Purple Blues [Elvis]

Chapter 12 - We're In This Together Now

Maxie was determined to get his little rope toy from me. Little growls escaped him as I had one end he had the other. I sat in the living room of Sharon's apartment, three days after the Ed Sullivan Show, and morning sunlight spilled through the window. I hadn't left the apartment since then. I didn't want to. I had enough publicity in the first few days than I think I would have again. That is, not if I woke up in my bed the next day or something. What the heck was going on in 2021 at the moment?

Sharon's voice came from the kitchen as she talked on the phone. The phone rang around nine in the morning, and it was now around ten. The person she was talking to wasn't Mr. Hartford, since this seemed serious, and she would be blushing and using that girly tone of voice. It sounded like someone from some agency. I heard contract and management, among other things.

"I think she's working on trying to become my manager," I said to Maxie as he continued to pull on the little rope, growling, and I used the voice I usually used when talking to cute little animals. "Yes, she is, isn't she? It's nuts that I even need one, huh?"

I let him have the rope and he swung it around like dogs do. I giggled. Sharon came in and let out a breath, no phone in her hand. Well, all the phones were connected to wires. Maybe I should have said something about how the technology was so different when I was on the show the other day. It didn't cross my mind. That would be my next topic the next time I was on the show. If that happened again. Elvis had been on the show more than once, so maybe I would be again too. I could let them know how much I missed my laptop and smartphone.

"That was a lengthy phone conversation," I commented as I sat on the floor and Maxie went wild with that rope toy.

"Yes, that was the William Morris Agency."

"William Morris Agency?" I thought for a moment. My mouth turned into an O. "Oh, you mean Elvis's agency?"

"Yes, that's them. Turns out that they talked with Mr. Hartford about my job. If I want to officially become your manager, I can resign my job at the studio and start up as a beginning manager at Wlliam Morris. I just have to come in and sign some paperwork. You have to also."

I stood up. "Me?"

"Yes. They want you to sign on with them."

My mouth dropped open. "Wait, are you telling me that the same agency the Elvis is a part of wants to sign me on as one of their stars?"

She nodded. "That's right, since you're a sensation now. We just have to go in. Mr. Harford already knows that I want to be your manager, so I can just put in my resignation today, and then head straight for the William Morris Agency and make everything a done deal."

I went and sat on the sofa, staring at the box TV. "This is insane," I enthused in disbelief.

She came and sat next to me. "Yes, it is. I'm finally going to be somebody. Maybe not the hairdresser I wanted to be, but this is better. And you're going to be a somebody, too. They're going to have you start singing, acting, doing photoshoots, fan meets, traveling, the works."

A couple of those stuck out. "Singing and acting? Me? No way."

"And why not? I hear you sing in the shower. You're good. And you never know if you're good at acting."

Heat rushed up my neck. "I doubt that I am. I never took drama. And in the shower, I sing by myself. I could never sing in front of people."

She bumped my shoulder. "Let's just go on and do this. And you know? You'll be seeing Elvis more often. If you ask me, that boy's nuts about you."

A smile escaped. "I don't know... maybe. I mean, he was just being nice then, in the dressing room."

"What about the way he looked at you while he sang to you?"