Elvis Presley---------------Can It Be True

Good Lord, Elvis Presley died 41 years ago on August 16th. That's a long time ago. Yours truly was 31 years old, a young punk if you will. I even remember where I was at the time

My vehicle was curb parked in front of the home of one of my high school basketball players from Davenport Assumption High School in Iowa. I was listening to a Chicago Cubs baseball game on WGN radio out of Chicago and the announcer was Lou Boudreau. He made the announcement while the game was in progress. Okay, read this again. Aren't you impressed I remember these details?

I was listening to the Glenn Beck radio show this morning and Glenn and his sidekick mentioned 'flash bulb' memories; historical moments that allow us to recall events that are significant in our lives in detail. For example, where were you when JFK was shot and you first heard about it? How about the planes flying into the World Trade Center.

According to Beck some such source stated 60% of what we recall is bogus. I don't know about you but my memory is outstanding when it comes to dramatic events. I first heard about Kennedy's assassination at Boone High School. I had just arrived at the walkway to get to the second floor. One of my classmates uttered these words, "I'm glad". He's still a friend of mine but at the time 'torqued off' didn't adequately describe my feelings toward him.

The really weird aspect of this conversation is I remember historical events better than I remember the birth of my children. That's sad. I do remember when my daughter was born in January of 1971 in Storm Lake, Iowa. I was sitting in the waiting room with another man, a farmer from the area. He already had nine daughters. The nurse came in and told him he had another daughter and I thought, "what an unlucky sap.

A half hour later the nurse came to me and announced I was the proud pappy of a baby girl and I felt like the luckiest man in the world. And that's the truth.