BILLY SMITH: In 1967, when we were out in California, I happened to walk into the room where Elvis and Priscilla were talking one day. And I heard Elvis tell her something personal about me, from when I was little, maybe five or six years old. It wasn’t that I got in trouble—it went beyond that. And I wouldn’t have discussed it with just anybody because this was a very hurtful and traumatic experience, something I was just devastated about.
I think the fact that it happened is one of the reasons Elvis was so dadgum protective of me—why he had to know where I was at all times, especially as a kid and as a teenager and even after I got grown. I guess he thought he could protect me better than anybody. It could very well be the key to our whole relationship.
When he saw me there in the room, he quit talking about it. But I couldn’t believe he done it. It hurt my feelings just so bad. I didn’t think he’d ever tell it.
Priscilla left after a minute or two, and I confronted him. I said, “I don’t tell stuff on you! Why did you tell on me?” Even to this day, it bothers me. I guess he wasn’t thinking. But it upset me so that I was going to quit when we got back to Memphis.
One night a week or two later, we were in his bedroom, and he apologized for what he done, and he said he’d come up with something to strengthen our trust in each other. He said, “We’ll make a pledge. That way, you’ll know that I’ll never say anything to anybody else. We’ll embrace, and repeat this to each other, and it will bond us together in friendship. I won’t tell anyone about it if you won’t.”
It shocked the fool out of me because I didn’t expect it. But I agreed. Elvis dimmed the lights, and we sat on his bed in total darkness, facing each other, with our legs folded. And we placed our hands on each other’s heart and took this oath. I don’t know where it come from, whether it was from a book, or if he just made it up. But he knew it from memory, and we went over it several times so I could memorize it, too. Afterwards, we both cried like crazy. I’ll remember it as long as I live.
There were two secret parts to it. One was a word, a password. Kind of a nonsense word, combined from parts of two or three other words. Later on—more so in the last years—if we were with other people and there was something he wanted to talk about in private, or if something was personal to him, all he had to do was say that word. Then we would ease off together.
We also had a secret embrace. It was done a certain way so that if you were in complete darkness you would still recognize the other. From then on, every time we were in a crowd, that’s the way we embraced. And people never really noticed. None of the guys ever knew it, even. Not in all those years.
I don’t know of anyone else who knows either the word or the gesture. Because I never broke our pledge or betrayed Elvis’s trust, and I never will. What we pledged, I’ll hold forever in my heart. We reached out to each other, from the love we had then, and now. We meant for it to continue, even if one of us should die. I know as well as I know anything that this meant as much to Elvis as it does to me.
I loved him more than anyone can ever understand, and I always will. You could not truly know him, and not love him.
THE PLEDGE
It’s just a simple word, you see,
To get inside you need no key.
For we who know, know it well,
And you who don’t can never tell.
As I place my hand upon your heart,
And you place yours on mine,
From this day forward, our minds, our souls,
Our hearts will intertwine.
If either one should have a doubt,
Now is the time to back out.
For this pledge together us will tie,
Even if one of us should die.
What we share in confidence now,
Even in death cannot part,
For it comes not from the mind,
But from the heart.
You just hold my words true,
For where I go, you’ll be there, too.
I know your inner self, and you know mine.
Honor and keep it for all time.
And when I’m gone,
Every now and then,
Think of this pledge,
For I love you, my friend.
You can confess to me,
And touch my heart,
And I’ll know it’s you by [“the word”],
Even in the dark.
Elvis Aaron Presley
Billy Wayne Smith