"Yes, Momma, I took it. I told you that I wanted to, and you said I should take it in the first place."
"Yes, I know, I just can't believe that my baby is going to be in a movie! This is what happens when you work with stars on a daily basis."
I smiled lovingly as I held Alice's and my black rotary telephone to my ear as I sat on a cushion chair in my small living room to my hole-in-the-wall apartment in inner Memphis, about a block away from my work. I stared at the flower-printed wallpaper. "I don't work with stars on a daily basis, I just sometimes have the opportunity to interview them and get to know them a little more."
"Yes, and one interview paid off. Well, it didn't start as an interview."
"No. Honestly, I wanted to go home after being pushed down, but I didn't. I stayed in the building and ended up getting that interview. I wasn't going to leave without getting something."
"You know, you have always been a tough girl, ever since you were young. It didn't matter that you were a little slip of a thing, you took no nonsense from anyone. That's what makes you good at your job. And that's what got you this part in the movie."
Sometimes my mother could be so sentimental. If she was with me in person, she would be holding me close and kissing my cheek. She was my hero, along with my father. "Daddy got me the job, Momma. He convinced Paul, and that's how I got in. Paul was over the moon with having a reporter in the movie and doing back stories on it."
"Backstories on the movie and the handsome Mr. Elvis Presley."
I smiled as I heard "Love Me Tender" playing on my record player softly as I spoke with my mother. "Yes, he's excited about me working with him, too. I'm excited about it, too. Elated actually. What girl can say that they are going to be working with their favorite star?"
"Probably none. Just be careful, sweetheart. Don't fall in love with him. You have to be professional."
I hated that rule, but I had to live by it. "I know, and I won't. I least, I'll try not to." I paused, thinking about my past encounters with Elvis. My heart started to beat faster at remembering those eyes, that smirk, that drawl and his kindness. "Momma... actually, I think it's too late for that."
"Uh-oh."
"Yes, I know. But... he's by-far the sweetest, most selfless, handsome and talented young man I have ever met. He has a lot going for him, aside from his fame. It's a shame that he's famous."
"Because you can't be in a relationship with him?"
Being in a relationship with a star had never crossed my mind until I met Elvis in person. Now, it was something that I had to deal with, that is, if he felt the same way. I doubted that he did. Maybe I wouldn't have to worry about it after all. But what about when we sat at that table for my second little interview with him? Was he trying to take my hand? And that look he gave me... just thinking about it made my bones want to melt.
"Yes," I said to Momma's question. "I have a rule that I need to abide by, and he probably has rules as well."
"You kids just be careful."
"I have a kissing scene with the guy, actually."
She gasped. "You do?!"
"Yes, but it's acting."
"A kiss is a kiss, sweetheart, no matter if it's acting or not."
She had a point. "Still... it's not going to mean anything."
"You don't know that. That young man wouldn't be a man if he didn't react to kissing a pretty and extraordinary young woman like you."
I smiled. "Thanks, Momma, but I'm just your average gal trying to make a living."
"Do not sell yourself short. If you do, I didn't raise you right."
"You and Daddy raised me fine. I'm a reporter now, aren't I?"
"And you're going to be in a movie. When do you start it?"
"This Monday I have to be on the set at 7am for hair and makeup."
"Have you memorized your lines?"
"Yes, I have. It's all I've been doing in my spare time this past week with Alice. It would have been nice to rehearse them with someone from the cast, but I couldn't contact anyone."
"Like Mr. Presley?"
I read through the restaurant scene several times, and Daisy doesn't say anything to Deke in the scene, she just falls head over heels for him as she watches him dance and sing and beat up her boyfriend. "He's probably been very busy with other things. Plus, my character doesn't talk to him at all in the scene. They will do different takes if I get things wrong. Hopefully they'll be patient with me."
"They will be, sweetheart. Just be careful, like I said. If you already have feelings for this boy, don't do anything about them. Well, you can't do anything about that kissing scene. Just be professional."
