Well, we walked in Memphis! Took in Beale Street, Tater Reds and ate at the famous Arcade. A table there was reserved for Elvis. I heard Elvis fan and dear friend and blog reader Michael Bole resounding in my head! Yes the ghost of Elvis! They served peanut butter and banana sandwiches too! Their cornbread and jalapeno hushpuppies were killer! All weekend long, people photographed the facade of this historic restaurant. The afternoon sun caught every detail of this ornate building.
We'd been to Memphis before, but this time I enjoyed it so much more! The people are warm and friendly and the texture of this old city is alive with a spirit much like New Orleans. Old souls who kindly waken and invite you to take in their city, if only for a weekend with a smile or kind word.
The weekend took on new meaning as we celebrated our dear friend Bonnie and her one year being cancer free! It was a year ago at this show she became aware of what lie ahead for her. She has been a real trooper and this time, was here with us to celebrate her birthday (with pink candles) and her one year anniversary! Here's to many more!!!
On Saturday night Jon and I and a few friends took in the lights and flavor of Beale Street. Cool night air made for a fun stroll down this street of lights and sounds. Horns wailed and the blues carried out into the street. This southern city has wonderful creaky old trolly cars that move people about. We took the trolly over to Beale and back.
On the return trip we met 3 wonderful men who were in town visiting relatives. These men were cousins and you could sense how important family was to them. Conversations conveyed how they gathered for reunions and family events on a somewhat regular basis despite family being spread across the states. They were lively and engaging. They helped us get on the right trolly. We'd have gone in the opposite direction if we got on the car we were going to ride.
The 45 minute ride took us past old and new Memphis and ended right near the Lorraine Motel where Martin Luther King was assassinated. A place of such tragic history now sits bathed in the lights of what has become the Civil Rights Museum. There is a glow there that is both erie and comforting. An aura I will never forget.
Somehow in our travels through life, we find our way.
To historic places-
places to sell art and have fun
places that impart memories
places where buildings or
terra firma become one with our mind.
Sometimes what becomes most memorable
are the people we encounter - who for the distance of a trolly ride-
no longer feel like strangers.
For me, this trip was cemented in the
people I encountered.
Memphis is about people.
One of the three men we met on the trolly was a minister.
He helped us find our way-
perhaps in more ways than one!
♬
Patricia
