Elvis Week

Each of us take a Tuesday of the month to post here, but since we've got 5 Tuesdays this month and there are only 4 of us, we needed to come up with something to do for today.  So, for your (and our) entertainment, we came up with a writing prompt and each of us ran off to play with it.   Our prompt?  An Elvis Song    And here are our results:

Jamie

Are You Lonesome Tonight?

Kate Monroe sat at a small table in the noisy bar. What had possessed her to move to a small town where the height of Saturday night entertainment was an Elvis themed bar? Ale House Rock, seriously? 

Not that the town she moved from had been much bigger, but it was closer to a city that offered at least a few options for having fun. Her coworker, Aubrey, had gone to the restroom a while ago, but had been stopped several times on her way back to their table. Kate tried to keep her focus on her drink instead of on the curious glances she felt directed her way.

The lights dimmed and a bright spotlight lit up the small stage next to her table. The sequined red curtains parted and a hottie dressed like Elvis in his younger years stepped forward.

“Welcome to Ale House Rock! Who’s ready for some singin’ and some dancin’?” As the rest of the bar broke into cheers, his deep, rough drawl slid through the speakers and wrapped around and let loose goose bumps on her arms.

Before she had a chance to catch her breath, he gyrated his hips, fake-strummed his guitar and belted out the opening lyrics of “Blue Suede Shoes”.

Ho-ly heaven!

Stacey

There is no such things as ghosts. You’re hallucinating.

That’s what the rational side of my brain told me as I stood there, right outside the revered gates, and he walked toward me. But I hadn’t had anything to drink stronger than a mocha latte. I certainly hadn’t smoked anything.

I raised my hand to my forehead. No fever.

Did people just have random hallucinations?

I was reminded of that song as I lowered my arm. You know, the one Marc Cohn sings. The one Little Big Town remade with Sugarland—Walking In Memphis.

His head turned toward me as he moved past. Our eyes met. He smiled with the signature curl to his lip, and then he winked.

Wow, what a hallucination! My heart skipped before beating triple time, leaving me breathless. I suddenly understood the swooning effect.

I watched him pass through the gates and disappear into the house as my friend bounded up to me with our tickets.

“I still can’t believe we’re here. I’m telling you, Graceland is definitely going to be the highlight of my trip!”

Still speechless from a moment ago, all I could do was nod in agreement.

Donna

Blue Hawaii.

Tamara’s chest tightened as she pulled the old VHS tape from the video cabinet in her parents’ living room. A lifelong Elvis Presley fan, her mom had been collecting Elvis paraphernalia since she was a teenager. She owned a vast collection of records, paintings, figurines, belts, key chains, coffee mugs, magnets, purses, a lunch box, several ornaments, a couple of clocks, dozens of T-shirts…and that was just what Tamara could recall off the top of her head.

Her mother also owned all thirty three of his movies—which included two documentaries—on either VHS or DVD. Some both. And though they’d seen every one of them many times over, Blue Hawaii had always been her mom’s favorite.

Her parents spent their honeymoon on the Big Island many years ago, so Hawaii had always held a special place in both of their hearts. "Two glorious weeks in paradise," her father would tease with a wink at her mother, who never failed to turn three shades of pink.

After her father passed, her mom often talked about heading back to beautiful Anaeho’omalu Bay to spread his ashes over the crystal blue waters of the Pacific Ocean.

Now that day would never come.

Slipping the movie from its cardboard sleeve, Tamara found herself holding her breath. She’d watched Blue Hawaii with her mother so many times she could recite the movie word for word. Because, frankly, it had been a favorite of hers as well, though she’d have cut out her tongue before ever admitting it. Part of the fun had been rolling her eyes and groaning whenever her mother declared it Elvis night. She’d make fried peanut butter and banana sandwiches—which, surprisingly, weren’t too bad—and they’d wash them down with ice-cold Pepsi. The King’s favorite beverage.

Unable to resist, Tamara popped the black tape into the old VCR. A strange feeling washed over her when the title song started to play, and Elvis’s deep, hypnotic voice filled every corner of the room. 

She closed her eyes and sang softly along…

“…Night and you and Blue Ha-waaaaiiii. The night is heav-enly, and you are heav-en to me…”

Tears blurred her vision before spilling down her cheeks. She gave her head a frustrated shake and swiped them away. She hadn’t seen the movie in several years, yet when she closed her eyes—

A sudden, comforting presence settled in beside her. Tamara’s eyes shot open as her heart warmed with inner peace. Whether in life or beyond, it seemed, her mother simply couldn’t resist Blue Hawaii.

Delia

“Are You Lonesome Tonight?”

“You Hound Dog!  I told you to never call me again!”

“I can’t help it, I’m Stuck on You.”

“That’s not my fault, I just want you to leave me alone.”

“Come on, Baby, Don’t Be Cruel.    I Can’t Help Falling In Love With You,   you’re my Good Luck Charm and I Just Can’t Help Believing that you Love Me Tender as much as I do you.”

“I filed a restraining order against you, if you come anywhere near me, you’ll be doing The Jailhouse Rock. “

“A restraining order??  Is that why all my Love Letters came back marked Return to Sender?  You’re a Hard Headed Woman.”

“No, I just don’t want to spend another night in Heartbreak Hotel.    You got me All Shook Up and then left me.  What was I supposed to do?”

“I’m sorry, I guess we both had Suspicious Minds and ruined what we had.  Do you think you could ever let bygones be bygones and give us a second chance? “

“Well, I suppose It’s Now or Never.  Come on over, and Let Me Be Your Teddy Bear…and make sure you’re wearing your Blue Suede Shoes.”