Well, That's All Right

one 🌹

"ROSE, ROSE! YOU ARE NOT GONNA BELIEVE IT!" Paula whispered while knocking on my window in the middle of the night.
Paula is my best friend. I met her at the beginning of high school, when I had just moved to Barlett, Tennessee. My parents enrolled me into Barlett High School and I had no idea who anyone was. Paula was the outgoing kid who talked to everyone, and she happened to stumble upon me. That was back in 1951 when we were freshmen, now it's 1954 and Paula and I were in the summer before going into our senior year. Ever since we met, we've been inseparable.

"Paula what are you doing here?! It's nearly 2 o'clock in the mornin'! You know my parents don't like it when you do this!" My parents didn't care all that much actually. They loved Paula, sometimes I think more than me. I just didn't like her waking me up all the time.

"Rose it's important! Guess who is gonna be at the Overton Park Shell in the city next week!"
"ROSE. COME. ON. Why do you always wake me up for stupid little things!"
"It's not stupid! Now let me in dummy."

After we stopped yelling in whispering voices, I let her in through my window. She always comes to my window at night, it's like she only remembers the "important" things she has to tell me in then middle of the night. She climbed on my bed and handed me a crumpled up piece of paper she had tucked in her bra. I un-crumpled it and it was a poster. The header was "SLIM WHITMAN - LIVE! IN CONCERT!"

"Why are you showing me this?" I asked. I don't listen to him at all, my parents make me listen to their old classical music. "Paula, you know I don't listen to him all that much."
"Rose are you blind! Look under the header." She said.

It read, "with Elvis Presley and many more."

"Yeah? So? Who is Elvis Presley?" I asked again.
"Oh my god Rose! Do you live under a rock or somethin'?" She continued to look at me like I was stupid while she popped her bubble gum. How the heck did she always have bubble gum?

"Well jeez Paula! Who is it then?"
She started singing to me, "Well, that's all right mama, that's all right for you.. Ring a bell, Rose?" She said.
"Ohhhh! That guy." I said. Still not understanding much. All I knew was they played "That's All Right (Mama)" by Elvis Presley on the radio almost everyday for the past two weeks. The first day they released the song they played it on WHBQ radio station over 20 times in three hours. Well, that was what I heard at least. My parents don't let me listen to Dewey Philips, the man on WHBQ. They say he's insane or something.
I had no idea why everyone made such a big fuss over this song. People called it a new style of music, but I had no idea what they were talking about. All I know is my parents' old classical records.

"What's so special about him anyways?" I asked.
"Well word around school says he's the most handsome man you'll ever lay your eyes on!" She exclaimed.
"I think I'll be the judge of that!" I joked.

I read the rest of the crumpled poster that was in my hands. "July 30th, 8 o'clock, Don't miss it! GENERAL ADMISSION: $1.00 per seat. At the Overton Park Shell in Memphis, TN."

"Okay wise guy, how am I supposed to get into the city to see the concert? There's no way my parents would let me." I said. It was true. My parents are very strict and don't let me go anywhere. They don't even want me listening to the radio for God sakes! It's kinda ironic they love Paula so much, considering she is THE rebel without a cause.

"Don't be silly Rose, Danny will take us." She said, shrugging her shoulders.

Danny is Paula's boyfriend, and he has a pretty rough life at home, with both parents being drunks. He's rarely ever home because of it. He's always out and about with Paula or getting into trouble with the fuzz, but not too much, or else his mom would treat him worse than she already does.
Danny looks real tough. So nobody really messes with him, they know not to. I guess you could say everyone at school loves him, there's really no reason not to. I always thought Danny was a looker, but my parents don't like him one bit because they know the trouble he gets into. Plus, Paula and Danny have been dating for what seems like forever, I always call them Bonnie and Clyde. He keeps Paula always wanting to live on the edge.

"Paula you know my parents don't like Danny." I said.
"Jeez Rose! Where is your head? Just tell your parents you're coming to my house for dinner, and then wa-lah, Danny will pick us up and take us to the concert, no sweat honey. You're acting like you never snuck out with me or somethin'."
"Okay. I guess I'll go." I said willingly. I hope everything goes alright.