When the time comes, Emily Wyatt brings the dead to the next stage on their journey
Photo by J.M. Giordano, Baltimore City Paper
By J.M. Giordano (1/2/2013)
Emily Wyatt lives for the dead. The Remington resident will pull up to your house in her nondescript silver van and quietly take your expired loved ones to the next stop on their journey.
“I love my job,” says Wyatt while sitting at a café, surrounded by the living and breathing. “I seriously like working with the dead.”
Wyatt is a funeral service employee for a firm outside of Baltimore. When someone dies, the funeral home calls a company like Wyatt’s to come and collect what’s left.
“To my knowledge, I don’t actually have an official job title,” she says. “My grandmother came up with ‘corpse courier,’ which I’m fond of. I like to think of Charon [the ferryman for the dead in Greek mythology], although no one has ever actually gotten that reference.”
Though it’s definitely not in her job description, Wyatt is something like a cab driver for the dead. Most of her day is spent waiting.
I’m here to tell you that Ocean City’s legendary “Boardwalk Elvis” is very much alive and well – and still very much enjoying his inexplicable celebrity in this town.
I have a wonderful current story about Norman. But first, a little background:
I’ve known Norman for years. Back in the 60’s, he was known as “Ninth Street Norman.”
Somewhere along the line, Norman found a boombox – and an absolutely atrocious lime-green Leisure Suit – and began singing along to Elvis songs as he walked the length of the Boardwalk in OC.
Our crowd – a bunch of high school guys from Baltimore working the Pier rides that summer – befriended Norman, and sort of made sure that no one bothered him as he did his thing on the ‘Boards.
About fifteen years ago, TIME Magazine did an article on the “last of the carnival-type ocean resorts” in the USA.
There were four towns mentioned:
1. Coney Island. And the photo with the story showed a bunch of people riding on the old Cyclone roller coaster.
2. Santa Monica Beach. And the photo was a beautiful blonde in a bikini, roller-blading along their boardwalk.
3. Rehoboth Beach. And the photo was a Yuppie family – Mom, Dad, little sister, little brother – all walking hand-in-hand down the boardwalk.
And 4… Ocean City, MD. The photo? Boardwalk Elvis!
Two Ocean City legends: “Boardwalk Elvis” (red jumpsuit) and DJ Batman (visor).
The City Council was so impressed (amused?) by this, that the Town of Ocean City arranged Greyhound bus fare, and a couple of night’s lodging, and sent Norman and a friend to Graceland!
It was near the top of the many nice things this great town has ever done.
About two weeks ago – for the first time I can ever remember – Norman, The Boardwalk Elvis – was in attendance.
When I announced that he was on the deck, all the bartenders, out of respect for a true OC legend, started applauding.
Also on the deck that day, was the entire staff and crew of the Starboard in Dewey Beach, here for their annual Employees Party.
A little while into the party, I cued-up an Elvis song, and asked Norman if he would sing for us. He jumped at the chance, of course, and began singing “Blue Suede Shoes”.
As he was singing, I was tapped on my shoulder. I turned around and was face-to-face with Frank Raines – the legendary “Dewey Beach Elvis” – who had came down to OC with the Starboard crowd.
Frank is a well-known Elvis impersonator, and has a tremendous act that he has performed for years.
I asked Frank to go sing with Norman. And, at first, Frank said no, saying that this was Norman’s moment, not his. But I insisted, and Frank went to the front and joined Norman as he was singing.
It was amazing.
When Frank walked up, I really think that for a fleeting moment, Norman thought that Elvis had risen from the dead to come back and sing a duet with him on Fager’s deck!
Norman and Frank – The Boardwalk Elvis and the Dewey Elvis – did a quick medley of songs for us, and the crowd absolutely loved it.
So yes, Norman is very much alive and well. And still having the time of his his life singing Elvis songs, and being one of the great characters that make up this town.
About the author: Mike Beatty, better know as “DJ Batman” has been Ocean City’s most popular club and radio DJ (and booster for Ocean City) for over 30 years. Beatty’s “Hair of the Dog” radio show airs on Ocean City Irie Radio 98.1 FM.
In this July 28, 2011 photo, Norman Webb, aka Boardwalk Elvis, doesn’t walk the Ocean City boardwalk anymore but these days rides his bike to work at The Gazebo produce stand on Route 589 in Berlin, Md. (AP Photo/The Daily Times, Thomas Melville) — Star Democrat Easton
“‘Boardwalk Elvis’: An Ocean City icon” — Cecildaily.com
Millsboro Buffet will be a blast this summer when “Boardwalk Elvis” is there in July. Can’t wait! (2008)
Only in Baltimore would Elvis Presley leave the stage to try to take a 30 minute crap because of intestinal problems. The Elvis In Norway fan site shares this tale of one of Elvis’ worst performances of his career:
Elvis Presley before the concert at the Baltimore Civic Center
Baltimore May 29 1977 represents one of the absolute low-points in Elvis’ career. This day Elvis is so weak he has to leave the stage for over 20 minutes. He first sings a lot of old songs in the beginning of the concert (‘That’s Alright’, ‘Are You Lonesome Tonight’, ‘Blue Christmas’ and ‘Heartbreak Hotel’, ‘Love Me’ and ‘Jailhouse Rock’). Then right after ‘You Gave Me A Mountain’ Elvis asks S. Nielsen to sing some numbers. Obviously not enough, Elvis after singing ‘Teddy Bear/Don’t Be Cruel’ “hands over” the responsibility to the band. He then leaves the stage. Meanwhile Kathy Westmoreland, Voice and the Stamps all did their best to entertain a dismayed audience.
