Elvis is Alive

Chapter 4:Anger Management

AUGUST 19 1977

After I woke up again at 2 pm, I was getting tired of it. I wanted to know what it feels like to be a normal person. To wake up before noon. I'm not a teenager, I'm a grown man. On the outside.

I went downstairs and I saw Ginger with her friend, Tanya. They were sitting in the living room.

"Where's Daddy?" I asked.

"He's in his office,"

"Hi Elvis." Tanya giggled.

"Hi Tanya," I said. "Ginger, I was wondering if you wanted to go out for lunch...I'm getting tired about waking up in the afternoon. I figure I should at least eat the meal everybody's eatin' this time of day to start off,"

"That's great, I was just explaining the same thing to Tanya." she grinned.

"Do you talk behind my back a lot?" I asked, trying not to get angry.

"What are you talking about, Elvis? I wa-" Tanya interrupted her.

"Elvis, she just told me that she'd like to wake up earlier," she said softly.

I got up. "Bullshit."

I went in the kitchen, I could hear Ginger saying, "He get's so angry at the smallest things..."

"No I don't, bitch!"

Fine, I thought to myself, me and Daddy can just go out by ourselves without that backstabbing tramp.

I'll have to face her someday, though, I'm gonna get married to her.

AUGUST 19 1977 (continued)

I told Daddy about what happened with me and Ginger before we went to lunch at The Arcade Restaurant.

"Well, son, you got to admit that according to what Tanya said, Ginger couldn't be backstabbing you if she didn't even mention you," he said it confidintaly but then looked at his plate.

Everybody's afraid of my temper for some reason. I don't get it. I didn't say anything back.

The waiter with the huge boobs came over with our food, "Now who had the beef sandwich?" she asked in a southern accent.

Daddy pointed to himself. She laughed and he winked. I was trying hard not to get mad.

"And who had the prime rib?"

"I AM THE ONLY ONE LEFT, HELLO!" I said angrily. She staggered back like she didn't even see me there and that she was about to break all of her bones.

She slipped the food onto the table and went back to the kitchen, her head in her hands.

"What a stupid bitch," I said, stabbing my food.

Daddy didn't say anything, he just sadly ate his food.

"What's wrong?" I asked, my anger drifting away.

"Son," his voice cracked, "I think you should get Anger Managment.

"I know Daddy, and I think I'm gonna take it. I'm tired of everyone being scared of me, I want people to remember me as the nice guy that I am," I said.

"Good, I put you in Transitional Anger Management," he said, his voice confident again.

A different waiter came to our table with an angry look on her face.

"Hunny, I don't care who you are, no one messes with my girl!" she was chewing her gum like a cow chewing on it's cud.

I was thinking over some answers, but I decided to just go with, "Okay."

"Don't play dumby smart ass with me, mister," she said, waving her hand around like she was gonna slap me.

"I'm sorry if he was causing any trouble with you or you're friend," Daddy spoke up.

"You lookin' for trouble?" I asked, wondering what she would do.

"Excuse me?" she crossed her arms.

"I guess you don't know my songs. Hi, I'm Elvis Presley," I stuck my hand out at her.

"I know who you are," she was waving her finger in my face, "and I don't like yo raunchy songs, either. Apologize to my girl or get outta here,"

"Rosa!" a pleading voice came from the kitchen, she and I looked over at the same time. He was shaking his head and pointing to me and then making motions with his hands like he was counting money. He saw that I was looking at him so he quickly went back into the kitchen.

"I don't care what my manager says, you still have to apologize." she chewed her cud and walked away.

"Anyway, Daddy, when do the classes start?" I asked.

By now he was done with his sandwich and I was done with my ribs. "Next week,"

For the next ten minutes, we slurped on our drinks until the check finally came, and our old waitress as well.

"Hey, sorry for yelling at you. I'm getting help," I said sincerely.

She gave me an odd look and walked away.

I payed, and we left.

While we were driving back to Graceland, Daddy said, "I told the manager of Transistional that you get angry over small things, but it's mostly verbal."

"What'd he say about that?"

He cleared his throat before saying, "He said he'll give you the best of help...and then he winked. I don't know what that means, but I expect he'll give you a V.I.P. treatment,"

"I am Elvis Presley, Daddy, we don't have to ask," I laughed.

"Right, son."

AUGUST 19 1977 (after dinner)

Tanya had decided to fill her gut with our food. It took a lot of food to fill her up.

"Well, Ginger, I hope you're happy, Daddy signed me up for anger management." I said during an awkward silence.

"Oh, thank God, Vernon." she said with her mouth full. Tanya burped and then said she needed to use the bathroom.

"What do you mean by tha-" I was interrupted by the phone.

"Hello, it's dinner time." I said angrily.

"Hi Elvis, sorry to bother you...it's Priscilla," like saying her name would make up for it.

"Yeah?" I asked impatiently.

"Oh, um - well you know Lisa was there, but then when we thought you were dead, we brought her back on the plane in the morning. She said she'd like to visit you again for 2 weeks," her voice sounded very sad.

"Sure, that'd be great. By the way Cilla, I'm getting anger management," I told her.

"Oh, thank God." she sounded very relieved.

"Why is everyone saying th-"

"Sorry Elvis, I didn't mean it like that. How did you like my pictures?" she asked in a small voice.

"Good memories, Satnin. I'll keep them in a safe place,"

"Who're you talkin' too?" Ginger asked loudly.

"Will you shut you're trap!" I yelled at her.

"How is everything there?" she sounded like she was trying to stifle laughter.

"It's no laughing matter, Priscilla. Ginger really pisses me off sometimes, needs to mind her own business," I said seriously.

"I know, I know. When are you sending out the invitations for the wedding?" she asked.

"Ginger is gonna send 'em out in September. I gotta go though, Cilla, it's dinner time."

"Oh, okay. I love yo-" I cut her off.

"Bye."

Uh huh uh huh. Nobody can help falling in love, with meeeeeeee.