Tennessee Rose
I never should have let you see inside
I sit in the front of the bus, watching the lights pass us by as the driver takes us to the hotel we’re staying in for the night. The sights and sounds cause a smile to dance upon my lips. I’m home, I think to myself. It’s been years since I’ve stepped foot in Nashville; seven years to be exact. My career has taken me all over the world, but here. Deep down, I’m grateful, especially because of the way I left. But deep down, I miss this place. This city was the only city that ever felt like home to me; not even my hometown made me feel like this.
“Remember, you have an early soundcheck tomorrow followed by meet and greets all day, “ my manager, Rob, reminds me as we walk towards the hotel after Bobby parked the bus. “I know you want to revisit your old stomping grounds but it’s already nine and you have to be up before 8 tomorrow morning.”
“I know Rob.” I roll my eyes. “I already promised a friend I’d see her tonight. I have to give her her tickets to tomorrow’s show. I’ll be back in my hotel before midnight, I promise.”
“You better,” he narrows his eyes at me. “I don’t want you late for tomorrow’s soundcheck, you hear me? I need you to start taking your career seriously.”
“I do take it seriously,” I point out. “I’ve been putting out CDs and touring nonstop for seven years. If that isn’t “taking it seriously” I don’t know what is.”
Rob lets out an annoyed sigh, stopping in the middle of the lobby, “be careful out there, Presley. That’s all I’m asking. I get it, this was your home but it’s not anymore. You don’t know this place like you did once before. Plus you don’t know if he is still around.”
“I can handle Gunner if I ever see him,” I assure Rob with a smile. “I get it, you’re worried about me being out in Nashville all by myself. It’ll be good for me. I think I need to get reconnected with my roots; it’ll be good for the writer’s block.”
“Call me if anything happens,” he says, pulling me into a hug.
“Trust me, you’ll be the first one I call.” I say as I pull away, smiling at him before turning around and continue my journey towards my hotel room.
**
“Presley, I have bad news.” Sutton, my very best friend, says over the phone. “I’ve got to work tonight. I won’t be home.”
“So I’ll come see you at the Oak Barrel,” I tell her. “I have no free time tomorrow, I’m booked solid so I won’t be able to give you the tickets and I don’t want to leave them at will call; that’s so impersonal.”
“Gunner’s band is performing tonight, all night.” She explains why me going to Oak Barrel would be a bad idea. “He’s not as forgiving as I am. He’s not going to be happy to see you.”
“Then he won’t.” I chuckle. “He’s going to be too busy performing to notice me. I’ll just be another person at the bar to him. He won’t recognize me from Eve.”
Sutton sighs, “alright. I guess I’ll see you tonight. I just don’t want there to be an fighting tonight. He hasn’t forgiven you for leaving.”
“It’s been seven years, he needs to get over it.” I roll my eyes, despite knowing that Sutton can’t see them. “I’ll see you in a bit ladybug. Get a Tennessee Iced Tea ready for me…”
I walk up to the Oak Barrel with a smile on my face. Music can be clearly heard and there are people outside smoking and laughing and joking. This place has been a second home to be for the longest time. I remember the first day I walked through the bar doors just like it was yesterday…
I storm out of the diner I’ve worked out for the past couple months; fuming at the comments made by the sleazy manager. Pet names and cat calls are one thing but to tell your barely legal employee all the nasty things you want to do to them is crossing the line. The crappy pay and tips isn’t enough for me to stay and deal with that.
Sick of working in diners, I find myself walking around The District where all the bars and music venues are. Each bar as music flooding from the open doors and deep down, I know this is the place I need to be in. My music career isn’t going to take off if I’m working dead end jobs in diners away from the music.
Out of all the bars on the main drag, one in particular grabs my attention. Mainly because they have an old fashion Help Wanted sign taped to the window. A smile appears on my lips as I take the sign off the window and walk on into the bar, instantly greeted by a Lynyrd Skynyrd cover band playing Simple Man. The smile from before grows on my lips, it feels like home here.
I make my way up to the bar where I see an older man bartending. When he finishes the drink he’s making, he looks up and me; narrowing his eyes “You’re too young to drink.”
“I’m not here for the alcohol.” I tell him before showing him the help wanted sign. “I’m here looking for a job. Is the owner around?”
“You’re looking at him, kid.” He smiles. “I’m Jesse James; the owner of Oak Barrel. What kind of job are you looking for?”
“Something to get me away from sleazy people coming into diners.”
“Sleazy people are everywhere kid, more so in the bar scene.” He looks apologetic. “Being a waitress here won’t be anything different than diners.”
