8 Chapter 7 Priscilla

Chapter 7 Priscilla Private Presley was sent to an army base in Friedberg, Germany, on October 1, 1958. Elvis thought he would never be happy again. His mother was gone. And he was thousands of miles from home. Meanwhile, Colonel Parker had other worries. What would being in the army do to Elvis Presley's career? The United States was not at war, so Elvis never fought in any battles. Army bases near enemy countries, such as the USSR, were there in case of war. In Germany, Elvis drove a Jeep for a sergeant. He and a friend were also in charge of a talent show. Elvis played piano. Still, Elvis wasn't treated like just any soldier who had to sleep on a bunk bed in the barracks.

Elvis rented rooms at a local hotel. His grandma and father flew over for a visit. Elvis invited two friends from Memphis, too.

During the day, Elvis had to work. But at night, he and his two buddies loved to goof around. They ran through the hotel shooting squirt guns. One time a prank went too far: They set a small fire by mistake, and the hotel manager kicked them out. After that, Elvis rented a house. Elvis started to get by on less and less sleep. The only time for fun was at night. But he needed to be awake during the day. Another soldier gave Elvis pills to help him stay awake. The pills worked. So he began to take more. In those days, nobody really understood the danger of such pills. Once people started taking them, they couldn't stop. After his father and friends returned to Memphis, Elvis was lonelier than ever. But then Elvis met Priscilla Beaulieu. She was an American

girl who was fourteen-and-a-half years old. Elvis was twenty-four. Priscilla's stepfather was a captain in the air force. He said she was too young to go on a date. But Elvis went to visit Priscilla's stepfather. He promised to remain just friends with Priscilla. He would wait until she was older before starting a romance. For the first time, he thought he was in love. PRISCILLA BEAULIEU

In March of 1960, the army sent Elvis home. He had served for more than a year. At the airport, Priscilla said good-bye for now. She worried that they'd never see each other again. But Elvis loved her. He told her so in all his letters to her.

Now that Elvis was back in the United States, Colonel Parker focused on his career again. Elvis was going to be bigger than ever. The famous singer Frank Sinatra hosted a television program to welcome Elvis home. That was on March 26, 1960. Elvis sang two songs. Girls in the audience screamed throughout his performance.