Dedicated to Barry
Submitted by Susan
I met Barry a few years ago on a blind date. He had bought super-cheap tickets to fly to Memphis for the day, on Jan. 8, which would have been Elvis’ birthday. The deal was, to get the low airfare, he had to agree to be dressed like Elvis on the plane. Well, he chickened out and just put on a black leather jacket and slicked his hair back, but the whole trip there was hilarious, with everybody doing their own impressions of Elvis songs on the way. As we landed, he mentioned that he had taken the liberty of renting a limo so we wouldn’t have to stand outside in the snow, waiting for cabs. We toured Graceland, had lunch at B.B. King’s blues club, then sipped red wine in the lobby of the grand Peabody Hotel as we watched the “March of the Ducks” — a line of real mallards parading from the lobby fountain, across the red carpet, to enter the elevator for the ride to their own private penthouse! By this time, it was dusk, so Barry hired a white carriage waiting outside the hotel, and we went on a romantic carriage ride alongside the Mississippi River in the moonlight. The carriage dropped us off at a wonderful steakhouse, where we enjoyed some filet mignon and more red wine before heading back to the airport for the flight home. Now, every Friday, Barry sends me flowers at work, and the card is always signed, “Love, Elvis.” And where do we want to go on our honeymoon? Why, “Blue Hawaii,” of course!