FANS, FANS, FANS!
During Elvis’s military service in Germany hundreds of Swedish fans went on pilgrimage to Bad Nauheim in the hope of catching a glimpse of him. Some of them were lucky and even got El’s autograph, but the great majority returned without even seeing the house in which he stayed. The most lucky of our members were a middle-aged lady and her two daughters who went to Germany by car in August last year. They got in touch with Elvis several times, and also officiated as his interpreter. Among other things, they told me that people put his kindness to a wrong use.
“They came with piles of cards, photos, etc, which he had to sign to the same person day after day even if he was in a hurry. Sometimes he moaned a little, but never refused. There was also a little old woman who photographed tourists together with him and foolish girls who tampered with the radiator of his old, sacrificed light blue Cadillac. It always stood in the street outside the house and was so besmeared with loving notes that you could not see the ground-colour. One day when he got out of his car he was surrounded by a horde of teenagers who persisted with their desire to be photographed with him. We knew that he was tired and hungry but the youngsters did not give any quarter. They put his arms round their shoulders and waists when he did not do that himself. He sighed deeply, but did not say anything. And all the time he trod his foot to an inaudible tune. Yes, we felt really sorry for him,” said the lady.
Pat Harrat, Elvis Monthly, September 1960