Day 10: Full Moon over Graceland
by Andrew JohnsonThanksgiving Day – what better way to start it than in a hotel room somewhere east of Nashville? We started this holiday by continuing our tradition: watching the Macy’s parade on TV. Not quite the same as being at home, watching it while decorating the house for Christmas – so perhaps we’ll hang a wreath on the trailer. We got a later start than usual, our next destination only a few hours away. The drive was easy and flat and weather was sunny and calm. Of course it couldn’t be completely carefree – the “check engine” light is a constant reminder that Krakatoa could blow at any moment.
Added note of interest to our daily travels. Now that we have Mary sufficiently back in the daily groove of needing (not wanting, needing!) some coffee concoction of espresso delights, ( I pledge allegiance to my Starbucks….) we hit a snag outside of Memphis on Thanksgiving Day when we spotted, like eagles, a Starbucks sitting off in the distance amidst a completely empty strip mall (it is 2pm Tday, after all)…I had just finished my phone call with Stacey, in which she warned us that if it wasn’t opened, not to do anything drastic…Does she know something that we don’t, or does she just understand that delightful espresso treat carmel macchiato skim venti,please….No sooner had we hung up and I had jumped out of the truck singing the praises of my fav coffee drink, when I got to the door and tried to open it…..LOCKED???? No way…I look @ my watch, 1:58 cst, store hours til 2pm….No way was this happening…..I sunk back, but not before pressing my pitiful, espresso denied, disappointed face against the glass and giving them my best parched look…..No way were these people giving in, and yes I had to leave, no carmel delite in hand…..What is a girl to do, no Wegmans coffee bar, no Starbucks in sight??? Sad and dejected, we move on to the next town, always in search of my carmel macchiato skim venti please…..All this from a girl who can’t stand coffee, but got hooked on coffee drinks from her sis, Mo….So, Stacey, no macchiato, no ugly scenes, no local jail time…..Hmmmmmm……..
And what better way to spend Thanksgiving (if you can’t be home with family) than to spend it with the King? Yes, our major holiday destination, our Mecca #2, was Graceland in Memphis. We arrived about 3:00pm to a golden sunset. We literally pulled up those famous front gates and parked (they have a small pullout). The front walls are covered with graffiti, notes from people all over the world. It was very cool to read them – and of course we left our mark on a small naked rock. “Thanksgiving Pilgrimage ’04 – on our way to Viva Las Vegas baby!” Muchos photos later and we had to find the perfect memento. Unfortunately, being Thanksgiving, EVERY place was closed – except one small tacky souvenir shop run by a very strange Asian gentleman. After much consideration, we bought a refrigerator magnet. Annie had found some fantastic rib joints for our Thanksgiving dinner on Beale Street (the famous street in Memphis) but all were closed. The shop owner suggested the only open place right down the street (“a lot of Elvis fans go there”): a barbeque joint named Marlowe’s. We knew we were in the right place when the first thing you see when you pull up is an old Airstream trailer painted pink and sporting a huge snout and ears to resemble a huge pig (their catering vehicle). Inside, the place was decorated with old gas signs and huge trophies won for their barbeque. The food was absolutely fantastic! Ribs, pulled pork and the turkey special hit the spot. Most definitely one of the coolest Thanksgivings we all spent! Over the urinal in the men’s room, they hung the day’s sports section – there was big article about Maryland basketball that I just had to finish reading (Spike and Annie thought I fell in, I took so long). Maryland was coming to play Memphis the next night. We drove back past Graceland (now after dark) which was all decorated with Christmas lights and with the full moon rising over Graceland, we swore we saw the ghost of Elvis waving goodbye. We briefly considered staying at the Heartbreak Hotel across the street (not making this up) but decided to put a few more miles behind us, pulling into a nondescript Hampton Inn halfway to Little Rock. Alex finished off this memorable holiday by puking on the floor. (By the way, it’s not because she’s sick – it’s because she got so rambunctious jumping on the hotel’s beds that she upset her stomach. One “purging” and she was a happy clam again – and promptly fell asleep!)
