My Elvis Experience 2/19/77 & 2/21/77

My recollections of standing at the entrance to the Lisa Marie 2/19/77

*Saturday February 19th at approx. 3:00pm(est)...Driving near the airport in Charlotte,NC..I spot what I believe is Elvis' plane..the Lisa Marie...I had never seen a good photo of it at the time...but I knew it had TCB on the tail...so I knew it had to be Elvis' plane
*I drove around to a fenced in area near the jet...managed to slip through an unmanned gate.
*I walked right up to the Lisa Marie..a couple of fans were there..we were discussing whether or not this was Elvis' jet
*within an hour or so...about 20 more fans show up...and confirm that it was Elvis' Jet..
*I walked under the wings...wrote my name and address in the dirt/grime under the wings.
*at approx. 6:00pm...Airport crew drives the stairs to the plane..
*at approx 6:30..a van arrives...and a group of people get out..Pilots and crew?...open the door to Lisa Marie..and go inside..
*at approx 6:45pm....I'm the first one to walk up the steps..and stick my head inside the cabin..I see a sink, and a pitcher of what looks like TANG.
*Approx. 7:50pm...about 7 police cars arrive to form a barricade in front of the jet..
*Approx 8:00 pm....Engines are running as a big chartered bus pulls up...and what appears to be band members start boarding the plane..
*Elvis surprisingly exits the SAME bus...walks up the stairs...turns around and waves..He is flanked by Esposito and Ed Parker..
http://www.tcb-world.com/attachment....tid=5156&stc=1

*8:05pm...Lisa Marie pulls away...taxis down the runway...heading to Johnson City TN..
The period of time after the van pulled up and opened the door...We fans formed a line on either side of the staircase...HOWEVER...when the police cars pulled up..they made us stand on the other side of the police car barricade...(everyone was upset at this),,
as far as the times go....I had gone to work with my father that day...and I know we were at the airport right after that..which was approx. 3:00pm..I also remember that my Father complained to everyone that I made him stand out on a cold tarmac for 5 hours...so,all the times are approx. but pretty close to accurate... Yes ..I saw Elvis on 2/21/1977

My birthday is Feb.17..
I was a big Elvis fan...towards the end of January..I heard on a local radio station that Elvis was going to be performing in Charlotte,NC on 2/20/77...so I IMMEDIATLY told my parents that I wanted to see Elvis for my birthday...
We sent off a cashiers check for $30.oo and about a week later..I received the tickets...but....a piece of paper stapled to the tickets read "due to the overwhelming demand for Elvis tickets..your order has been processed for 2/21/77..
I was so excited.....
I did take some photos...two are really close (I wasn't at my seat)..
I also tape recorded the concert..(which was later bootlegged into "RIOT in CHARLOTTE" )..
I also went to the stage after the concert to see if I could get a souvenir...
I tried to get a policeman to hand me a scarf out of the scarf "briefcase"..but he said it was property of the "ELVIS SHOW" and he couldn't...so...
I thought real fast...and asked him to hand me the styrofoam cup that Elvis drank out of...he did....
to this day..I still have the cup...and in a sealed glass bottle,I still have what's left of the water..(I've posted a photo of Elvis with the cup below)

Security...

Oddly enough...before the police cars arrived...there was no real security..It seems like someone from the airport kept us from continuing to walk up the steps....but until the police came...we were free to walk around the jet freely...

http://www.elvis-collectors.com/022177BHpw.jpg