Coincidences happen. Yes, they do. But sometimes it goes beyond coincidence into the realm of serendipity. And when it happens twice in the same summer, you realize you just might be onto something.
For example, just the other day, the Tennessee and Arkansas departments of transportation announced the naming of the southernmost bridge across the Mississippi River in Memphis.
On the right, the Harahan Bridge, which features prominently in “Last Bridge to Memphis.“ The newly-named Kings’ Crossing is to the left.
The bridge carrying I-55 across the Mississippi will henceforth be known as Kings’ Crossing. The “Kings” being, Martin Luther King, Jr., B.B. King, and of course, Elvis Presley, the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll.
Now, when I heard the news, the first thing that occurred to me was the fact that as the river flows, this bridge is the literal last bridge to Memphis. Coincidence?
What’s so interesting about all this is the weird inter-dimensional or cross-Elvis-verse aspect of it. It’s alternate-history meets current-day reality. You can’t get much better than that.
A very special comeback
This next piece is even wilder, because as those who’ve read the book will tell you (SPOILER ALERT), Danny, AKA Elvis, makes a sort of on-stage comeback in 1988.
Come to find out, a gentleman named Dwight Icenhower (and where have I heard that name before?) who is an Elvis tribute artist, delivered such a concert in July in Las Vegas. He called it Elvis, The 88 Comeback Special, “a thrilling fantasy concert imagining a world where Elvis Presley lived beyond 1977 [sounds suspiciously like the plot of a book I know] and made a triumphant return to the stage in 1988 for one final, unforgettable farewell.”
So, maybe our Danny didn’t do his performance on such a big stage or with such a big band. But still. It was ’88 and it was a comeback. The concept behind that concert last month is exactly what Danny does at Vapors nightclub in my alternate-history Memphis in December 1988.
Okay, so Dwight, and the folks at the bi-state DOT’s down in the good ol’ Mid-South, fess up. You’ve been peeking at my book, haven’t you? Maybe you’ve gotten yourselves a copy and read it, too. It’s okay to admit to it.
After all, imitation (or is it inspiration) is the sincerest form of flattery.