There
really is a lot to see and do in Memphis but like in most cities,
except maybe New York, San Francisco and Chicago, you will hear "We are
10 years behind times" and "Culterally we stink" and yet they have the
Brooks Museum, the largest and oldest fine arts collection in Tennessee,
The Pink Palace, where you can explore the culture and history of the
city and State not to forget the Piggly Wiggly stores in the 'house,
that Clarence Saunders owned, Theatre Memphis, Circuit
Playhouse/Playhouse On The Square, Overton Park, University of Memphis,
concerts in Overton Park , a Symphoney Orchestra , the Dixon Gallery and public gardens , a
refurbished Orpheum theatre presenting Broadway touring companies and
concerts--the list goes on and on but I want to talk about a few of the
places I mentioned.

I
saw Gig Young at the University of Memphis in "Long Day's Journey Into
Night" which is  long show in 4 acts. Sadly Young was deep into his
alcoholism and near the end of his life and the play never seemed to
end. By the last act there were only a half a dozen of us left in the
theatre. On another note there was a restaurant nearby, a student
hangout, that served the best Southern food, especially breakfasts, in
the city.

There
really weren't any expectations on my part regarding theatre in Memphis
but I was certainly surprised. Remember this was the buckle on the belt
of the bible belt but the Circuit Playhouse and Playhouse on the Square
were doing "The Boys In The Band" and the "Rocky Horror Show" in the
early 1970s and doing good productions of them while Theatre Memphis
mostly did musicals, past and present.

There
was, of course, THE Peabody Hotel ducks! At 11 AM they were brought
down from the rooftop by elevator to the lobby where a red carpet is
laid out and the ducks march to the fountain in the middle of the lobby
to a Sousa March and then at 5 PM they march back to the elevator. I
don't know which is more amazing (or funnier) than the people who line
up on both sides of the carpet, ooooh and ahhh and take pictures or the
ducks marching. A sight to be seen!

There
was the mid-South Fair which made Memphis seem ike a small town but on
the other hand they had the Memphis in May Carnival with crewes on
barges and boats among the bluffs along the Mississippi which gave it a
big city atmosphere. In the mid to late 70s they saluted a different
country  every year and the leading store, Goldsmith's, would redo their
whole place in that countries goods.

Then
there was Overton Park. It was, appoxiamately, in the middle of the
city between Poplar Avenue on the south and Summer Avenue. The first
time I heard of the park was reading about it in Damon's Guide which
listed it as a outdoor cruising spot in Memphis. I'll get back to that
when I talk about the gay life in Memphis and there was a lot of it--a
lot more than I expected. There was a zoo in the park but I must admit I
never went to it though I understand it has really grown in the years
after I left. They had a concert shell at the west end of the park near
one of the entrances.

Every
time I write something I think of a dozen other things and this series
is turning out to be way longer than I expected it to be but hang in  as
there are a few payoffs.

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