Prologue - Getting the Assignment

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You all know me and how much I love Elvis and time travel. With that said, here's another story! Enjoy!

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"Wait, you want me to actually go to Memphis and get my story?"

I tried to comprehend what my middle-aged boss Mr. Strauss was asking of me. "Yes," he said. "What better place to get a story on Elvis than in Memphis, Tennessee during Elvis Week? The people you need to speak to will be there, and you will be able to immerse yourself in everything that is Elvis Presley."

I had been working for this online paper for ten years, and never had I been asked to go on this long or this far of a work trip before. "And the people I need to talk to are not available to talk on the phone or through a Zoom call?"

Mr. Strauss leaned back in his large brown leather desk chair and creased his brows in confusion. "Rebecca, are you honestly saying no to an experience of a lifetime? This is Elvis Week, the biggest week that I think this whole country sees during the year. It's practically a holiday down there in Memphis."

I uncrossed my legs under my plum-purple pencil skirt, wondering how to tell him this. "It's not that I'm saying no, it's just... me? Why not asked Sherry? She loves Elvis. I never really listened to his music or watched his movies. I've only seen a couple of them thanks to my grandmother. She was obsessed with him."

"Well, now's your opportunity to learn more about the King of Rock 'n' Roll." He leaned forward, placing clasped hands on his desk, his blue-gray eyes serious. "Rebecca, you are one of our finest writers, and you are the best at getting information. That's why I'm asking you to do this."

I pursed my lips. He had given me these kind of complements before, and he used them whenever he really wanted me to do something. I nodded, giving in. "Okay. I'll go. But I hope you're paying for the plane ticket. Memphis is over 2,000 miles away."

"Yes, the company will pay for your flight, to and from, as well as your hotel. You'll be staying at the Guest House at Graceland on Elvis Presley Boulevard in Memphis."

"Psh..." I mumbled, amused. "Really? Elvis Presley Boulevard?"

"Yes. The hotel is actually just down the road from the Graceland Mansion, Elvis's house."

I gave him a sly look. "You've been there before, haven't you?"

"I have. I mainly wanted to go to please my wife since she's an Elvis fan. I rather enjoyed his car collection. Make sure you take a look while you're there."

"But I'm not going to write about the cars."

"You're writing a summary of the King's life, and cars were definitely a part of his life. He owned about 200 of them, but only a small fraction of that is in the museum."

He rose his brows, indicating that he had a point in the car aspect of Elvis's life. "Okay, I'll check it out, as well as the Graceland Mansion."

"Good girl. Now off you go. I'll book your ticket and e-mail you your itinerary. I plan to have you leave on Friday."

Two days. "Doesn't give me much time to prepare, does it?"

"That's plenty of time to. It won't take you two days to pack, right?" I said nothing to that. "Okay, off you go."

He made the shooing gesture with his hand, and I smirked in slight amusement and left his office. He did that shooing thing all the time. Once I made it back to my desk through the office and my coworkers were walking about or busy at their own cubicles, I sat in mine and let out a sigh in exasperation. "Well, off to Memphis I go. This should be interesting."

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