Curing the Blues with a New Pair of Shoes Page 22

  “Hi,” Avery said, looking into his eyes, her gaze stopping on his lips.

  “Hi, yourself,” he said, grinning.

  “Did you get the bad guy locked up?”

  “Locked up and we threw away the key. He kept saying he didn’t know anything about the shoes and maybe he doesn’t. It didn’t matter anyway, because there was an outstanding warrant for his arrest from Louisiana.”

  Avery cuddled closer to him. “I’m glad you’re back and that you’re safe. I was worried about you.”

  “And I’m glad you’re safe,” he said kissing the tip of her nose.

  Debbie Sue and Edwina reentered the gym with Maudeen between them. She hadn’t said two words going back to the center. She stared out the window, lost in her own thoughts.

  Looking up into the stands, Debbie Sue nudged Edwina and pointed in the direction of Sam and Avery. The pair was sharing one kiss after another. If they weren’t in love now, they were certainly on their way.

  The music had stopped and couples on the dance floor began filtering into the stands, each jockeying for the best seat with a clear view of the stage. Maudeen took her place of honor at the front, center stage, with the other judges. Debbie Sue had called Judd and he had brought over the plastic display case and placed it on a table in front of the microphone. Maudeen carefully placed the shoes inside and now they were displayed where they belonged.

  The throng of people cheered at the sight of the shoes. The tension previously felt in the gym melted away as the evening they had traveled and hoped for started.

  As each impersonator took the stage, he stooped and rubbed the shoe display case for good luck, but good luck wasn’t needed. Every performance was beyond good, the best any audience outside of Las Vegas would ever see.

  The audience, held rapt by the entertainment, showed its appreciation with gusto, whistling and shouting for more. Women screamed Elvis’s name and jumped up and down in hysteria.

  Debbie Sue stood with Edwina, clapping and shouting along with everyone else. At one point she put her hand in her pocket and withdrew a piece of paper. It was the label from the package in which the shoes had been sent. She had forgotten stuffing it into her pocket.

  She studied the sender’s words, still puzzled over who he was and how the shoes came to be in Salt Lick. The pronunciation of the last name had plagued her all day. The operator at the information center for the phone company had pronounced it several different ways. She stared at the piece of paper and much like a piece of stereogram art that produces hidden pictures once your eyes refocus, the name took on a new structure.

  As dawning came, Debbie Sue felt a weakness in her knees. Her head started spinning and she feared she was close to fainting. “Ed,” she breathed. “Ed, I gotta sit down.”

  Edwina looked at her, concern showing in her eyes. “Debbie Sue, are you all right? You look like you’ve seen a ghost. What’s wrong?”

  Debbie Sue dropped heavily onto a seat. She dug inside her purse with a trembling hand, produced a pen and scribbled on the shipping label. She handed it to Edwina and waited.

  “Oh, my God.” Tears rimmed Edwina’s eyes and she eased down to sit, too, struggling to catch her breath. The shipping label that now had letters scratched out and moved around, floated to the gym floor, face up for all to see: I AM ELVIS.

  “That’s what it says, Edwina,” Debbie Sue said. “That’s what Sielvami means.”

  The old man stood just under the bleachers, hidden from spectators whose attention was centered on the stage. His blues eyes brimmed with moisture. His silver hair, worn in a longer style than most men his age, was combed carefully, his clothing flashy but still tasteful and expensive.

  The young impersonators were giving it their all. Hips grinding, knees flexing and displaying talent in their movements and voices as well. He couldn’t remember when he’d had a better evening, but it was nearing the end and it was time for him to go. After a few more minutes, he turned to leave.

  A second man stood just behind him, his posture straight as a board, hands in front, one of his hands clasping the wrist of the other. He moved to the older gentleman’s side. “I’ve already called for the car, sir.”

  “Thanks, Tony. I hate to leave, but I guess it’s time we got back to the airport.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  Laying his withered hand on the arm offered by the younger man, the two walked undetected to the exit.

  “Stay here, sir,” the younger man said. “I’ll get the door for you.”

  The older man watched as Tony trotted to the waiting black limo and opened the back door.

  A teenage boy entering the gym jogged past the older man and stopped. “That’s a sweet ride,” the teenager called out as the older man neared the limo.

  The older man turned slowly and gave the young man a lopsided grin that revealed what might have been a handsome face at one time.

  “Thank ya. Thank ya ver’ much.”

  Epilogue

  Following the Elvis celebration Salt Lick returned to normal. Debbie Sue and Edwina continued styling hair, doing manicures and catching cheating lovers. They added another solved mystery to their growing list.

  Avery confessed to Sam that she had left his SUV with a flat tire in the Love Field parking lot. Sam was so smitten, he couldn’t bring himself to be angry. They continued to date when they returned to the Fort Worth/Dallas Metroplex. They caught the attention of both newspapers when Sam dropped to his knee during the intermission of a Mavericks basketball game and proposed to Avery. She accepted and they returned to live in Salt Lick, where they had met and made so many good friends.

