Elvis would be 74 today had he not got all fat and stuff. I saw him once at the rodeo in Houston after he made his comeback in Vegas. The Astrodome was tapped to capacity and when Elvis rode into the arena in the backseat of a red Cadillac, every female in the place went absolutely ape shit, including my mother and sisters. Riveting. Not like my very first visit to the dome after it was built and everyone was ga-ga to get into the joint. The attraction: Billy Graham. Billy thought everyone was probably looking to heaven during his inspirational sermon and invitation to accept Jesus as our personal lord and savior but it was really just all of us mouth-breathing rednecks taking in that big ol' ceiling up there. Good effort anyway, Billy. You done your best with what you had to work with.
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Grew up a couple of miles from Graceland, and have memories of seeing the King about town. Any story I might have pales in comparison to yours, however, as none involved either the Astrodome or scads of hot and bothered women.
Now, Elvis' waistline was mighy impressive the last time I saw him, but I wouldn't really classify it as a "Wonder of the World".
So, as a youth you attended wrestlemania with your grandmother and saw the King at the 'Dome with your mother and sisters. Adulthood (aka the stern reality of experience) must be something of a letdown.
Elvis drove by our house once when I was a kid. I was out front cutting the yard. You could hear the bikes coming for about 2 minutes. When it turned the corner of Singing Trees to head south on our street, Hermitage, there was THE KING riding point with about 8 or 9 bikes (probably more) behind him. Amazing sight.
Another time the motorcade passed by while my dad was in the front yard with my brother (Slimmy) taking pictures of our 4 week old German Shephard puppies. Elvis turned the motorcade around, drove up to our house, turned off his bike (as did the mafia) and asked my dad if he could buy one of the dogs. No shit!
My dad replied, "Elvis, I'd GIVE you one, but they're all sold." Awww, dad; you could have just called the person who bought the dog Elvis selected and told 'em the dad dog killed it or something. Sheesh!
Regardless, a couple of years later mom and dad got to go to Graceland--Priscilla was still Mrs. Presley at that time--as part of the U.S. Jaycees Ten Outstanding Young Men ceremony; it was held in Memphis that year. My Dad and a couple of his buddies had pitched Memphis as a hosting city the year before when it was held in Miami...and pulled off the upset win. They mocked up a Mission Impossible video with my dad and his buddies...dad was Mr. Phelps. At the video's conclusion it showed a guy walking to a door. The video ended and my dad walked through a door onto the stage to make the presentation. He was Tennessee Jaycee State President that year. How the mighty have fallen.
Anyway, the final came down to Memphis and San Diego. I assure you that the folks who dreamed of La Jolla and Coronado were upset to learn that stinky rivertown MLK killing Memphis had won out--that is until they learned that Elvis was to be named one of the ten....THE TEN! Aside--LOVE The Lords of Discipline, book or movie.
Anyway, Elvis had made his Vegas comeback, was still slim and was humbled by the honor. He made a wonderful speech. It was the only convention of that kind that ever got national television--ELVIS, baby!--and The King had everybody over to his house after the final night. My folks got home at 4 in the morning....musta been good.
In the ensuing years my dad did a couple of contracts with Elvis, primiarily buying houses for girlfriends and the like. The mega car family in Memphis, The Dobbs--see Dobbs House restaurants and airline catering(both RIP)--did a lot of business with Elvis over the years, too. They'd have to open the dealership in the middle of the night to deliver a T-Bird to Elvis to help him close a sale on a golddigger, usually.
I was getting my hair cut across the street from his house the day before he died. We were quiet frankly stunned. Never appreciated him enough in that town, though they did name ol' Highway 51 after him--it runs in front of his house.
It's 4:20 and you can color me gone!
quite frankly, quiet frankly, what's the difference?
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