Elvis in Winter
Elvis in Winter
The Elvis impersonator that waves the sign for “Joe the Jeweler Buys Gold” is gaining weight. There is snow piled up all around and his ski cap is pulled down past his sideburns.
While still on The Daily Show, Steven Colbert interviewed this Elvis, pointing out in his dry way, that he was singing into a magic marker and making other points about this singular individual. I love humor, and have misused it more than I want to consider, but news programs, especially fake ones especially fake ones I like, should make fun of politicians and celebrities and not strip bare those of us who need our layers.
A makeshift Elvis outfit, the sunglasses, sideburns and most of the hair rounds out the look. His minimized gyrations on Rt 38 didn’t stop traffic, but neither does his pitch for “Joe the Jeweler Buys Gold”. Joe probably gives him a paycheck of sorts.
In the summer, he is usually in front of Weber’s on Rt 38, posing and singing to the traffic, his mother used to sit in a lawn chair suggesting what poses to strike. Someone gave him an old microphone, I don’t think it mattered to his mom. Traffic would go by, some would honk and wave.
I don’t see his mom with him anymore. I wonder if she’s too old now or the weather’s too bad or worse.
This Elvis makes me wonder. How do we latch on to who we are? How do we define ourselves? What leeway do we have? How can we change and move on? Why can’t some of us negotiate our outcome or change our narrative? And how blessed are those that can?
It’s hard to strike a pose wearing a sandwich board. It’s like selling out: I’ll practice my art and do what you want also and get paid But art doesn’t work that way. Whether it’s one of the Wyeths, the Beatles or this Elvis. Singing into a magic marker on Rt 38 is one thing: wearing a sandwich board and singing is another.
