Rock On

    I grew up in a little town on Lake Superior. I lived in an old house on Third St. You could see the lake from my parents bedroom and from the front yard. The house was surrounded by big beautiful trees, lilac bushes and a nice patch of rhubarb in the corner of the backyard.

Growing up, we didn’t have a lot of entertainment to see. We could go to the movies, or watch the parades and see the marching band. Since I was in the band and the orchestra, I did go to a lot of music shows.

Occasionally we would get a famous country singer or polka band to come to Ashland. I remember the summer I was working at the Marine Club. I had to wear this short sailor dress. I was 19, if I say it was short, well you can just imagine. I made a lot of money in tips. Anyway, one night Frankie Yankovic came with his band and did a show. We were swamped. I didn’t get to see any of it, but we did get the band to play “Show Me The Way To Go Home” for the kitchen staff. The owner didn’t see the humor in that request.

Anyway, I went to see concerts in Duluth as often as I could afford them. I saw Alice Cooper, The James Gang, Styx, Eddie Money, Seals & Crofts and Santana. They were all great shows and did a lot to further my love of music. In 1977 I only went to one concert that year, it was Elvis.

My friend Sue had gone to an Elvis concert in Duluth a few years before this. I don’t know why I never asked my parents if I could go, they would have said yes. So when Sue asked if I wanted to go with her parents, my parents were fine with it. First we had to get tickets.

We drove to Duluth the night before tickets went on sale. When we got to the Duluth Arena, there was already a huge line. As we got in line, we got a ticket that gave us our place in line. We were in the 9,000 group. It was ok, I just wanted to see Elvis.

We got our ticket and stood there for hours. After it got dark, the wind picked up quite a bit off of the lake and there was blowing snow. The people that run the Arena took pity on us and let us into the Arena to spend the night. We all filed in and didn’t lose our place in line.

It was quite a sight to see all of those people, spending the night to get a ticket to see Elvis. It was exciting just watching the other people. I remember we saw Sal Cavatini. He was a sportscaster in Duluth, pretty famous to me anyway.

As the night wore on, we talked and talked about what we would do if we ever saw Elvis, what would you do???? Lots of giggling and secrets. It was a giant teenage sleep over, for teenagers of every age and circumstance. I felt like I was a part of a very special group of people. Like we were the chosen few who were going to see the greatest entertainer.

I was an Elvis fan from an early age. I couldn’t have been more than 6 or 7 years old when I saw an Elvis movie. I was hooked. Of course at that young age, I really didn’t understand what it was, why I liked him. I just knew that his face made me smile, he had a nice voice and whenever he looked at his leading lady, I wished I was in her place. Pretty romantic stuff for such a young girl.

So here we were, February of 1977 waiting for Elvis tickets to go on sale. All night long we talked and talked about how much we loved him and how much we wish we could meet him. By early morning, we were tired but happy when the lights were turned up and everyone started chatting excitedly about where we would be sitting, what he would wear, what we were going to where, etc.

We were lucky to get tickets. There was no limit on how many tickets a single person could buy, so a place in line did not guarantee that you would be able to buy a ticket. But we got seats and the show did sell out later on that morning. We took our tickets and guarded them with our very lives. We had to wait 3 months before he would be here, but he was coming and we were going to be in the very same building as him.

The concert date finally arrived. I was so excited, I could barely brush my teeth, I was shaking so badly. I didn’t know what to wear, how to fix my hair, etc. I was never this excited to see anyone before. I couldn’t eat and I couldn’t stop staring at the clock, waiting for Sue and her parents to pick me up.

When Sue’s family arrived, I ran out the door like I was shot out of a cannon. I was never so happy to see that little brown car in my whole life. Sue bought a dozen red roses to throw onto the stage. We were sure Elvis would notice us if we did that. We squealed in the car the whole way up to Duluth.

And wouldn’t you know it, we got a flat tire! We were all sitting there with our tickets and imagining the worst. What if we couldn’t get going? What if we were late?

