"What Now,What Next,Where To ?"

"The King of Rock n Roll ELVIS PRESLEY was found dead in his home in Memphis yesterday.............."as the broadcast continued Peter Harrington continued to stare numbly at his radio only moving to switch off the built in tape deck when the announcer moved on to other items.  The news wasn't any different to the other bulletins he had been listening to during the day, somehow he hoped that their had been a mistake and the next report would put things right.  Elvis was a God, Gods don't die, Elvis must live, Elvis would live through his music.  The music would live forever.  Peter looked at the row of albums, filed in release date order with the older and rarer copies protected by plastic covers.  He wondered by how much the value of his collection had increased since the announcement of his idols death and immediately felt guilty for harboring such thoughts.  Not that anyone could put a price on his memories, or his only interest since Elvis entered his life. That was in 1961 when as a thirteen year old schoolboy he sat entranced through 'G.I.Blues' through continuous performances from two o'clock until the national anthem was played way past his time to have been home.  The parental disapproval was allayed by his fourteenth birthday and his present was the soundtrack album of the film which he now took down from the shelf.  He took the record from the sleeve and then replaced it and returned the record to it's correct position.  "I'm not ready to listen to Elvis yet" he said to himself.

While he was waiting for the next news broadcast he realised that he hadn't rung in to the office to report his non attendance at the monthly sales meeting. The only excuse is death and then you've got to bring a note ,he thought as he dialled the number.

"Good Morning Scrivens Can I Help You", the hurried monotone that reminded Peter of a bored robot.  It was in fact a bored human receptionist called Norma.

"Hi Norma,it's Peter."

"Oh,Wotcher Pete.  Why aren't you in then?"

"I don't feel too good, I'll probably be in tomorrow."

"Oh, in mourning for Elvis are you."

"Something like that,yeah.  Goodbye Norma."  He hung up before she answered, how could he expect her understand.  Norma's span of interest in a pop star was only slightly longer than that in her boy friends.  Still at least she has friends thought Peter, which is a damm sight more than I have.

Peter had always been a loner, an only child born to parents who thought that they were too old to have children and consequently restrained his freedom when he was small and held him back from displays of emotion and adventure.  At school he passed through the various years and was totally unremarkable except for his fanatical devotion to Elvis.  He had other interests but they were all the hobbies and pursuits of the loner, stamp collecting, reading and model making.  After school he applied for a job as a clerk at Scrivens and having been taken on spent five years wasting his and the companies time in a succession of office jobs until the companies sales representative found that an Austin 1300 was not the car in which to try and outrun a Police Cortina in spite of the consumption of several whiskies which made him think he was Jim Clark.  Peter applied for the job lured by the prospect of the company car and was amazed to find himself with the car and the title of sales executive.  In fact it was the lack of family ties and the considerable travelling that influenced the companies choice and although Peter never realised it he was in the perfect job for a loner.

Today however he was not working he was grieving.  Time for the next news broadcast he switched on the set and retuned to the local radio station, he was recording the various items as a memento of the day the music died.  The details were much the same but the studio had managed to obtain some interviews with past celebrities who all cited Elvis as "THE KING" and "the biggest influence on my life".  When the news finished a tribute show followed with a phone in for "your comments on Elvis", Peter listened and wondered about the many callers who were they, where did they live and how come he had never met them.  One caller, a girl,announced that she was forming a local fan club and that there would be a memorial service this evening at the local church.  Though not a church goer Peter made up his mind to attend, he could be anonymous in a church but still pay his respects to his friend, the only true friend he had ever had,the friend he had never met.

The service was due to begin at eight o'clock and Peter planned to arrive five minutes before so that he could slip in quietly at the back.  There was a large crowd outside the church many of them clustered round a small table, Peter hung back untill they had gone in and then made straight for the door ignoring the table and the girl standing behind it.  "Excuse me" she said softly, Peter hesitated and turned round slowly, on the table was a book and a bowl containing some coins.  "Of course,sorry", Peter stumbled over his words inwardly kicking himself for not realising that there would be a collection.  Thrusting his hand into his pocket he pulled out some coins, glanced at them, realised they added up to eight pence muttered "Sorry" again and replacing the coins felt for his wallet.  "It doesn't matter, I,'ve sold out of badges anyway"the girl said brightly.  "I only stopped you to ask if you wanted to join the club. The new Elvis club "she added in answer to Peters blank stare, "I'm Jenny Wildman",  she added.  "Of course" , said Peter,  "The girl on the radio".

"That's me, God I was terrified"

"You sounded very confident to me.  The memorial service is a great idea".