“How about a bartending job?” I ask. “I can make a mean Whiskey Sours and Tennessee Iced Tea. If I don’t find a job, and keep it for a couple more months, I’ll be forced to move back home with my parents and forget about my dream of becoming a singer.”
He looks at me, biting his lower lip as he thinks everything over. “How old are you?”
“I just turned 18 a couple weeks ago.”
“You’re hired.” He smiles. “And you can start tonight. Are you ready to prove yourself…”
“Presley,” I smile, knowing he was fishing for my name. “And yes sir, I’m ready to prove myself. Where do I begin?”
“You can start by making me your famous Tennessee Iced Tea then you can make that lady her White Russian…”
“Where’s my drink Hooker?” I laugh as I walk up to the bar, weaseling my way in between two couples. Sutton looks up and squeals before almost leaping over the bar to pull me into a hug.
“It’s been seven years too long since I’ve seen your pretty face in person.” She laughs as she lets me go. “You’re as pretty as you were when you left.”
“Thanks Sutton.” I smile as I watch her go back to mixing drinks. “How has things been?” I ask as an awkward silence washes over us. “How are things with…”
“Gunner?” She asks, smirking because she already knows my answer. “He’s fine. The band is currently on a short break but will be back on soon. He works here part time, still. But during the summer months he tours the country playing in small venues and festivals like South by Southwest. He’s living the indie lifestyle. It’s not glamorous like your life but he’s happy.”
“That’s awesome,” I force a smile on my lips. “How about you? How is life treating my best friend?”
“Great,” she replies, “I just wish you were in it more. “
“I’m sorry, I left like I did.” I apologize. “I didn’t mean to cause anyone any pain. I just had to leave.”
“What were you so afraid of?” She questions, “was it because of Gunner?”
Before I could reply, the band’s music plays causing me to turn around at the familiar notes. As soon as I face the stage, our eyes meet. Gunner brings hips lips up to the microphone and begins singing one of 70 Proof Whiskey’s first songs,
“Take me down, Baby down down. Want you to know I love you darling,” Breaking the eye contact, I turn back to Sutton; handing her over the 6 VIP passes I promised her.
“Invite whoever you want,” I smile at her as I jump off the barstool. “I’ve got to go.”
“You loved listening to Delta, now you’re running away from it.” Sutton lets out a sarcastic chuckle before frowning.
“Can you tell Gunner and Jesse that I said hi?” I ask. “I can’t wait to see you tomorrow. I hope you enjoy the show.” I wave goodbye before walking out of the bar and start my journey back to my hotel with a few tears welling up in my eyes...
“Remember, you have an early soundcheck tomorrow followed by meet and greets all day, “ my manager, Rob, reminds me as we walk towards the hotel after Bobby parked the bus. “I know you want to revisit your old stomping grounds but it’s already nine and you have to be up before 8 tomorrow morning.”
“I know Rob.” I roll my eyes. “I already promised a friend I’d see her tonight. I have to give her her tickets to tomorrow’s show. I’ll be back in my hotel before midnight, I promise.”
“You better,” he narrows his eyes at me. “I don’t want you late for tomorrow’s soundcheck, you hear me? I need you to start taking your career seriously.”
“I do take it seriously,” I point out. “I’ve been putting out CDs and touring nonstop for seven years. If that isn’t “taking it seriously” I don’t know what is.”
Rob lets out an annoyed sigh, stopping in the middle of the lobby, “be careful out there, Presley. That’s all I’m asking. I get it, this was your home but it’s not anymore. You don’t know this place like you did once before. Plus you don’t know if he is still around.”
“I can handle Gunner if I ever see him,” I assure Rob with a smile. “I get it, you’re worried about me being out in Nashville all by myself. It’ll be good for me. I think I need to get reconnected with my roots; it’ll be good for the writer’s block.”
“Call me if anything happens,” he says, pulling me into a hug.
“Trust me, you’ll be the first one I call.” I say as I pull away, smiling at him before turning around and continue my journey towards my hotel room.
**
“Presley, I have bad news.” Sutton, my very best friend, says over the phone. “I’ve got to work tonight. I won’t be home.”
“So I’ll come see you at the Oak Barrel,” I tell her. “I have no free time tomorrow, I’m booked solid so I won’t be able to give you the tickets and I don’t want to leave them at will call; that’s so impersonal.”
“Gunner’s band is performing tonight, all night.” She explains why me going to Oak Barrel would be a bad idea. “He’s not as forgiving as I am. He’s not going to be happy to see you.”
“Then he won’t.” I chuckle. “He’s going to be too busy performing to notice me. I’ll just be another person at the bar to him. He won’t recognize me from Eve.”
