VENDOR WRITING

The ‘Rascal Flatts Man’ Returns

BY GAIL D.

*Let this article serve as a warning to all my valued customers: If your visit with me is particularly memorable or unusual in some way, and you don’t tell me your name, you may find yourself on the pages of The Contributor with a ‘nickname.’ Such is the case with this story, as is indicated by the title of this piece.

A while back, I wrote an article about a young man who stopped and asked me to sing the Rascal Flatts song, “Why.” I struggled to get through it because of the sensitive nature of the lyrics. It was SO bad I offered a do over and wondered if he’d come back at all. As I noted in the previous article, some do and some don’t. The suspense is over. I’m happy to report he did return.

This encounter had a totally different feel to it. How? Well, we listened to several songs — all by Rascal Flatts — going back and forth choosing. We started with, “Why” (hence the nickname). He asked if I remembered him. I answered, “Of course, how could I ever forget you?”

He said it was nice to have met someone who could really understand what he was going through and played, “Bless the Broken Road.”

I told him I was glad he came back because it gave me a chance to do what I wish I’d done the first time we met. What’s that? I usually try to leave things on a positive note, but that song took SO much out of me, and I was SO emotional, I had nothing left to give at the time.

Now I was ready. I had thought about our initial encounter many times and actually tried to prepare for this moment if it ever came.

The first song I shared with him was, “I Won’t Let Go,” which reminds us that even when we feel broken, lost, and feel alone, we ARE NOT alone. We have someone who will ALWAYS stand by us, help us, and fight for us that will NEVER let go. I followed up with, “Stand” that tells us no matter what we go through, “we’ll be alright” if we just “keep holding on.”

Another difference? This time, I didn’t sing along to every song. Most of the time I just listened. (To be honest, I didn’t even know some of the songs he mentioned.)

One such example was when he asked if there was ever a time when I just wanted to “Rewind” and relive events from the past. I said sure, I think everyone’s had moments like that (but I had no idea that was a Rascal Flatts song).

He went on to say, “What Hurts The Most” were the things left unsaid. With that thought in mind, I played, “Unstoppable” which says in part that, “life is full of mistakes and regrets, that can pull us down. It happens to us all. It can [leave] your faith lost and shaken, [but] you can do what you think is impossible-you [just gotta] keep on believing, don’t give in, it’ll make you whole again.”

He described what life was like, “These Days” saying he often felt like he was just going through the motions day-to-day-wondering, “what [he should] do now that [she’s] gone...no back-up plan, no second chance, and no one else to blame (lyrics from, “Words I Couldn’t Say”).

He said that even though some time had passed it still felt like a dream and he keeps waiting for someone to “Come Wake Me Up.”

In the end he said what was most important is, “How They Remember You.” I agreed (but again, I had no idea this was a Rascal Flatts song).

He concluded his montage with, “I’m Movin’ On,” though it is unclear to me whether he meant he was moving on from this painful event in his life, or if perhaps he was “movin on” from the area-he didn’t say.

I wondered if I should play “Here Comes Goodbye,” only time will tell. Instead I went with “My Wish,” which says in part, “my wish for you is that this life becomes all that you want it to.” Actually, that is “my wish” for everyone I meet.

For me, it was an hour and a half or so well spent, rather than being overly emotional and exhausted as I was from our initial meeting, I felt more uplifted and encouraged. I can only hope he felt the same way in the end.

A LITTLE BIT OF THIS AND A LOT OF THAT

BY VICKY B.

It’s long been debated, at what temperature should we open the cold weather shelter? News Channel 5 weather people mention to cover your plants when the temps are at 32 and NOAA issues a frost warning but says nothing with regards to the homeless, the unhoused, or those experiencing vehicular homelessness or the evil hotel homelessness. When I was homeless, we were blessed to be in some sort of make shift shelter whether it was a car, a youth room at a local church, a sleaze bag hotel or, yes, even an RV.

What temperature would you be seeking different shelter? Maybe 34? Would you have the funds to pay for a hotel room? Could you live outdoors in a tent? Would you leave all your worldly goods in an unsecured tent while trying to get warm? Try this: stay outside for just one day all day long in the cold and then tell me it’s not that bad.

In Nashville, the winter shelter doesn't open until it's predicted to be 28 degrees. This past Sunday the predicted temps would only be 28 for one hour, so MHID decided, “there was no need to open the cold weather shelter.”

Recently, Vice Mayor Jim Shulman hosted a public meeting where people mentioned raising the temperature threshold for opening the winter shelter.

The meeting made me feel like people care about homeless people. The cries of a frustrating system were loud and clear. Now it’s time for action. No longer will we accept the “we’ve tried that before and it didn’t work” thinking.

It’s also clear that the greatest need is more affordable housing. MDHA is the largest supplier of affordable housing. More is needed and this was heard clearly in the recent meeting. The sad part is you have to wait for someone to die for a spot to open up. We keep moving in these 2 steps forward and 3 steps back. We have to be aggressive with housing. Try every possibility so we know what we have and what we’re working with and continue with what works.

A task force should be put together to do this not just wait for more data and fancy charts.

The public meeting was productive on the first night. Small groups in a round table sharing ideas and thoughts. The second night was a very passionate night filled with frustration at a broken system. Another meeting is in being planned and I really feel some great things will come out of it. Action has come late but, at least it’s moving forward now.