"Well someone had to do something, I'd been planning this club for sometime that's how come I had the badges and then when..............well you know.............the news that........", her voice faltered.

"When Elvis died".  Peter said quietly.

"Yes", she answered with a deep breath.  "When Elvis died I rang round several churches.  A lot of them didn't want to know, but the vicar here said it was nice gesture and agreed to do it tonight.  Next thing I was on the radio and here we are.  Anyway would you like to join"?

"Er, no, no thanks, I'm not a joiner more of a lone wolf".  Peter liked the term 'lone wolf' he used it a lot to avoid entanglements and he felt the term made him strong, a man alone dependent on no-one.  He was surprised to see the look of disappointment on Jennys face, nomally when he opted out of works socials and the like he noted that his refusal was either met with indifference or seeming relief.  Whilst noting her reaction Peter was struck by how pretty she was, her hair was long and black, her lips full,and large brown eyes that fully expressed her feelings at his comments. Turning away quickly Peter made his way into the church.

He had planned to slip in at the back but in the way of all church goers the back pews were always filled first and so he had to make his way down the aisle past rows of a most ill assorted collection.  There were old ladies, children, men with widows peaks caused by too much Brylcreme and combing to achieve the ultimate pompadour hairstyle, girls adorned with Elvis badges and a few lads wearing the teddy boys uniform of drape jackets,drainpipe trousers and crepe soled shoes. Their girlfriends had bee hive hairstyles,very short skirts, fishnet stockings and stiletto heeled shoes. None of them looks old enough to remember the fifties thought Peter as he pushed into a pew with a couple of vacant seats at the far end by the side aisle.  The remaing few seats were quickly filled by late comers and Peter was conscious of someone coming up the side aisle and sitting next to him.  Before he could take a surreptitious look the vicar entered and addressed the congregation.  "We are gathered here this evening to celebrate the life and music of Elvis Presley.  Whist all of you are here with heavy hearts you must remember that his time had come and he has left behind a marvellous legacy in his music, let us all now join in song with one of Elvis's most popular religious songs, How Great Thou Art.  Please remember Elvis didn't mumble so sing out loud and sing out clear".  An organ played the opening chords and unbidden the congregation stood and sung lustily though Peter noticed that towards the end several women were crying.  The vicar continued with some prayers and a short homily on Elvis's life which though well meant contained several inaccuracies which Peter found rather irritating.  More people were crying now and when Peter glanced behind him he was surprised to see men openly weeping including one of the teddy boys who was being comforted by his girl friend herself in tears with mascara tracks marking her face.  Peter quickly looked away feeling ashamed of being merely an onlooker at others misey.  The vicar signified the end of the service with Elvis's favorite hymn Amazing Grace, as Peter stood and started to sing he was aware of a numbness in his legs and an inability to form the words due to the lump in his throat.  Memories raced across his mind, plans he had made to see Elvis in concert in Las Vegas now never to be realised, nothing to believe in anymore, his friend his only friend was gone.  He put his hands over his eyes as if he could hold back the hot tears that coursed down his face it was as if all the feelings that he had tried to hold back over the years were now all erupting at once.  He dropped his hands to his sides clenching and unclenching them as if using a wrist exerciser.  Suddenly a cool small hand slid into his and gripped it firmly.  Peter looked to his left and there was Jenny crying softly but still singing looking straight ahead as if unaware of his presence and his hand in hers.  The service ended and Peter disengaged his hand gently."All right now"? asked Jenny.

"I'm sorry about that ", said Peter.

"Don't be, Elvis was worth a few tears,wasn't he".

"Yes.  Yes he was.  He was the best, allways will be".

"Definitely.  Oh well I'd better take the table back to the presbytery and then make a start on making a card file of the names".

" I'll give you hand with the table.  Did you get many names"?

"About fifty, a lot more than I thought, I'm going to be busy. I've got to contact them all, have a meeting and let them decide what they want to do,have a dance, quizzes, films that sort of thing".

Peter hesitated and then blurted out "Would you like some help, I've got some of the movies on video, and I can set a quiz easily and you will need to elect a committee and set a membership fee and............"He stopped as he saw Jenny smiling at him, "For a lone wolf who's not much of a joiner you seem pretty keen to me.  Let's start with the table then you can come round and have a coffee and we can sort out where we go from here.  My mum and dad are reluctant Elvis fans, they didn't have any choice, so we can play some records, what's your favorite? That is if you want to", she added.

"G.I.Blues, and yes I want to. I'm ready to listen to Elvis now".

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Copyeight Nick O'Keeffe 1988