Not Your Normal Elvis Memories

Since August 16th was the 30th anniversary of Elvis’ death, I thought I should acknowledge it with a couple of “Elvis” memories. I have always been an Elvis fan.
From the beginning of his career, I was a fan. I bought fan magazines with my allowance or babysitting money and made Elvis scrapbooks that I wish I still had.

Once Christmas, early in his career, I asked for Elvis records for Christmas. I also asked for a record player that played 45RPM records – they are the small records (vinyls) with the big hole in the center. My grandmother Hawk didn’t approve of this hip swiveling upstart that sang “black” music, but she also wanted to grant my Christmas wish – so I got my Elvis records. However, the only ones I received from her were his recordings of religious music. This was one of my first lessons in being more specific about what you ask for…they were the only ones she approved of. I still have them and needless to say, they weren’t played very much, so they’re still in good condition. I don’t have the paper jackets they came in, so their value is probably very low.

“Love Me Tender” was Elvis’ first movie and I begged to go see it. I was in the 5th or 6th grade then and my family didn’t see many movies at all, much less an Elvis movie. I was finally allowed to go to the movie ALONE. I still can’t imagine why or how this came about, but my father dropped me off with instructions to speak to no one, come straight out as soon as it was over and he would be waiting for me. A couple of things still stand out in my mind – it was raining and there was a larger-than-life cardboard Elvis next to the ticket window.

I remember sitting on the right side of the theater, 3 or 4 rows in front of a family. There was no one else in my row. So I happily settled in with my popcorn and drink to watch my most favorite person in the world – Elvis! I was in bliss until a strange man suddenly sat down next to me. I was startled but not frightened. I was too naive and innocent to be frightened. The father from the family behind me came over and told the man to leave and told me to come sit with them, which I did. The father was angry that I was there alone. And I had no idea why. This family made sure that Daddy was waiting for me when the movie was over and I went home as if nothing had happened. And never told anyone about the strange man.

As I grew up and became more worldly and aware of the evils in the world, I was astonished at how close I came to being molested? Kidnapped? Or worse? I have a very observant unknown father to thank for saving me from who knows what and I didn’t even know it at the time. I do know that as a mother, when my girls were growing up, I was overprotective and paranoid and this incident may have been one of the causes.

I still cannot think of any set of circumstances that my parents would normally allow a 5th or 6th grade girl to go to a movie alone. And you know what – I have never been to a movie alone since then.