“Oh! This is nice! Louie!!” She looked around the store with a dead look on her face. Finally Louie shows up and she shows him the life size cardboard cutout of Elvis. “Wouldn’t this look nice in our living room?” Louie replied “actually it wouldn’t.” It was a rare moment of honesty that you don’t see that often at Graceland. I don’t know where they were from, but judging from their skin tone and a possible accent, Mr. and Mrs. Louie may not even be from the U. S. Even if they are, there is a good chance they flew to Memphis for Elvis week. In a post economic meltdown world, I can imagine them trying to board a plane with this thing. How much would it cost and where do you store it? It reminds me of the fight I took out of Memphis the day after Elvis’ birthday several years ago. A fan club from England was on the flight and someone was trying to board with a velvet Elvis painting. They don’t go under the seat or in the overhead very easily. Now you can’t even find a velvet Elvis painting at Graceland. Louie isn’t the only one feeling the pressure. It seems like Elvis Presley Enterprises as well as the fans are all feeling the economic crunch. On a week that celebrates the death of a musical icon, the presence of death feels even more real this year.
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