A CADILLAC AND A PLANE TICKET

It's the Kings Birthday Week. The buzz, the atmosphere, the electricity in the air around Elvis World verifies the fact. Fans are pouring in from all over the world to spend the weekend together celebrating what would have been his 77th birthday.

Last night I had the assignment of being the guard at the door, the bracelet police so to speak. The event was a private affair for a select group of Fans.

A gentleman came outside later in the evening as things were calming down and humming along. He decided to initiate a conversation with me. He confided in me that he was waiting to meet someone. This someone was from Norway. We joked a little about how the Europeans were easy to spot, always sporting a European shoulder bag or a bulging back pack.

Then he introduced himself to me. I recognized his name immediately. He was a friend of Elvis' and was of enormous importance to the King. (I believe I signed a confidentiality contract so I have to be careful on how I word things. ) (I should pay more attention to what I sign.)

I asked him about his favorite Elvis memory. He paused a long time pondering the question. I was on the verge of interrupting his thoughts when he finally lifted the TCB necklace he wore around his neck, encrusted with diamonds and said, "When he gave me this." And nothing else, no elaboration, no explanation, no back story, just the statement, "When he gave me this."

Several moments later one of the Special Event organizers came rushing up to me and said, "There is a woman on the plaza who is not part of the Club. Do not, I repeat, do not let her inside." She looked over her shoulder and announced, "There she is!" and rushed off.

Both TCB guy and I looked in the direction she had indicated and saw a lone figure, a slight woman obviously homeless dragging a suitcase. She was dressed in several layers including a knitted scarf and a pull down hat. Her whispy gray hair surrounded her old face. She passed by without a glance in our direction.

"If Elvis were here he probably would have invited her in to feed her" I commented.

"If Elvis were here he'd buy her a Cadillac and a plane ticket........." TCB confided to me.

I liked that. I liked that lot.

I probably would have liked Elvis an awful lot.