  Sam took a job coaching baseball and teaching in the Salt Lick high school, and Avery went to work teaching journalism in the Odessa school system. Eventually, they bought the Salt Lick newspaper, the Salt Lick Weekly Reporter.

  Etta Jo experienced a full recovery from her stroke and no longer gave a weather prediction at the end of each sentence. All of her friends agreed she wasn’t nearly as interesting or as much fun to talk to.

  The Hogg family business was saved. Not only did the mysterious Adolph Sielvami of Las Vegas not file a lawsuit, he sent a note saying that the shoes were to be given to Maudeen Wiley. He had proof of the handwritten note’s authenticity and felt it his responsibility to comply with the late Mr. Presley’s wishes. No one noticed that the stamp on the letter had not been cancelled by the postal service.

  Maudeen kept Elvis’s blue suede shoes. She stored them in the clear case in which they had been displayed, in the bedroom of her apartment. She was the most popular senior citizen at the Peaceful Oasis, charging one dollar for anyone who wanted to view the personal gift from the King of Rock ’n’ Roll.

  She never told Debbie Sue and Edwina that the name “Sielvami” was one often used by Elvis when he wanted to make a reservation and remain undetected.

  No one in Salt Lick, including the Hogg family, ever heard from the Las Vegas museum curator once the shoes became Maudeen’s, but several people swore they saw a tall elderly gentleman, with long silver hair, wearing a black cape and walking with a cane, leaving the Peaceful Oasis on more than one night. He always got into a long stretch limousine and was whisked away into the darkness.

  Some thought it was a doctor making an emergency visit to the elderly residents, some thought a long-distance relative was dropping by while in the area, others confessed they didn’t know and Maudeen?…Well, Maudeen just smiled.

  A+ AUTHOR INSIGHTS, EXTRAS, & MORE…

  FROM DIXIE CASH AND AVON A

  Elvis Really Did Waltz Across Texas!

  Perhaps few fans of Elvis, even the most ardent, are aware that Texas was one of the more widely traveled concert paths for him in his career’s infancy.

  Texas had few large cities in the early fifties, so the majority of his performances occurred in small rural towns. During those lean years he played in every kind of location, not just in Texas, but all over the South. He presented his
music at unlikely places, such as car dealerships and the beds of flatbed trailers, not to mention countless high-school gymnasiums and auditoriums, including the one in the town where half of Dixie grew up and went to high school.

  While most think of him as an overnight success, the process of his name becoming a household word spanned several years. He traveled from place to place, night after night, with barely enough time to rest between shows. He endured constant automobile breakdowns and swore that when he made it big he would have enough cars that he would never find himself needing one. And he kept that vow.

  Being a fledgling musician of the South, his deepest desire was to perform at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee. When the dream was finally realized, he was only mildly received by an audience that had come to hear “hillbilly” music. He was crushed. He was told by a stage manager at the Opry to “go back to truck driving.” How different the world of music would have been if he had followed that advice. The very music, moves and onstage antics that repelled fans of country music back then are demanded and expected by the throngs of country fans today.

  Poor Elvis was always out of step, or perhaps he was ahead of his time. He was taunted and made fun of in grade school for his timid nature and slight stutter. He was devoted to his mother and suffered ridicule from his peers who didn’t see that as “manly” behavior.

  When hairstyles were buzzed and burred, he grew his long. When the teen and young-men fashion of the times was jeans and button-down shirts, Elvis wore gold lamé and purple—and for heaven’s sake, let’s not forget the blue suede shoes.

  He wore “bling” before the word was coined. He was the rock in the roll, the reason we were “all shook up.” But perhaps most important of all—he was cool. He was way cool. He was and will always be one of the most beautiful creatures to have shared this earth with mere mortals, and sadly, he left too soon.

  Thank you, Elvis. Thank you very much.

  In previous books, we’ve mentioned the “Advice to the Lovelorn” column Edwina writes for the Salt Lick Weekly Reporter. Since the column has been so well received by the citizens of Salt Lick, Edwina continues to purvey sagely advice to those fighting the battle of the sexes. Following are some recent examples from her columns:

  Dear Domestic Equalizers,

  I’ve never seen a female rodeo bullfighter, so I presume there are none. I’m thinking of breaking rank and becoming one. What do you think of my decision?

  Thanks,

  Tough Enough to Roll with the Big Boys

  Dear You Just Think You Are,

  My advice to you is to take a picture of your face sitting on top of your shoulders because the next time you see it, it’ll be peeking out of your butt. If you’re interested, I can recommend a good camera.

  Good luck,

  Edwina Perkins-Martin

  My Dear Ms. Perkins-Martin,

  To my utter dismay my company has transferred me from Chicago to West Texas. I’m finding it increasingly difficult to acclimate myself to the deplorable landscape and to fit in with the provincial society. I pine for the arts and cultural functions, i.e., the theatre, the ballet and the museums. Particularly bewildering to me is the attraction my female peers have for a social group labeled “cowboys.” I find this rather intriguing and seek your expertise in explaining this cowboy phenomenon to me.

