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OUR FIRST CONVERSATION, "YOU, TOO?" - PART 2 (continued)

I was searching for someone, anyone I could even begin to discuss such personal issues with, questions I'd had for years about the Great Mysteries of this thing we call Life. About the Hidden Meanings behind the parables of Jesus that somehow were just ignored in organized religions, and about the thread of Truth that sews all great belief systems together, about organized religions hiding the true meanings from their followers and creating differences between human beings who are truly only ONE, causing all major wars in the history of mankind.

Well, to say I was overwhelmed at this time would be...yes...quite the understatement. I felt exhausted, drained, yet somehow exhilarated at the same time, and found it difficult to comprehend the unfolding of that night. In other words, I really didn't know what to feel or think. Contradiction and Confusion each raised their heads. It was almost four-thirty in the morning now, and the sun was about to rise on the vast panoramic Nevada desert. I picked up my little book, placed it in my bag and didn't really have to say anything thankfully.

He just took me by the hand and said, "Here, I'll walk you to your room". We walked out the front doors, got into a service elevator which took us to the hall my room was on downstairs. He and I walked the distance to my room, meeting one or two couples along the way who just nodded, said hello, and didn't bother Elvis at all. (This is another extraordinary thing, considering what was about to occur soon; in the months to come it would be more and more difficult to accomplish this...the simple act of walking down a hallway would soon be very difficult, dangerous even, and next to impossible.)

When we got to my door he very sweetly asked me to hand him my key so he could open the door for me. He did that, then said, "Goodnight, dear Kathy... would it be... do you mind if I just kiss you goodnight on the cheek? And promise not to cross your eyes?" I began to laugh then, and as I did he noticed "You rolled them this time! You rolled your eyes! Oh, Lord, woman... How do I get through to you?" He didn't wait for an answer, but just gently leaned over and kissed my cheek goodnight, turned and began walking down towards the elevator. I watched him walk away for a moment, walking alone down that long hallway, in that midnight blue (almost black) high-collared velvet suit, and he turned as he neared the end... smiled... and waved goodnight.

I entered my room and just dropped my bag and that darn book fell out again! I was too drained to even attempt to pick it up, just sat on the edge of my bed thinking. "Oh, dear God, how could we even be friends?"

"There must be a way, but..I sure don't see how. I met someone who really thinks so much the way I do? Someone I could share so much with? Oh,God, there is just no way." A few minutes of this conversation and debate within myself was interrupted by something that got my attention. The phone rang. "

Hello?" I asked wondering who would be calling at this hour and thinking it might be an emergency.

"Hello,Kathy"... It was Elvis. " I just wanted to call and see if..well...are you alright?"

"Uh-huh... just thinking... this is... confusing. I mean... I don't know how..."

"Don't think or worry too much, okay? I just have to tell you how I feel. I really love you. But I'm not expecting anything other than friendship, Kathy. I personally feel like I'm in high school again. Do you feel this way too at all? Even a tiny bit?"

"Oh, well, a bit of that for a moment, then I go right back to all of the problems I can see."

"Uh-huh". he responded quietly. "You're a strong woman, Kathy. I admire you so much. I hope you'll come back and visit with me tomorrow night...uh...tonight (chuckling) after the shows. Will you?"

I hesitated a bit, and he asked again, "Will you?"

"Yes, I will, but..."

"I know... don't worry!... I know! I can't wait to see you tonight. Get some sleep... I'm too happy to sleep now I think..but you get some sleep and we'll talk tomorrow... oh, dammit... tonight! He was laughing as he said another 'goodnight'."

I hung up the phone and prepared for a very long night...er..day..well, you know this by now. Our days were our nights. (actually any two hours we ever got a chance to take a nap was a "good-night" no matter what time of day it really was.)

I took a hot bath, climbed into bed restless and unable to sleep for the thoughts racing on tracks that criss-crossed each other. "I like him. But thank heaven I'm not attracted to him physically. He's pretty... yes, he's a beautiful man, too pretty to be my type. No! He's just not my type."The chemistry I'd felt with a few men just wasn't there, but then...with those I'd felt this strong attraction, I'd not had this much in common. "I do want to get to know him, but this situation is horrible! He is so sweet, though! He's a gentleman, he's thoughtful. He's so brilliant! Yes, I like him and we'd have so much to talk about! Oh, no! He's dating... and he'smarried... and all these gorgeous tall blondes surrounding him!"

I was not the type of woman considered the classic beauty in that time period. Not one woman on any cover of any magazine had ever looked like me! "I'm tiny,dark, definitely have a Greek nose, and...oh, he couldn't possibly be interested in me anyway, so that's a good thing! Okay,! So we'll see tomorrow how it would even work out so that we could talk and discuss everything we have to talk about... the too many common interests and passions? I just don't see how this could be... well... maybe... Yes! Perhaps we can just be friends!"

(To be Continued)

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