Elvis
drove Mary Ann and Bug out to shop in down town Memphis . Tomorrow was
Mother's Day and they wanted to get Mary Ann's mother a Mother's Day
gift.
Elvis
pulled the car over and parked right out front of the store they want
to go to. "You're sure you don't want to come with us Elvis?"
they asked him as he nervously fidgeted with the radio dial. "No,
no you two go ahead, I'll wait here!" He answered. "We wont
be long," Bug responded and he and Mary Ann quickly went inside
the store.
Elvis kept
turning the dial searching for song he liked. Then he stopped when he
heard Al Hibbler singing "He".
It was one
of his Mama's favorite songs. He thought of her now, remembering when
she would be sitting in her chair late at night when he got home. He
smiled and sorrow came to him as he softly sang along with the radio.
"He can make the tide...." Mama liked when I sang that to
her.
He thought
about how much he missed her. How she suffered at the end hardly able
to get around. Trips to the hospital. The treatment and the end… when
she spent most of her time in an old chair his Daddy bought for her
when they were first married.
Her sickness wore her
down until it was too much for her heart! A heart that was so full of
love for her boy... that she didn't leave enough to care for herself.
He wished now he had bought her another chair. Why did that come to him
now?
He thought. Once she
talked of one she saw at the furniture store that was near Crown
Electric. He remembered dismissing it and thinking at the time, what
she need was a new car, despite the fact that she didn't drive.
Now he realised that
her times of comfort when he wasn't home, was in that old chair waiting
for him. Oh how he missed her! He whispered "I'm not doing so good
without you Mama...what's the use of trying if I can't share it with
you now!"
The song continued to
play as he thought of her more. "Why didn't I buy her the
chair."
He started weeping
wishing she were still here... "I
should-ah bought her that damn chair!"
Holidays
with Elvis: Christmas | Birthdays
| Fourth of July | Valentine's
Day
Elvis
and Gladys | Elvis'
Biography as told by his Mother | Elvis'
Presley Parents Wedding
Elvis
Family Heritage | Elvis
Family Tree | Elvis
Family Album | Presley
Family Makeovers
19 December 1957: Elvis received his draft notice at Graceland. That Christmas Elvis gave Anita Wood a French poodle and his mother a pink dressing-gown, but no gift could alleviate the pain she felt.
10 March 1958: King Creole ending shooting and Elvis returned to Memphis by train.
24 March 1958: Elvis was inducted into the Army as US soldier number 53310761.
25 March 1958: Elvis was given an Army haircut at Fort Chaffee, Arkansas
by James Peterson while a mass of press photographers snapped the historic moment. Elvis joked, "Hair today, gone
tomorrow.
28 March 1958: During basic training Elvis his mother Gladys every night telling her he was homesick. While playing football Elvis broke is littler finger on his left hand, claiming, ".. it didn't hurt
bad."
5 August 1958: Gladys was taken to Memphis Methodist Hospital. Elvis was granted a leave of absence and rushed to his mother's bedside.
14 August 1958: Gladys Love Presley died of a heart attack in Room 688 Elvis went into a state of shock. He became so distraught that the funeral directors had a difficult time to tear Elvis away from his mother's body. He combed her hair over and over and insisted she be placed in a glass-topped casket so that he could continue to see her.
16 August 1958: Elvis was overwrought at his mother's funeral at Forest Hill Cemetery. Gladys' favourite gospel quarter sang Rock of Ages, In the Garden, "I am Redeemed and Precious Memories. After the funeral Elvis locked himself in Gladys' bedroom for eight days barely eating and refusing to talk to anyone. Weeks later a marker was placed at the grave site that read.
Gladys Smith Presley
April 25 1912 - August 14 1958
Beloved Wife of Vernon Presley
Mother of Elvis Presley
"She was the sunshine of our home"
