Blue Moon of Kentucky

Chapter 5

Elvis and Loretta both handed in their essays, rather pleased with themselves until Mr. Benson gave both a C- and criticized Elvis for reaching too high and Loretta for reaching too low. Loretta ranted for the entire duration of their recess that day. What did Mr. Benson think a girl from Butcher Holler would want to do with her life? What was wrong with getting married? Did he want her to go to finishing school like a rich lady in the movies? Elvis didn't so much care about Mr. Benson's comment, or the grade for that matter.

The weeks wore on and slowly but surely it began to feel more like fall than summer.

Mr. Benson seemed to get worse with every passing day. One day he ranted at Roger for close to twenty minutes about how he was going to be nothing but a coal miner. He called little Donald Webb a donkey, which got not just Loretta, but also Herman, Jay Lee and his cousin Marie riled up. Elvis dreaded going to school but tried his best not to show his mother. He didn't tell her half of what Mr. Benson did at school and made sure that Loretta and the other Webb children didn't either.

The Presley's continued to go to church in the mountains rather than in Paintsville. His parents finally got to meet their neighbors and cautiously befriended some of them. Elvis had gotten some amount of acceptance from his male classmates now that Gladys no longer walked him to school. They would play baseball with him at recess and on Sunday's after school now, though one couldn't call any of the boys close friends.

He wouldn't admit it to anyone, but Loretta was probably his best friend now. Sometimes she would come over after school or on the weekends and they would listen to the radio and sing along.

They were halfway through October when Elvis woke up to the sound of whipping wind outside. The storm picked up, speedy winds howling against the shaking windows. Hail fell intermixed with freezing rain and a few flakes of snow desperately trying to make their appearance known.

It wouldn't last until the morning, he knew, but he thought of little Donald who still didn't have shoes. His feet would most certainly be frozen by the time he made it to the school house.

Elvis slipped out of bed and slowly eased the door open. There was a slight creak, which he cringed at. He looked down the hall at his parents bedroom, his eyes having adjusted to the darkness already. The door appeared to be firmly closed. So Elvis walked back into the room, grabbed his radio and threw his blanket over his head. His fingers groped at the controls until he managed to turn the radio on.

The Opry had signed off by now, but the Midnight Jamboree was on.

Elvis didn't remember falling asleep, for next thing he knew, he woke and the storm was raging still. He glanced outside the window, unsure whether it was morning or still the middle of the night. The radio, having long ran out of batteries, crackled until he turned it off. For a while he just lay there. Elvis wasn't certain how much time had passed when the door was slipped open and his mother walked in. She bestowed him with a smile upon noting that he was awake.

"Hey, baby," Gladys said. "I didn't know that you was up. You better go on back to sleep cause you ain't goin' out there to go to school."

Elvis swallowed. Mr. Benson was going to kill him if he didn't show up. And besides that, Loretta was going to come for him and he promised her that he would help her at school. His mother's tone brooked no disagreement though. She made up her mind and she wasn't going to let him go out there unless the weather magically improved in a very short time frame.

Figuring that he was awake already, Elvis got up, dressed and ate dry bread soaked in milk for breakfast. He just about polished off his second bowl when the insistent knocking on the door began. Elvis jumped up along with his mother and followed her.