I was beginning to hate the word professional. "I know, Momma." I knew that she was just looking out for me. She was there for my past relationship with a man who broke my heart in two. "I'll try, okay? Besides, Elvis is no Anthony. Definitely not. They're so different."
"Still, I don't want to see you get hurt."
"I won't get hurt. Now I should go. I want to read the script again before I go to bed."
"Alright, sweetheart. Good luck. And make sure to call me after your first day of filming."
"I will. I love you."
"I love you, too. Bye-bye."
She hung up, and I put the black telephone back on the receiver. I leaned back in the chair and thought about all this for a moment as Elvis's voice softly filled the room. I was really going to be acting in this movie, even if it was a minor part, and would I be writing articles as well? Paul wanted me to first write an article about what the sets look like, if they were filmed inside a building, outside one, in an actual location—like a restaurant they rent out for instance—and so on. I would write an article about that and one about my personal experience. It was called "The Daisy Column." People wanted to hear more of my personal story, so I was asked to start it. I had my work cut out for myself.
I blew air out of my mouth in exasperation. This would be quite the experience for sure. And...
I would try not to fall more in love with Elvis. Everything else I could do with ease—writing articles and trying my hand at acting—but that... it would be very, very difficult. A person can't help falling in love with someone.
~ ~ ~
My eyes moved up and down as I scanned the morning paper for her name, even though it was the evening, and I hadn't seen the paper yet. I sat in a chair backstage of the Ed Sullivan Show, or more a second set since it was based in New York. I would be singing Love Me Tender in front of the studio audience full of women, women who longed to be close to me.
But there was only one woman who I wanted to be close to. I would be seeing her in three days on the set, seeing that pretty porcelain face and bright blue-green eyes that reminded me of the rivers in Memphis. We had shot some scenes for the movie already, now I was looking forward to the ones she was in with me.
Had she not written any articles since the last time I saw her?
"Mr. Presley, could you put your head up just a little, please?"
"Sure thing," I said to the stylists whose name was Becky, and who started to fix my front bangs with a comb. She was a gal around my momma's age, and reminded me of her, too, with the dark hair and similar build. It made me feel so much more comfortable around her.
"Anything good in the paper this morning?" she asked.
"Just the usual. I'm lookin' for somthin' specific."
"I see."
I should be thankful that she wasn't asking about what or who I was looking for. I hadn't told Tony about my new and more intense feelings for Daisy, he just thought I had a little crush on her. He was like a much older brother in a way, but still my manager. I looked around at the backstage people, the quartet, the Jordanaires, who would be my back singers on the show, as well as the musicians, and Tony who was talking to one of them. I needed to tell someone about this.
"Can you keep a secret, Becky?" I asked.
"I most certainly can."
I shut the paper, folded it and put it on the counter in front of me, a counter with a mirror on it. I stared at myself in a velvet blue suit jacket and black slacks. "I was lookin' for someone's name in the paper," I confessed. "A girl's."
Beck nodded. "I see. A special girl?"
"She has become special to me, yes. You've read the story about me rescuin' a female reporter, right?"
"Yes, I have. Quite the touching story. I wish my sons were more like you and looked out for other people."
I smirked at that, flattered. "Thank you very much." She sprayed my hair so the style would stay. Honestly, the spray never worked. I move around so much, my hair would fall out of place anyway. I shouldn't be moving around for this song, though, since it was slow love song, and I was told no intense dancing on the show. "So... this reporter gal, her name is Daisy, and I've met 'er on another occasion after that, at a press conference for the film I'm workin' on called Loving You. She interviewed me again, but then Kal Kanter, the film director, cast her in the film as one of my character's fans."
"Is that right? Goodness me, what a lucky girl."
"Yeah, and... I haven't told anyone else this, but... I'm nuts about 'er. She's pretty, with chestnut hair and green-blue eyes, she's kind, she's a tough bucket of nails, and she's brave. She's never acted before, yet she agreed to play in the film after Kal begged 'er to. I just can't stop thinkin' about 'er."