  Anxiously awaiting your reply,

  Missing the Windy City

  Dear Windy,

  First off, I only understood about half of what you wrote. (And people think we West Texans talk funny?)

  What I think I read is that you’re homesick and miss the good times you had before. Well don’t get your panties in a wad, hon. The West Texas Fair and Rodeo, the Marburger Farm Antique Show, Toad Holler Creekfest and the Chicken & Bread Days Heritage Festival will all be starting soon. Texas is a big place. There’s always something entertaining going on somewhere.

  As for why do we females love cowboys? Hell, how do you explain a cat’s love for catnip, a dog’s craving for a bone? There are just things in life that have no clear explanation, so you just accept them and go from there.

  And Don’t Mess with Texas!

  Edwina Perkins-Martin

  P.S. You wrote that you pine for cultural functions? I’m not sure what you’ve got in mind, but if you want pine trees, you’ll have to go over to East Texas. They’ve got pine trees over there. Around here we’ve pretty much got mesquite trees, scrub oaks and a few cactuses.

  Dear Mrs. Perkins-Martin,

  My husband and I are part of a swingers’ group. (That’s spouse swapping, if you will.) I recently had the opportunity to see Mrs. Overstreet’s husband, Texas Ranger James Russell Overstreet, in the performance of his duty and I really liked what I saw. I know that you and Mrs. Overstreet are friends. Would you be willing to approach her and ask her if she and her luscious husband are interested in joining our group?

  Dawn “I’ll-Touch-Yours-if-

  You’ll-Touch-Mine” Hunter

  Dear You’d Be a Fool To Try,

  In the spirit of my column and to show that I’m a modern-thinking woman, I did put on a suit of armor and ask Debbie Sue Overstreet if she had an interest in joining your group. Following is her reply:

  “I don’t believe in sharing, especially when it comes to my husband. I’m the only female who will ever touch Buddy-fuckin’ Overstreet! So, thanks, but no thanks. You and your husband just keep on swinging and while you’re at it, swing away from me and my hometown. And on an added note, if I catch you touching what’s mine, you’ll be picking hair out of your teeth for a month.”

  So there you have Mrs. Overstreet’s answer. Thanks for writing and don’t let me hear from you again.

  Debbie Sue Overstreet’s best friend,

  Edwina Perkins-Martin

  As we’ve also mentioned often, Edwina’s husband, Vic, is a fabulous cook and Debbie Sue’s still learning. Here’s Vic’s recipe for armadillo eggs, as served to Avery in the preceding story.

  FLAMING-HOT ARMADILLO EGGS

  24 fresh, medium-sized jalapeno peppers

  1 lb. mild pork sausage

  2 cups biscuit mix

  1 16-oz. pkg. shredded cheddar cheese

  1 tbsp. crushed red pepper flakes

  1 tbsp. garlic salt

  dash cayenne pepper

  1 16-oz. pkg. Monterey jack cheese, cubed

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

  2. Slit one side of each jalapeno pepper. Remove and discard the seeds and as much of the pulp as possible. Trim off the stems and set aside.

  3. Combine sausage, biscuit mix, cheddar cheese, pepper flakes and seasonings in large bowl. Mix well.

  4. Insert one or two cubes of Monterey jack cheese into each pepper. Pinch off a portion of the sausage mixture and shape it around each pepper in an egg shape, enclosing it completely. Arrange the eggs on a greased baking sheet and bake 25 minutes, until lightly browned.

  (A note and a caution from Debbie Sue: These are really good if you use ranch dressing as a dip and lots of ice-cold beer to put out the fire. Be sure to thoroughly wash your hands after handling the pepper seeds. I learned this the hard way.)

  Texas Trivia

  Here are a few little-known facts about Texas.

  Distance and Space:

  From Beaumont to El Paso, the distance is 742 miles. From Beaumont to Chicago: 770 miles.

  El Paso is closer to California than to Dallas.

  The King Ranch in South Texas is larger than Rhode Island.

  Weather:

  The worst natural disaster in U.S. history occurred in 1900, caused by a hurricane in which more than 8,000 lives were lost on Galveston Island.

  Tropical storm Claudette brought a U.S. rainfall record of 43 inches in 24 hours in and around Alvin in July 1979.

  Firsts:

  The world’s first rodeo occurred in Pecos, Texas, on July 4, 1883.

  The first domed stadium in the U.S. was the Astrodome, in Houston. />
  The first word spoken from the moon, July 20, 1969, was Houston.

  History:

  Texas was the only state to enter the United States by treaty (known as the Constitution of 1845 by the Republic of Texas to enter the Union) instead of by annexation. This treaty allows the Texas flag to fly at the same height as the U.S. flag, and further allows Texas to divide into five states.

  Texas has had six capital cities: Washington-on-the-Brazos, Harrisburg, Galveston, Velasco, West Columbia and Austin.

  Dr Pepper was invented in Waco, Texas, in 1885. There is no period in Dr Pepper. Dublin, Texas, has the oldest and only Dr Pepper bottling company that is still working and producing the original Dr Pepper.