The rain started falling on us as we got to the edge of Memphis. By the time we pulled into the parking lot at Graceland, the rain had stopped but there was rain and threats of rain all day. When we were getting out of the car, I suggested to Tina that we take the rain ponchos with us that I had purchased several years earlier for a previous Elvis Week. It was the right thing to do.
The day started with visits to the gift shops to purchase a cap and shirt for this year’s Elvis Week. While I was shopping for a pint glass commemorating this year’s event, I saw a child having a meltdown in the toy shop. The kid’s mom told her, “I’m not getting all this stuff! There’s no reason.” Absolutely no reason for all this stuff. Why are any of these people here? Why is this thing still going on for 39 years? Once again, I was there to try to find answers to that question. I was unable to find a pint glass. They didn’t make them this year. It was an example of the changes that are in the air at Graceland.
The most noticeable change was the new hotel going up, called the Guesthouse. It is about 90 percent complete and very impressive. You could also see new shops and exhibit areas being built behind the current visitor’s center. The changes will make for a completely different experience at Elvis Week next year. I would spend the day remembering how much of a routine I have created for myself and how it would change next year.
Everyone that has asked me about this year’s trip has wondered about the protests. Black Lives Matter protesters had blocked traffic in front of Graceland earlier in the year and promised to do so again during Elvis Week. As we arrived, we were sent messages warning us to be careful of the protests. The Memphis Police did a great job of keeping the protest activity away from the Elvis Week celebration. The protests might as well have been taking place in downtown Memphis. There were more police than usual and the street was blocked off earlier in the day. Other than nearly constant mentions of protests by visitors, security guards and Graceland employees, the celebration was going on as usual.
The people that I meet are the highlight of every Elvis Week and this year was no exception. We were trying to get in the door at the Rock n’ Roll Café but were blocked by a man standing in the door. He realized he was blocking the door and let us in. As we walked around him, he asked in a very thick British accent if you needed a ticket to do this. He thought it was like every other attraction at Graceland where a ticket is required. We explained to him how it worked and he followed us in line. At one point, he nodded toward someone across the restaurant and said, “There’s a bloke there with an Elvis costume. Did you see the sideburns?” The so-called “Elvis costume” was not a jumpsuit. Most of the people you see with Elvis hair and sideburns opt for black or white jeans and a puffy shirt with either an early 1970’s paisley design or a solid color with embroidery. The belt with a huge buckle is optional. More of a casual Elvis look than the big concert Elvis we usually associate with the King. The Brit would have been a great person to tag along with but he found some of his friends in the restaurant.
Later, we were in the gift shop that isn’t associated with Elvis Presley Enterprises. This non-authorized store is a great place to find the junkiest souvenirs and the most interesting people. They always create their own Elvis Week commemorative shirts that are always the cheapest in terms of quality and price. Made of the thinnest material, I doubt if they would make it through one washing without shrinking significantly or disintegrating completely. I ran into a guy from Peoria in one of these shirts who raved about some Elvis toy to a friend. We talked at length about Elvis gifts and the protesters. Then he noticed the Elvis Week cap on my head. It was the only I had bought earlier in the day from the official gift shop. He pulled down on the bill of the cap to get a better look, pulling my head down with it. He said how much he liked it and that he had never seen one like that before. From talking to him, he was enough of a regular to tell me about a visit inside Vernon’s house around the corner from Graceland. Most hardcore fans have a story about Vernon’s house and the neighborhood around Graceland. Had he never been to the official gift shops? He looked like someone who might regularly bypass the “big shops” because they just want to much for those thick, fancy shirts.