TENNESSEE - subtlety, timelessness and trance -
i wanted to write something inspiring but im not in the mood to write about anything that has to appeal to anyone. I used to write to impress. It’s like the same feeling when one is in a wifi-stationed cafe with a brewed latte and laptop. But that’s not the case here. Everything that is glamour also has its rusty side. Everything that is green has another side. For instance, meadows that are beautiful are choosy in spots. Not all places have resemblance of what they thought America is all about. I have a lot of stories to share but I still can’t narrow it down in a chronoligal order. But yet, i could sum it into something as complex as it is. There is nothing conclusive about it. There is no generalization.
We are staying in an old town in Franklin, Tennessee- a historic town amidst great structures, old style homes and patriotic landmarks. It is a winding street from meadowy outlets and cafes to dine at. The Independence colors waver at the doorsteps of manors, old mansions and houses. One of my favorite homes were those with window panel that reminds me of 7thHeaven. It’s also interesting that they call names for homes as if they are from a Stephen King edition. We are around-a-bout Silverhill and some oak named territory. The land is filled with a pleasant surprise- which is its gift of silence. Unlike bar litted streets, in Franklin, it is the oldness that attracts the unfamiliar- better yet- those foreign to a level of sanctuary. It is far off the polution of an aghast day in the city or those stumbling from one subway to another for a ride downtown. It is far from the up-scale of Sak and Company at New York’s 5th Avenue or the down-scale of a vandalized alley at a Brooklyn corner. It is far off the fashion capital or the presidential’s whereabouts or those stricken with bomb threats on Labor Day. Tennessee caters the old and comely for a taste of variety and worn-out good stuff. Antiques and silverwares, old musk, leather bags, horseshoe figurines, guitar, remnants of Hollywood star at another level, and the reckoning of old age as a "trend". Chocolates of the 1950’s, cigars with legend marks on the 80’s and the Cape Cod famous chips replaced Frito Lay’s popularity. It is so interesting as if history unfolds per step and hallers at a community. The Franklin church is always as holy as other church that stood like barren castles such as the Calvary church. Franklin town has its elegance in its small celebration of the old, the retirees, the tourists and the young. It rejoice over folk songs and country music. But I still hear Smashin Pumpkin and rock on the radio which is always a good thing when I need a nudge to remind me of old sweet home. Franklin is a few hours drive from Nashville- the all about ELVIS town. We enjoyed dining at Logan’s Steak where they scattered peanuts on the floor just as Bubagump scattered Forest’s belongings on the cavern-like restaurant at Greenbelt. I love creating my own burger with thousand island dressing for mom and ranch for me. I love how SARSI is always a big deal here and how Coca cola has miniature sizes like back in the 60’s. I love how snack means cherries rather than c2 and bananachoco shakes. I love how a vendo still has something good and tasty in it no matter how rustic its exterior machine is. I love how a dime just matter compared to how we throw away our coins back in Manila. I love how its summer and the sun stays up till 8- I get to enjoy a longer sunset. I love how it rains so hard that everyone’s umbrella becomes worn out in malls. I love taking candid pictures of people at home especially when they look like they don’t want to have a pic taken. I love how most people in Franklin go to church on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sunday. I love how they have summer sale on clothes that can be worn in Philippines since their sales go from 50% to 70% (since they are preparing for the next season, there’s always a huge drop on all SUMMER CLOTHES which is an advantage for those shoppers who live in dry countries). But there are also things that pop in my head while I enjoy what seems to be brand new. For instance, the window beside this desk never showed a sight of someone walking the street. I have only seen one person or two who crossed the street in this neighborhood. Sad to know, they don’t even know the neighbor across the yard.
It is so keen to know a lot about their culture and life style and have a glimpse of it without it really being blind about it. I watched how people had to have double effort to manage a good food on the table. No matter if it’s in the neighborhood of sunny-side California, the sky lined city of New York or something as homey and Southern as Tennessee- people had to do what they have to do. They enjoy another set of luxury depending upon what the state offers. In Tennesee, I sometimes wish I’d see a building that goes beyond 10 feet. But that is often an impossibility. >,< There’s also the dejavu feeling on going to hillside places where houses look like they would fall off the mountain and where windows are so big that people carry guns in their homes (incase there are redneck in the case of the white ghetto). There are also plalces to see here- from Memphis, Knoxville and even go across Atlanta Georgia. But given that we are only few here, a road trip isn’t on our top choice. I couldn’t tell yet how many times we had car trouble too but got through it celebrating girl power. We had the car once pulled by a toll truck. At one time, we even bumped bumper to bumper on parking lots!! Speed limit is again something that keeps the police busy on the street (if not patrolling at the already safe mall of Cool Spring Galleria). The ghetto are rather in Hickory Mall where we expect police to be at sight more frequently. The freeway from Franklin to Tennessee really just makes the seatbelt law really a vitality. We always have map printed out no matter how long my aunts already stayed in here (we always go on the borderline hehe). Good thing, there are no morons, no trouble makers, not even bums in these town. I could recall homeless bums crowding at San Francisco’s Powell Station but not in this town of Franklin. I have seen grandparents driving vehicles at their own comfort in Franklin. And I have seen a hunchbacked old lady pushing a grocery cart faster than the normal rate. People grow old strong if they wanted to. I have been watching how much I’m eating just as oldies watch how much salt they take and how much sugar they have in their meals. They peal off the skin of hotdogs, sausage and chicken. And yet, the population is still unstoppable in the growing sight of obesity due to uncontrolled eating habbits (Southern meal is always great! It always feel like one is having breakfast for the very first time on any meal hehe). Decors, accents and clothings are also in variety. Stores are divided in the clothes department. There are stores for the petite and different stores for extra large ones. The Border also offered a similar podium for bookworms where Harry Potter 7th/last edition was read for free. Coupons also go a long way cause they deduct more than 5 dollars on meals (which is more than just a meal, could be 2).
The place, no matter how tricky, could be outsmarted by the wise. It takes practice and an open mind to go against the odds or with the flow without being victimized by its WAY. There is more in Tennessee that I haven’t talked about. Then again, that will be posted next time then. 