Becky nodded, a lovely smile on her face. She made the finishing touches on my hair. "It seems to me, Mr. Presley, that you are in love with this young lady."
I started at myself in the mirror, that smirk of mine turning into a wide smile. "Maybe. I've never felt like this before. I mean, I've met plenty of pretty girls in the past, and even went steady with a couple, but she's different. Whenever I'm around 'er, or when I think about 'er, I just feel..."
"Jittery? Like a hundred butterflies are fluttering in your stomach and veins?"
"Yes, exactly. And I don't know what to do. I have to stay professional. My agency frowns on their stars starting up things with normal girls."
"You mean girls who are not famous? Well, it sounds to me like this girl will become famous after this film. Actually, isn't she already so because she was the damsel in distress in your hero's tale regarding her broken wrist?"
I hadn't thought about that. "I suppose so."
"You're just concerned that she doesn't feel the same way." I eyed her in the mirror, a question in my blue eyes. She explained, "I mentioned that I have sons. The oldest is your age. I know all about what you're going through because he has gone through the same thing. A couple of my boys have."
"I see. So... yes. I suppose I'm concerned about that. She's doin' her job, and maybe she sees me as another star she interviews and works with."
"She's not your fan?"
"She said that she is."
"Then, I'm guessing that she feels the same way as you. I was young once, you know. And if I was in her shoes, after all that she's been through in the past little while, I'd be head over heels. But like I said, I would be like that if I was young and not married to the man of my dreams and blessed with five wonderful children."
My dark brows shot up. "Five? My..."
"Yes. Stewart is the oldest at twenty-two, the one I told you about. Then there's Bruce at eighteen, Henry at fifteen, Cole at twelve, and Katie at ten. They are all a joy."
I smiled broadly. "Your house must be quite the party."
"Oh, yes, especially when they play your records at high volume."
I laughed at that. "I would like to meet 'em all someday."
"And they would love that, too. And, going back to what I was saying..." She stood normally, not touching my hair since it was done. "I think this lucky lady feels the same way as you. I can bet my car on it. Just wait and see what comes about."
That smile stayed. I couldn't help it. The notion that Daisy probably felt the same left me grinning to the skies.
"Elvis, your up in five!" Tony called, and I stood up.
"Thanks!" I called back and looked to Becky. "Thank you for listinin' and givin' me some advice."
"You're welcome, Mr. Presley."
"Elvis. Please."
"Elvis, then."
"And you promise not to say a word about this."
"I promise."
She smiled, and that made her look even more like my lovely momma. I had to stop myself from hugging the woman. I left her and went on to Tony.
"What were you two talking so seriously about?" he asked.
"Nothin'. Just the show. Let's do this."
I heard the announcer call out my name after the Jordanaires and musicians had already gone onto the set. I walked out and was met with lights and a screaming audience. The host, Ed Sullivan himself, who traveled from New York, introduced me again, and I told the audience what I would be singing. I started singing...
The audience screamed and clapped after I was through, and I beamed at them all and waved. When I got them settled down, I said, "Thank you all so much for your support. God bless you all."
I left the stage with the girls screaming. I let out a breath and collapsed into the chair I had my hair done in. Tony came over and clapped me on the shoulder. "Good job, as always, Elvis."
"Thanks. It really never gets old."
"You had a real tongue and cheek out there, you know. You were getting a kick out of those girls screaming. You really played it up."
"I would say that I was tryin' not to laugh. It's just so crazy that they go so nuts over me."
"You're a handsome and famous boy with some great moves. Of course they go crazy over you."
I just hoped that a certain one of my fans was crazy over me. Boy, I couldn't wait to see her the following Monday. Hopefully I wouldn't do something stupid again. People normally did stupid things when they were in love with someone.
~ ~ ~
I know that the video took place in 1956, and this story takes place in 1957. Let's just pretend this is when he sang that song, and that it was in Memphis, not in New York =)