would if I could (6 of 7)

14Jun09

Tootsie’s was crawling with people.  All eyes were on the far too muscular musician leading the crowd in a very very popular old country song.  It was kind of like church, actually.  Only, it was a bar.

Everywhere I turned there were large jars decorated with signs that said “We ONLY work for tips!”  Mr. Too Muscular was walking around singing, microphone in one hand, jar in the other.  People cheerfully held up their money.

I saw large groups of people trying to make their way upstairs.  Curious I decided to join them.  A scantily clad woman approached me and reminded me that if you’re going upstairs you better buy a drink.

Once I got up there the crowd had thinned out from Mr. Muscles’ groupies to a few cohorts of middle agers who were enjoying the music of one of the skinniest girls I think I have ever seen.  She was utterly charming and had the sweetest voice.  I enjoyed listening to her quite a bit.

I continued to follow the crowd through a door alongside the stage and found myself in the very place Nolan had encouraged me to visit.  Before I knew it I was looking through the doorway of the Ryman and sitting in Johnny Cash’s booth where he used to sit and smoke all night with Elvis.

In looking back on not only the experience but the manner in which I have explained it, I can’t do it justice.  Funny that I was sitting in the most hole in the wall place I have ever been to, I was listening to a completely non famous person singing, there was no alcohol involved, Carrie Underwood was no where in sight, I suddenly understood what is meant by the term “honky tonk,” but I consider my time in Tootsie’s to be by far the most spectacular moment of any trip I’ve ever had in the entire continental United States.

I guess I just can’t explain it.

I didn’t really want to leave Tootsie’s.  I easily could have sat in Johnny and Elvis’s spot all night.  But that had been my first stop.  So I was off to the next place, the next embarrassing ID check, and so forth.  I ended up at a karaoke bar (yes, of course, I couldn’t not go into the karaoke bar), almost went to Coyote Ugly, I stopped by a few other joints and ended up in the Wildhorse Saloon.  There were people of all ages there just relaxing and enjoying the music.

It was at that moment that I called my roommate and said, “I’m moving to Nashville.”

In front of the Wildhorse Saloon

Filed under: an adventure, what i did last night   |  Leave a Comment