Sutton sighs, “alright. I guess I’ll see you tonight. I just don’t want there to be an fighting tonight. He hasn’t forgiven you for leaving.”
“It’s been seven years, he needs to get over it.” I roll my eyes, despite knowing that Sutton can’t see them. “I’ll see you in a bit ladybug. Get a Tennessee Iced Tea ready for me…”
I walk up to the Oak Barrel with a smile on my face. Music can be clearly heard and there are people outside smoking and laughing and joking. This place has been a second home to be for the longest time. I remember the first day I walked through the bar doors just like it was yesterday…
I storm out of the diner I’ve worked out for the past couple months; fuming at the comments made by the sleazy manager. Pet names and cat calls are one thing but to tell your barely legal employee all the nasty things you want to do to them is crossing the line. The crappy pay and tips isn’t enough for me to stay and deal with that.
Sick of working in diners, I find myself walking around The District where all the bars and music venues are. Each bar as music flooding from the open doors and deep down, I know this is the place I need to be in. My music career isn’t going to take off if I’m working dead end jobs in diners away from the music.
Out of all the bars on the main drag, one in particular grabs my attention. Mainly because they have an old fashion Help Wanted sign taped to the window. A smile appears on my lips as I take the sign off the window and walk on into the bar, instantly greeted by a Lynyrd Skynyrd cover band playing Simple Man. The smile from before grows on my lips, it feels like home here.
I make my way up to the bar where I see an older man bartending. When he finishes the drink he’s making, he looks up and me; narrowing his eyes “You’re too young to drink.”
“I’m not here for the alcohol.” I tell him before showing him the help wanted sign. “I’m here looking for a job. Is the owner around?”
“You’re looking at him, kid.” He smiles. “I’m Jesse James; the owner of Oak Barrel. What kind of job are you looking for?”
“Something to get me away from sleazy people coming into diners.”
“Sleazy people are everywhere kid, more so in the bar scene.” He looks apologetic. “Being a waitress here won’t be anything different than diners.”
“How about a bartending job?” I ask. “I can make a mean Whiskey Sours and Tennessee Iced Tea. If I don’t find a job, and keep it for a couple more months, I’ll be forced to move back home with my parents and forget about my dream of becoming a singer.”
He looks at me, biting his lower lip as he thinks everything over. “How old are you?”
“I just turned 18 a couple weeks ago.”
“You’re hired.” He smiles. “And you can start tonight. Are you ready to prove yourself…”
“Presley,” I smile, knowing he was fishing for my name. “And yes sir, I’m ready to prove myself. Where do I begin?”
“You can start by making me your famous Tennessee Iced Tea then you can make that lady her White Russian…”
“Where’s my drink Hooker?” I laugh as I walk up to the bar, weaseling my way in between two couples. Sutton looks up and squeals before almost leaping over the bar to pull me into a hug.
“It’s been seven years too long since I’ve seen your pretty face in person.” She laughs as she lets me go. “You’re as pretty as you were when you left.”
“Thanks Sutton.” I smile as I watch her go back to mixing drinks. “How has things been?” I ask as an awkward silence washes over us. “How are things with…”
“Gunner?” She asks, smirking because she already knows my answer. “He’s fine. The band is currently on a short break but will be back on soon. He works here part time, still. But during the summer months he tours the country playing in small venues and festivals like South by Southwest. He’s living the indie lifestyle. It’s not glamorous like your life but he’s happy.”
“That’s awesome,” I force a smile on my lips. “How about you? How is life treating my best friend?”
“Great,” she replies, “I just wish you were in it more. “
“I’m sorry, I left like I did.” I apologize. “I didn’t mean to cause anyone any pain. I just had to leave.”
“What were you so afraid of?” She questions, “was it because of Gunner?”
Before I could reply, the band’s music plays causing me to turn around at the familiar notes. As soon as I face the stage, our eyes meet. Gunner brings hips lips up to the microphone and begins singing one of 70 Proof Whiskey’s first songs,
“Take me down, Baby down down. Want you to know I love you darling,” Breaking the eye contact, I turn back to Sutton; handing her over the 6 VIP passes I promised her.
“Invite whoever you want,” I smile at her as I jump off the barstool. “I’ve got to go.”
“You loved listening to Delta, now you’re running away from it.” Sutton lets out a sarcastic chuckle before frowning.
“Can you tell Gunner and Jesse that I said hi?” I ask. “I can’t wait to see you tomorrow. I hope you enjoy the show.” I wave goodbye before walking out of the bar and start my journey back to my hotel with a few tears welling up in my eyes...