A shocked audience was eager to hear Elvis sing. They had traveled several miles, waited for hours and paid for an Elvis-concert, and the main attraction left the stage! Elvis tries to repair by singing a powerful ‘Hurt’. After ‘Hound Dog’ he performs ‘Help Me’. However, Elvis obviously noticed the lack of excitement from the audience, and almost helplessly ask “What do you wanna hear?”. This leads to a very impressive version of ‘Unchained Melody’. I can’t help but wonder where Elvis found the energy and power to sing this song like he does here, given the overall shape he was in. But this was not enough, and Elvis managed to sing even 5 more numbers, including an incomplete version of ‘The Wonder Of You’.
There is a story that Elvis right after this concert collapsed in the elevator. I don’t know if it is true, but it is not very unlikely…
“What´s with Elvis: Walks Out Midway At Show In Balto.” – Variety
By Marty Bennett, May 1977
A physically and artistically subpar Elvis Presley walked out on a strange concert performance for half an hour here Sunday night (29), but eventually returned. A Civic Center spokesman attributed the vet rock and roll singer´s murmuring, swearing and unscheduled hiatus to the reported intestinal problem that had kayoed Presley from an earlier portion of his tour.
After the break Presley came on like gangbusters as he politely and apologetically tried to recoup his losses. He succeeded to the extent that only a handful asked for refunds but at the finale there was no ovation, and patrons exited shaking their heads and speculating on what was wrong with him.
Presley was heavy eye-lidded and appeared to most observers to be weak and tired. He announced he had to leave stage without explanation. When he returned he said he had left because of “a twisted ankle and nature calls and you don´t fool around with nature.” Later he said “there´s nothing wrong with my health.” He repeatedly thanked the audience for hanging with him and said ambiguously, “If you want us back we´ll come back” – to scattered clapping.
Presley, paunchy and apparently pained, first did 30 minutes marked by anemic singing, a few stilted attempts at his patented gyrations, bewildering patter and awkward stage movements that included having an aide hand-hold his voice mike. Program consisted of ancient hits.
Presley´s show a week earlier at Capital Centre in nearby Largo was reliably described as “even worse.” The Civic Center spokesman said Presley was on medication and was treated by a physician during the gap. While Presley was gone his troupe’s uneven filling included a vocal flight by an anonymous opera songstress that drew a partial standing ovation, more than the main attraction received at any time after his intro.
“A physically and artistically subpar Elvis Presley walked out on a strange concert performance for half an hour here Sunday night (29), but eventually returned. A Civic Center spokesman attributed the vet rock and roll singers murmuring, swearing and unscheduled haitus to the reported intestinal problems that had kayoed Presley from an earlier portion of this tour. After the break Presley came on like gangbusters as he politely and apologetically tried to recoup his losses. He succeeded to the extent that only a handful asked for refunds but at the finale there was no ovation, and patrons exited shaking their heads and speculating what was wrong with him.”
Bonus Elvis!
These clips are not from Elvis Presley’s Baltimore appearances but are still “must views”:
“Elvis Presley: Strung Out In Las Vegas” – Collector’s Music Reviews
A paranoid and neurotic Elvis attacks the press on stage in this show, going on a tirade saying, “From three different sources,” ranted Elvis, “I heard that I was strung out on heroin… I’ve never been strung out in my life…” Then Elvis explodes, “If I find or hear the individual that has said that about me”, he threatened, “I’m gonna BREAK your GODDAMNED neck, you SON OF A BITCH! These reports are dangerous,” he emphasized, “are damaging to my little daughter, to Priscilla, to my father, my doctor, my friends, everyone on stage and,” he motioned to the audience, “to you….” Then he pointed at his invisible accuser, “I will pull your GODDAMNED tongue from the ROOTS!!!” he thundered.
Postscript: Thanks to Al Hoff for pointing out that Elvis could not have been successful in dealing with his Baltimore intestinal problem. Elvis suffered from chronic constipation (codeine binds you up!) and in a little over 2 months after his lackluster Baltimore show he lay dead in his bathroom with a jam-packed “megacolon.” Perhaps there was still some crabcake or Berger’s cookies in the impacted chalk-like fecal matter found in his colon.
According to an account based on the report by the four doctors who performed the post-mortem examination of the entertainer:
The colon is approximately five to seven feet in length in a person Elvis’s size and should have been about two inches in diameter … however, Elvis’s colon was at least three and a half inches in diameter in some places and as large as four and half to five inches in diameter in others … [T]he megacolon was jam-packed from the base of the descending colon all the way up and halfway across the transverse colon. It was filled with white, chalklike fecal material.
Most people will tell you that the “r-month rule” doesn’t matter anymore. They’ll say that it’s cool to eat raw oysters in a month doesn’t have an “r” in it — like August — because it’s safe. And sure, it is safe. But you know what? It’s gross. Raw oysters aren’t meant to be eaten then, so stop it.
“I basically inadvertently follow the r-month rule because they never taste good in the summer,” says Rowan Jacobsen, author of The Geography of Oysters and the best oyster website on the Internet, oysterguide.com. “It’s perfectly fine to eat oysters any time of year, unless you’re on the Gulf Coast, temps are too high in the summer there.”
There was another reason for the r-month rule: It allowed them time to reproduce since oysters spawn in the summertime. On the Gulf Coast, where they still harvest wild oysters, they still have a set season for oystering. But everywhere else, baby oysters are “made” in hatcheries, so natural reproduction is not a real issue.
But still, oysters grown in cold water are better so just follow the rule.
(Note: The r-month rule is only important with raw oysters. Grilled or fried, oysters are about the same year-round.)
Continue reading “The Only 7 Things You Need To Know About Oysters” at BuzzFeed.
