO.

RED: OK.

ELVIS: NOT ON MY PART.

RED: OK. GOOD. BECAUSE I WAS OUT, I WAS BROKE. I WAS MADE AN OFFER TO WRITE THE BOOK. I SAID I’LL WRITE THE BOOK IF I CAN TELL ALL FROM DAY ONE THE GOOD DAYS. HE SAID ALRIGHT, WHATEVER.

ELVIS: WELL, YOU DO WHATEVER YOU HAVE TO DO. I JUST WANT YOU AND PAT TO KNOW I’M STILL HERE.

RED: OK. I APPRECIATE THAT. AND YOU TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF.

ELVIS: OK.

RED: OK.

ELVIS: TAKE IT EASY.

RED: BYE-BYE.

auch wenn ich für eine echtheit derzeit nicht garantieren kann, o.g. telefonat gibts auch auf cd-r

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Hinweis in eigener Sache:
wenn du glaubst, dass ich mich dir gegenüber wie ein Arschloch verhalte, kannst du ziemlich sicher sein, dass du es verdient hast

wenn ich mich recht erinnere, gab es das Telefonat auf einer Audio Kassette, die der 6er VideoBox ALL THE KING's MEN beilag

Ist das rechtlich überhaupt erlaubt ein Telefonat aufzunehmen?

wenn man gesundheitlich nur das Allerbeste des Freundes im Auge hat, dann schon.

__________________
Hinweis in eigener Sache:
wenn du glaubst, dass ich mich dir gegenüber wie ein Arschloch verhalte, kannst du ziemlich sicher sein, dass du es verdient hast

Ich bin immer sehr betroffen, wenn ich den Telefonmitschnitt lese, weil er so überdeutlich zeigt, wie unmögich es für Elvis in den letzten Jahren war, einfach als Mensch wahrgenommen zu werden :traurig:.

Der Taschentuchverbrauch scheint bei Elvis-Fans ja überdurchschnittlich hoch zu sein...

wenn es nach Schäuble und co geht,dann ist es erlaubt! frage ist,ob man sowas überhaupt schreiben darf,ohne dass gleich das "sek" vor der tür steht