| It was early in January 1973, Elvis was due to be in Hawaii.and on the 14Th, just past
midnight,Elvis was to appear at the Honolulu International Centre, in a concert that would
be beamed live by satellite all around the world,except for the United States.
before the day of the concert arrived, Colonel Tom Parker had personally come to the
condominium where Jack lord and his wife live. he left a message inviting
them both to be Elvis's guests at the concert.they excepted the invitation.
when they arrived at the concert they were seated in the special section, with
the Presley party. half way through the show, Elvis introduced the members of
his band and vocal group, he then said that his favorite actor was sitting in the audience
and introduced Jack lord,Jack stood up and bowed,after he met Elvis close up for the first time.
Jack later said "that the moment they met was as if we had known each other all our
lives."
Elvis wanted to see jack and Marie before he had to leave Hawaii,so asked them if they would have dinner with him,
the next few days were very busy for Jack,
as Elvis didn't go out to restaurants, he asked if he could go to their home for dinner,a few days later Elvis phoned Jack,it was his last night
in Hawaii,and asked if he could come over to
say good bye,
Elvis arrived at eight o’clock.he was wearing a white suit with a white silk shirt that had a ruffled collar and cuffs." Elvis kissed Marie as he
went in – bringing seven members of his party!
Elvis sat down with the group and Marie offered them drinks, but none of the group drank hard liquor,neither did Jack or Marie, except on rare occasions.
some of the guys did drink beer,and the others drank soda drinks.
Elvis had brought Jack a present,he said that he tried
to think of something that Jack didn't have, The only thing Elvis could think of was,
a solid gold Walther revolver. Elvis had ordered a matched set from
Germany a year ago,and they had only just arrived. But he doesn't need two guns, so he wanted jack to have one.plus six bullets.
Jack was speechless. The gun was a pure work of art.
Elvis then handed Marie a present it was
a tiny jewel box sitting on a mount of velvet, was a gorgeous ring.with emeralds and diamonds." She
was absolutely floored.Elvis asked if he could see the rest of their home,so Jack took him on the grand tour.
Jack has a rare collection of musical instruments from all over the world. One was a rare six-string banjo which had been tuned to play like
a guitar.soon as Elvis saw it he sat down on Jack's bed strumming it. Marie was in the living room when Elvis suddenly ran in to Marie shouting, Marie, Jack
gave me a six-string banjo!"
Elvis was like a kid, he just couldn't get over it,
Before he left,just before midnight, Elvis asked Jack and Marie come and see him in Las Vegas whenever they could or
come to his home and stay there anytime as his guest.
A few weeks later they went to Vegas. The day they arrived was one that they will never forget. As they walked off the plane,
standing at the foot of the ramp, was a tall Hawaiian man holding garlands of fresh flower leis. Colonel Parker had called him, and was flown in
especially from Hawaii with the flower, just to be at the airport to greet the Jack and Marie, when they arrived at their hotel and walked into their suite,
they could hardly move around for all the flower baskets that surround them. It was an unforgettable moment.
That night they sat at Elvis's table, as the lights went down Elvis came on stage,and as the curtains opened, there, on the stage center, was the six-
sting banjo that Jack gave Elvis, a spotlight beaming down on it. Then, half way through the show, Elvis
introduced his group.then told the audience
"I was in Hawaii recently and this great star and his wife took me into their home," Elvis said. Marie commented later: "He said it like he was some poor little
orphan we had adopted. Then he called out Jack’s name, and Jack stood up. The applause was tremendous. Elvis grinned and said, ‘Sit down, Jack, you’re
getting more applause than I am.’ Everyone laughed."
After the show,jack and Marie went backstage with Elvis, and then up to his suite where Elvis had his own chef prepare a low-calorie dinner which he always ate
between shows. During the meal Elvis asked them if they would like to come and see his midnight show.
,they were usually early-to-bed people due to their TV series schedule, but for Elvis they couldn't resist. After the late show, they again met with Elvis and
got them to
stay on the following day and come to see his show again that night. They ended up staying an extra three days and had seen Elvis's shows
six times! They never left Elvis or their hotel. Elvis and jack chatted for hours
like they were old chums.
On the last evening, Jack and Marie were in Elvis’s dressing room where they had previously seen his
fantastic handmade costumes on one wall and, on the other,there are hangers full of custom-made
jewelled belts like the hi-huggers that Elvis wore over each of his jumpsuits.
One of them was a special belt that did not match any of the outfits. Elvis explained that the costume designer had spent years making that particular one, though it didn't go with any of his outfits,
but he always carried it with him because he loved it so.Marie said, "It was an unbelievable thing," "all
embroidered with amethyst jade coral and turquoise ."on their last night they walked into Elvis's dressing room, Elvis stood up and was holding
the special belt and held it out to Marie. She began to protest, but Elvis cut her short.
and explained that he couldn't wear it because it scratched him, and showed her where there was a gash
on his hand.
But Marie knew that Elvis was just saying that,as at the last show Marie had seen a girl
grab for Elvis's’ hand and bite it in her enthusiastic joy at being so close to Elvis, But Elvis wouldn't
take no for an answer. Marie now has a very special Elvis jewelled hi-hugger, framed on black
velvet and hangs in a special place of honor in the there home.
Jack and Marie only knew Elvis for a brief few
years. once Elvis said "Gee, Jack, I wish I’d met you many years ago."
Elvis Presley was a rare, talented, beautiful generous and yet lonely man. Lonely as only a few people are who ever reach such dizzying
heights. A prisoner of fame and fortune and of a self-made legend surrounding him, but for those brief few years – especially during those times when Elvis,
Jack and Marie Lord were together – when they were able to share the special area reserved for the famous. Inside it, together, none of them were lonely.
There will never be another Elvis Presley and Jack and Marie feel his loss deeply. They will never forget their special friend and neither will any of us |