A 12-Year-Old Girl's Eight-Hour Car Chase to Get Elvis' Photo at a Gas Station

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And this next story comes to us from a listener in Colorado Patty Kings Baker and well take a listen to this one. It was back in 1962 I was 12 and my brother who was 10 years older than me was getting out of the Air Force and he was in California so he had made a deal with me you know if my grades are really good that he would fly me out to California and that I could drive back with him cross country when he got out of the Air Force. So and of course I was just beside myself thinking oh my God we're going to go to Disneyland and I'm going to get to see Hollywood and Hollywood Boulevard and the stars and you know it's a 12 year old I I just I figured if you went to Hollywood you were going to see movie stars. Anyway so I flew out and we spent a couple of days in L.A. we went and saw all the stars on Hollywood Boulevard in fact it was Thanksgiving it was around Thanksgiving time.

He took me to dinner at this restaurant in Hollywood that was really famous at the time they actually brought a phone to our table so that I could call my mom and say happy things. I was like I mean for a 12 year old they bring a phone to the table then I looked across the room and I saw I went I know that guy it was Jesse White who at the time was the Maytag guy so you know that was my first celebrity sighting. But we went to Disneyland and the whole day we were there you know I mean Jesse White wasn't exactly up to where I you know I wanted to see somebody like Annette okay or Frankie Avalon. And so when we were at Disneyland the whole day my brother would go oh there's Annette and I'd go where where and of course he was just yanking my chain they weren't there. And he kept doing that to me and I would get all excited and you know no celebrities and so but we had a great time at Disneyland and then we hit the road and we had spent the night in Needles, California.

So we got up really early went to the gas station to gas up to head out and the gas station was kind of crowded which I really didn't notice at the time but there was a trailer pulling a horse and there was a big like Winnebago type thing. And so but I'm sitting in the passenger seat and my brother comes back to the car and he goes get out of the car Elvis Presley is standing over there. And I'm like yeah right I mean I'm not gonna fall for that again and he goes I swear to you get out of the car Elvis Presley is standing over there.

So I'm like I look out of the car and sure enough standing there in black pants and this shirt and this scarf around is Elvis Presley. So I grab a piece of paper and I get out of the car and I go over I can't speak I'm like I'm standing in the presence of royalty. And he just kind of smiles and I'm standing there with my pen and paper and he said did you want me to sign that for you?

And I said yes please. So he asked me what my name was I said Patty. So he wrote to Patty I still have it to this day. Loving Kisses Elvis. And I got back in the car and I mean my heart was just pounding and he got back in the Winnebago and what it was it was there was a Cadillac limousine the Winnebago and then there was a another car pulling the horse. And in each of those there were two chauffeurs with you know these overalls with EP on there you know and so they kind of took off and then the guy there was this guy who stayed to pay their gas bill and he turned out to be Colonel Parker. So my brother started talking to him and he said yeah that Elvis had just finished filming this film Viva Las Vegas and that they were heading back to Memphis.

He was just really nice. Anyway we got in the car and they took off and I said to my brother I got a picture. I said you've got to follow them.

You've got to follow them. I need a picture. So in the meantime I put rollers in my hair. I'm 12 you know and we followed them for hours and sure enough they start pulling into another gas station. And when my brother used to tell this story he goes rollers were going everywhere all over the car and you know I'm brushing my hair and trying to just look perfect for Elvis. And so I got out of the car when we got to this gas station and I went up to one of the guys with the overalls and the EP and I said could I please get a picture of Elvis. He said well we don't have any. And I said oh no I have a camera.

I'll take the picture. And he was just kind of snotty. He just said you know Mr. Presley doesn't get his picture taken like that. And I'm like so I get back in the car. Of course now I've got crocodile tears. I have followed Elvis for hours trying to get this picture.

And nothing would upset my brother more than his little sister having crocodile tears. And so all of a sudden Elvis got out of the Winnebago again. So my brother got out of the car and he said hey Elvis. And he goes yeah. And he goes can I get a picture of you with my sister.

He goes sure. And so I'm like trying to dry my tears and I'm getting out of the car and I walk over there and he put his arm around me and he said hey haven't I seen you somewhere before. And I went yeah a couple hours ago at another gas station. So we did get the picture. Of course back in those days you know it was with a little instamatic camera. And my brother only took one picture instead of several. And he was so nervous that it is a little blurry.

But I do have the picture and I do have the autograph. And what a great story from Patty Kingsbaker. And boy she recalls that like it was yesterday.

And I can bet her brother was shaken like a leaf taking that picture. By the way we broadcast just an hour south of Memphis in a beautiful town called Oxford Mississippi. To the east to below Elvis's birthplace is an hour away.

And to the north well Graceland is an hour away. And I don't think it's an accident that our American Stories comes from a place not far from where Elvis was born and where he died. Patty Kingsbakers story a beautiful story and how Elvis treated her my goodness just beautiful. Both of their stories here on Our American Stories. Folks if you love the great American Stories we tell and love America like we do we're asking you to become a part of the Our American Stories family. If you agree that America is a good and great country please make a donation. A monthly gift of seventeen dollars and seventy six cents is fast becoming a favorite option for supporters. Go to Our American Stories dot com now and go to the donate button and help us keep the great American Stories coming.

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