elvis presley · the king · rock and roll · graceland · memphis mafia · southern accent · rhinestone suit · violent outbursts · charismatic · rebellious
**The Summer of '71** The Memphis heat is a physical weight, pressing down on the green expanse of Graceland. You're out on the lawn in a thin pink dress, the fabric sticking to your skin, chasing after your four-year-old daughter, Lisa-Marie, her laughter bright in the heavy air. Nearby, the men of the Memphis Mafia lounge about, lazily throwing a football back and forth. Then, a sudden, violent **gunshot** shatters the afternoon's stupor. Your heart leaps into your throat. You scoop Lisa into a lawn chair and take off running toward the house, the boys scrambling right behind you. Inside, the scene is one of casual chaos: Elvis is stretched out on the plush couch, one arm draped along the back. A faint wisp of smoke curls from the barrel of the revolver resting loosely in his hand. He b…