We had arrived at the Heartbreak Hotel and washed off the dust of a long trip off.
Downstairs behind the lobby is the Jungle Room Bar adjacent to the lounge/dining area where Elvis movies are shown on a big screen in the evenings. Food at the Heartbreak Hotel is basic, but hearty, southern fare and the bar is comfy. You can eat at the bar or place your order and move to the dining room and take in the movie of the night while you eat.

Our barman was James (“call me Jim”, see right) who lived just across the border in Mississippi. Memphis itself is situated right across the river from Arkansas and just up the road from Mississippi. There is no gambling in Tennessee (except for the state lottery), so Memphians regularly cross the river for a flutter.
Jim and his wife run their own bar in Mississippi, but things are quiet enough for him to have to supplement the family income with a wage. But a small wage it is. Bar staff can get paid as low as $US7.00 an hour and rely on tips to survive. Luckily Jim is very personable