VIVA LAS VEGAS - 1 ENGLISH EDITION

VIVA LAS VEGAS-1/78

01/08/35 - 08/16/77 Rest In Peace Elvis Presley! You are always in our hearts!

„No comment!", Elvis answered and from the expression on his face I could tell that he was totally confused.

My heart pounded wildly. Elvis seemed to be nervous. It used to be hard for him to hide his feelings. I never saw him making a pokerface. Everybody could clearly see that he was totally overwhelmed. How could I ever put this right? It almost seemed that all people at the bar were holding their breath. Suddenly there was silence. The reporter still held his microphone into Elvis' face:

"Come on, Elvis! What do you have to say about that? What is it with Idy and you? Is she really married? Did you know?", the arrogant grin on that reporter's face made me angry.

I realized that Elvis was on his own. Neither the Colonel nor Johnny were with him. I wondered why obviously none of them had read the article. Especially Johnny always used to be extra-careful in dealing with the press.

Elvis' gazes said it all. He seemed to be desperate when he looked into the camera that disrespectfully showed every move of his face.

„What a jerk!", Jenny shouted, „He should just leave him alone. It's all a big lie!"

She said it out loud on purpose for all the others around us to hear it loud and clear. Some of them threw us squinting looks. I desperately wanted to run away and hide in my room but I couldn't get my eyes off of Elvis who was still trying to find the right words.

„Like I just said, no comment!", his voice sounded deeper than usual. I knew that he was angry.

„Somebody told us that Idy is married to a man by the name David. Can you tell me who this David is?"

„That's enough! Turn off the camera!", Elvis held his hand in front of the camera but they continued shooting and showed close-ups of his face.

All muscles inside my body were about to burst simultaneously. I really wanted to punch this reporter right in his ugly face. Jenny noticed that I was outraged and held my hand. I continued staring at the screen. Meanwhile I didn't care about the gazes of the other people in the room anymore. Elvis was the only one that mattered right now. I hoped that the gate would open and the Colonel would step outside. He would be able to chase the reporter away. But the gate remained shut. Suddenly Elvis turned around:

"The interview is over!", he murmured.

I took a deep breath of relief. It seemed that Elvis had the strength to stand up to this mean press guy. But then, suddenly, the reporter grabbed his arm. Elvis looked at him and I could see how furious he was.

„Don't touch me!", he said calmly, then he wiped the hand of the reporter away. But the guy didn't back off. He continued trying to grab Elvis and insisted to get an answer. Seemingly it was one touch too much and suddenly everything went very fast. I saw how Elvis defended himself and shoved the reporter. He immediately attacked Elvis. From his eyes I could tell that Elvis was ready to do what had to be done. All at once they were in a big fist fight. Of course Elvis clearly had the edge over the reporter. It only took him some hits and the guy was knocked out. When the reporter was laying on the floor, whimpering and groaning, Elvis knelt down to him, grabbed him by his shirt and yelled angrily:

„Get lost and never come back again!"

Then the picture on the screen suddenly turned black. The man behind the camera obviously had decided to shut down the camera. The other people at the bar began to whisper. I felt hot and cold at the same time. Jenny stared at me with her mouth wide open.

„I have to get to him, Jenny. I...oh my god! It's all my fault!", I was gasping for air, „I have to go to Florida. He has no clue, I have to explain everything!"

My hands were shaking and I was sweating all over. I noticed that everybody was staring at me.

„Alright, alright!", Jenny tried to calm me down.

„I can't do this anymore! I have to get away from here!"

Jenny nodded. She seemed to understand. I ran as fast as I could and prayed that nobody would follow me. It came clear to me that this article had turned me into the press' prey. Everything I used to hate about Elvis' public life, seemed to hit me now, but harder. I wondered if I was ready for a life in which I would constantly being stalked by the public. How would our kids be able to deal with it? Would I be able to raise them as ordinary people? I ran faster and faster until I finally reached my room.

I locked myself into the room for the rest of the day. I didn't want to talk to anybody. I even ignored Jenny's knocking at the door and her plea to open. I just wanted to be alone. I was sitting on my bed for hours and had no idea what to think or to feel.

The night came and brought life into the city. But I didn't feel alive at all. I felt lonely, horrified and empty. Again and again I asked myself why out of all, I had chosen Elvis to fall in love with. It felt like I was dragged down into a deep abyss.

"I know now why he is taking these pills!", I thought because meanwhile I felt exactly like him. I had a hard time to sleep properly.

„This all makes me sick!", I sighed and coiled up in my bed. Then I actually fell asleep.

Sometime, in the middle of the night, I was woken up by an aggressive knocking at the door: „Idy! Please let me in!"

My heart almost stopped beating when I realized that it was Elvis' voice.

- to be continued-