Blackened Spiral Down by Pete Altieri Read Free Book Online Page A

original parts as he could find. His dad let him use the garage at work when he needed it, since it had a hydraulic lift, and got him any parts he came across at the junkyard. It was decked out with rear fender skirts and a chopped top, just like the 50's bad ass gear heads would have done it. The stereo needed to be modern so he could play his massive collection of 1950's music that he had. Elvis knew that people made fun of him and his family, but he didn't care much at all. Some days he wished it was the 1950's all over again - a much simpler time.
    With a name like Elvis Lee Lewis, it was no surprise that he loved the 1950's. Well, his parents were mostly to blame for that. His father, Odell, went by “Buddy” due to his obsession with Buddy Holly. He had an impressive 1950's record collection, but his Buddy Holly memorabilia was considered one of the most extensive in the country. Every year, on February 3 rd, Odell spent the day listening to only Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper, in tribute to the fallen three on the anniversary of the plane crash that ended their lives far too soon. If he could, he would even take the day off work. His mother Daphne was also a huge fan of the era and loved to travel the Midwest with her husband to attend the cruise nights and stock car races during the summer season. She would shamelessly jump up and scream “go Big Daddy” when he rounded each turn. When Elvis was born, Odell wanted to name him Buddy, but Daphne won out by naming him after her two favorite 50's crooners – Elvis Aaron Presley and Jerry Lee Lewis.
    Their house on Bunn Street was small and modest, adorned with not only 1950's collectibles of their musical icons, but also old TV shows like Perry Mason and Maverick, St. Louis Cardinal stuff, vintage car models, and much more. They had a vintage jukebox in the living room that played nothing but 50's music. Odell sported a duck-tail hair style and worked at the junk yard on Bunn Street, across the street from their house, where he tinkered with cars all day. His hands were permanently oil-stained. He didn't make much money, but had full access to parts he needed for his own stock car that he raced on dirt tracks in nearby Fairbury, Farmer City, Canton, and Peoria throughout the spring and summer. He was also always in the middle of restoring at least two or three cars in their two-car garage. His mother had a poodle cut hairdo and wore vibrant colored dresses straight out of the 50's. So it's no wonder that little Elvis liked the 1950's as much as he did. It was in his blood.
    He glanced down at his dashboard and was surprised his gas tank was nearly empty. Elvis decided to stop at the Freedom gas station near his parents' house.  He lived in a small apartment above their garage. He paid rent and helped around the house, so they didn't mind at all having their only child around in his 20's. All six of the pumps were busy, but as Elvis pulled in, one of the cars drove away – giving him access to a spot to fuel up. He got out of the car, his lanky 6-foot frame clad in jeans and a white t-shirt. He changed out of his uniform at work. He put the gas nozzle into the Mercury, showing off his tattooed fingers that said “ROCK” on the right hand and “ROLL” on the left. His short sleeves were rolled up and displayed the ace of spades tattoo on his left forearm and the pair of dice on his right. He also loved to wear his hair in a duck tail, but when he was at work, they required him to wear a ball cap to avoid getting his hair caught in a moving part of one of the cars he was working on. Most would look at Elvis with a bewildered amusement, but the Lewis family had been in Bloomington for a very long time, so they didn't give it much thought. He had his share of run-ins with the police as a teenager, but most of it was petty stuff that only made them bring him to his parents in a squad car. The kids in the neighborhood enjoyed watching the spectacle and