Sue’s Dad was driving and he changed the tire very quickly, but we were sure we were not going to make it to the show. I started praying under my breath. I know that this is not the sort of thing a person should pray for, but I knew God would forgive me this one selfish thing. I just wanted to see Elvis so badly.

We got to the arena and parked the car. Sue, her Mother and I were almost at a dead run to get inside. It wasn’t cold out and we had reserved seats, but we were so excited. Imagine if you can 11,000 women and men of all ages. Mostly women, a lot of them who had their hair done in sky high beehives and too tight jumpsuits, all inside the arena, chatting and screaming every time a new act is introduced.

There were 2 opening acts, I can’t remember what they were, but it seemed like they were on the stage for a long time. And then it happened, the music from 2001 A Space Odyssey started to play, the stage went dark.

I swear you could hear my heart beat. The crowd was quiet, we were all sitting on the very edge of our seats. We were in the first balcony, to the right of the stage. Not the best seats, but definitely not the worst. I can still remember this moment, like it happened yesterday.

From where we were sitting you could see a little of the back of the stage. I was looking to see if I could see Elvis and that’s when I saw it. The white shoe on the top step of the ramp that went to the stage from the back of the arena. I knew it was him, I jumped up, pointed and screamed. So did Sue. Come to think of it, so did everyone else. It was pandemonium.

The women in the front row began dropping like flies. The bee hive hairdos in jumpsuits, were fainting faster than the EMT guys could carry them out. All Elvis had to do was wiggle his hips and several of them would just drop. I didn’t even know they had stretchers at the arena. I had never seen this before. No concert experience ever prepared me for Elvis.

Sure he wasn’t young, or in great shape, but he was there and I was there and it was a concert I would never forget.

About a third of the way through the concert, Sue and I ran over to the stage and dropped the roses. Elvis walked over, picked them up and looked up and said “Thanks girls”

Remember the phrase “The shot heard ‘round the world”? Well this was the scream heard around the world. It was one of those moments you will never forget. A moment in time when your life intersects however briefly with someone else's and it changes the course of your life. I don’t know what difference that moment made in my life exactly, but I know that something changed for me. I was not the same person after that moment. Maybe it was because I realized the frailty of life. In just a few months, Elvis was gone and that moment we shared became very important to me.

There were dozens and dozens of moments like that during the concert, but that was the only one that mattered to me. My heart still pounds when I remember how I felt.

And then it was over. The show was finished, the EMT’s had transported the beehive-jumpsuit ladies to the nearby hospital and the rest of us were all worn out from the jumping up and down, the screaming and the sheer excitement of it all. We walked outside to the parking lot and got in the car. It was a very quiet ride home as we all replayed the show in our minds.

And so here we are today. It’s 30 years since Elvis died. I like to think that maybe he was like a shooting star who burned so brightly that he had to leave us much too soon.

Elvis has left the building, but not our hearts.

Rock on.

Anne

Comments

Dear Anne,
You've written such another beautiful "slice of life" piece. You have a true gift for writing and sharing your life. Your pieces carry me to another place and a moment of peace. I hope you are hanging in there. Please know many prayers are being said for you. God bless.
Breathe in Peace, Kathy

[Colin's Mother]

I'm Colin's mother visiting my son. I loved your story. I am from the East Coast near Boston where life is not so simple and not quite so peaceful. I too long for the uncomplicated life of biking, ice skating and walking through the beautiful and colorful parks, Regret that you too are in pain and will continue to hope that miracles do happen and life will once again be pain free. I long for the days of the taffy apple, high school football games and sock hops in the high school gym and be rid of the designer clothes and i-Pods. Be well, Sandy

[Mary]

Dear Sis,

I remember you doing this, but I don't remember him saying that to you! Way to go!!!! I think I would have passed out on my ratted hair! Thank you for another memory beautifully written!

Love you very much,

Mary