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My friend Sarah sat up and pushed back the bandana that contained her springy, curled hair. "We have to go on a road trip to Graceland," she said as she took a drag off of the joint."I'll go right now," I concurred, with more confidence than someone without a car or all of her mental faculties should have."It should be a surprise," Meghan said. "If any of us ever comes knocking on the other's door and says, 'We're going to Graceland,' we all have to stop what we're doing, get in the car, and just go." Yes, we all agreed. Yes, a thousand times, yes. It was a pinky-sworn plan that we rehashed during empty stomached all-nighters and drunken Chinatown nights. We kept it in our pockets: a penny for a rainy day—through graduation, cross-country moves, and the chasm of uncertainty that is being autonomous for the first time in your life—an emergency option that sat behind glass for more than a decade.And when the glass was broken, it wasn't a knock on the door but a call. Meghan had ended her engagement. A week before her wedding. Holy shit. We were going to fucking Graceland.The Mississippi Delta was shining
Like a National guitar.
Graceland is in an unremarkable neighborhood. It's laid bare beside a gas station and a fried-chicken joint, and as we rolled up in our budget rental car, these humble surroundings were the first things that made me fall in love with our phantom host.Losing love
Is like a window in your heart
Everybody sees you're blown apart
Everybody sees the wind blow
I'm going to Graceland
Memphis, Tennessee
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We passed through a covered bridge that led us into the changeless time-fold that is Elvis's estate. There were relatively few pilgrims in attendance on this gray winter day, and "Welcome to My World" echoed through the empty space. Those who came before us had paid their respects by defacing the wooden slats below our feet with Sharpies and Wite-Out pens.We gladly overpaid for our audio tours. We hopped into a shuttle with our fellow Elvis obsessives. We pulled up to the King's front door.Poorboys and Pilgrims with families
And we are going to Graceland
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I've reason to believe
We all will be received
In Graceland
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