Interviews with Paul Pullen

April 18, 2008.
I asked Paul to quote some of his favorite lines from his Elvis book. This is some of what he had to say:

Paul: "I was looking for irony and decided to take the simplest possible approach. You'll have to place this in context to see if you think it's funny."

Well, young man, I guess we can add theft to kidnapping.

Paul: "I guess when you reach a certain point in your downward spiral, the simple offer of a cheeseburger could be overwhelming. There have been times that I might have done this myself--followed any stranger who offered salvation. Surely Elvis liked the memory of a cheeseburger."

You offered Elvis Presley a cheeseburger, and he just followed you right out of the gates of  Graceland?

Paul: "Some solutions to questions we ask ourselves seem overwhelmingly simple. I didn't think there was anything philosophical about this decision."

Wow, and all he had to do was kidnap the King.

Paul: "I asked myself about my memories of the sixties. You know the joke; if you remembered, you weren't there. A few old photos of friends in Austin jogged everything back into perspective."

Clownish sideburns hung from pale, bloated cheeks.

Paul: "When I couldn't decide what to do, I used to call around for advice that I wasn't going to take. I figured Elvis would spend a moment fantasizing about concert dates he wasn't going to keep."

I'll need to make a few phone calls-to Los Angeles, to Las Vegas, and to Memphis.

Paul: "When you've finally made up your mind about something really important, it suddenly dawns on you that everyone may not agree with you."

"Laugh it up, boys," Dave said, gazing toward the driveway. "Because I have a feeling when Aron gets back, laugher will be a scarce commodity around this place."

Paul: "There are certain metaphors that are just too funny to pass up. One of these is the notion of the baggage that we carry around. Are we talking about the package, or are we going to open it up and wear the contents? If you knew more about my personal life, you might find this even funnier."

She had brought quite of bit of excess baggage to the Vineyard, baggage that would need to be unloaded to make room for Paul.

Paul: "No, I'm not going to talk about my personal life."

Paul: "I was remembering riding a tractor when I was a boy. I couldn't avoid the chore, so I spent a lot of time dreaming while I cut the grass."

"Aron," Brooks tried again, but for all practical purposes, the King had left the building.

Paul: "For some reason, I find it easier to let nice things happen to someone else while I analyze the effect."

To Tara and Sara, my two biggest fans. May your first trip to Hawaii be filled with laughter. Love, Elvis.

Paul: "There are certain rituals that Texas boys (of any age) observe, and these ceremonies are not to be questioned by girl friends.

"You want us to celebrate the 201 anniversary of this nation's birth by shooting each other with fireworks until someone gets maimed, blinded, or killed?"

by Charles Frenzel

HOME

New Orleans:

"Guitar on the Screen Porch"