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4.07.2005
No Grace at Graceland: Letter to the King
RE: Last visit to Memphis
Dear Elvis,
Yesterday I went down to Clarksdale and ate at Abe's at the crossroads again. I never thought I'd be back since my first late-night visit, but have been back twice more in less than two years. It's funny how life leads you sometimes. You think you have it all figured out, then it fucks with you and makes you redo things over and over. It never tells you what you need to do though. It will present you with the same problem and situation and hopefully, we are supposed to figure out what we are supposed to learn from it. What did you learn? Did you have a chance to stop and think about things or were you too caught up in the whirlwind of it all? I don't blame you. I can't say I wouldn't have done anything differently than you did. At least you were born and bred with the Southern gentility and that played nicely in the way you convinced the pious that you were not all about the heathen way. I, on the other hand, would have taken some things to a little more excess, but I think after awhile I would have told some people to truly fuck off. No offense, but Colonel Parker would have to go. I never trust anyone who is as controlling or has as much an interest in the deal. It's ironic watching your movies now, where the good-natured person (you) attempts to get swindled by greedy, carny showmen. Well, you didn't wind up with the happy ending.
Sorry to ramble on about all this, Elvis, I suppose I should get to the purpose of my letter to you. I stayed at the Elvis Presley Heartbreak Hotel adjacent to Graceland for the third time. The staff were inflexible on my checkin time and rude when I inquired about it. I don't recall receiving this type of treatment in the past and I regret it marring my experience. What it comes down to Elvis, is that I will no longer stay at the hotel of your namesake. That's it. Perhaps your ghost can haunt it, but that would probably entice the tourists more like the Virgin Mary in Fatima, making the situation even worse. I loved seeing your airplanes and cars this time though.
The Beatles naively said they were bigger than Jesus, but you, truly are. Anyway, thanks for everything, I'm a big fan and all that.
Sincerely, your friend,
Mike
Dear Elvis,
Yesterday I went down to Clarksdale and ate at Abe's at the crossroads again. I never thought I'd be back since my first late-night visit, but have been back twice more in less than two years. It's funny how life leads you sometimes. You think you have it all figured out, then it fucks with you and makes you redo things over and over. It never tells you what you need to do though. It will present you with the same problem and situation and hopefully, we are supposed to figure out what we are supposed to learn from it. What did you learn? Did you have a chance to stop and think about things or were you too caught up in the whirlwind of it all? I don't blame you. I can't say I wouldn't have done anything differently than you did. At least you were born and bred with the Southern gentility and that played nicely in the way you convinced the pious that you were not all about the heathen way. I, on the other hand, would have taken some things to a little more excess, but I think after awhile I would have told some people to truly fuck off. No offense, but Colonel Parker would have to go. I never trust anyone who is as controlling or has as much an interest in the deal. It's ironic watching your movies now, where the good-natured person (you) attempts to get swindled by greedy, carny showmen. Well, you didn't wind up with the happy ending.
Sorry to ramble on about all this, Elvis, I suppose I should get to the purpose of my letter to you. I stayed at the Elvis Presley Heartbreak Hotel adjacent to Graceland for the third time. The staff were inflexible on my checkin time and rude when I inquired about it. I don't recall receiving this type of treatment in the past and I regret it marring my experience. What it comes down to Elvis, is that I will no longer stay at the hotel of your namesake. That's it. Perhaps your ghost can haunt it, but that would probably entice the tourists more like the Virgin Mary in Fatima, making the situation even worse. I loved seeing your airplanes and cars this time though.
The Beatles naively said they were bigger than Jesus, but you, truly are. Anyway, thanks for everything, I'm a big fan and all that.
Sincerely, your friend,
Mike
