The Housekeeper's Daughter [Elvis]

Chapter 6 - Story Time

I didn't know that! "Really? You help manage him? You're not just the head of Elvis Enterprises?"

"Correct, and I love it. Too bad I can't be his official manager. It's not allowed since I'm his father."

I nodded. "That makes sense. It's too bad, though."

He studied me for a moment. He put a hand out, indicating the cushion leather chair in front of the desk. I sat in it. "I heard from Elvis that you have a bit of an opinion about the Colonel."

My pulse heightened. Elvis told him about what I thought about the Colonel? "Really?"

"Indeed. And I agree that the Colonel is a bit strict. That's one of the reasons why I like to go along with Elvis to where he needs to go - I can put the Colonel in line if I have to."

So, Mr. Presley was like a babysitter for the Colonel. I suppressed a smile, amused. "Well, I'm glad that someone's doin' that."

"Since Elvis is too kind for his own good. He won't speak up or protest." He blew air out of his mouth. "Sometimes I wonder if raisin' him right was the wrong way to go. I should have taught him from when he was young to fight his battles, and to win them."

Heat flushed my cheeks. "Oh my, I didn't mean what I said in that kinda way!"

"It's true though. That boy has a heart of gold. He's had it since he was a small thing."

I shifted in my chair. I knew about Elvis, but I didn't know much about his backstory, other than he was born Tupelo, Mississippi and moved to Memphis when he was a teenager, and a few other little facts. "He was a good boy, then?"

"Oh yes, very good. My wife Gladys and I never had much trouble with 'im, and the schools didn't either. He was a shy boy, sittin' by himself a lot of the time, stummin' his guitar."

"He played when he was younger? Like as a boy?"

"Yes, he did. He got his first guitar on his seventh birthday, but he wasn't thrilled about it. If you can believe it, he wanted a rifle or a bike. He learned to like the guitar, though. He learned to play it from a couple of his uncles and the pastor of our church at the time. The boy had a real musical gift, such as yourself."

I smiled at that. "Thank you. So, did he sing in public that often after he learned guitar?"

"He was forced to. As I have said, he was a shy boy and got stage fright like nothin' else. When he was 'round eleven or twelve, he performed an on-air performance for a radio show in Tupelo called Mississippi Slim. I think that loosened him up a bit."

I thought about that for a moment. "I think I remember my momma tellin' me 'bout that after she got the job here. Elvis had told 'er some things 'bout his childhood. She told me that he said he was scared to death 'bout it all."

"Indeed, he was. It didn't last long, though. Later in his teen years, after a teacher of his told 'im that he had no aptitude for singin', he wanted to prove her wrong by playin' a song for 'er on his guitar and singin' at the same time. She wasn't impressed still, or more, didn't like his style of music."

"A teacher said he had no singin' talent?" I asked, appalled. "Well, he sure proved her wrong. I'll bet she wished she was nicer to 'im back then, lookin' at 'im now."

Mr. Presley smiled, creating crow's feet in the corners of his eyes. Boy, did he look like an older Elvis. When Elvis gets to be his father's age, there wouldn't be a difference.

"She has written him and has said that she still stands by what she said back then, but now, her opinions have changed," he said. "That touched Elvis's heart."