It’s a turbulent time in the city of Nashville. Mayor Megan Barry (MMB) resigned after pleading guilty to theft of property yesterday. David Briley was sworn in just yesterday evening, and uncertainty is in the air. As citizens, we’re totally unsure of the direction of our fair city.
Is the mass transit plan still a go? Or, are we still going to get that light rail even though MMB was getting light rails on taxpayer money? I don’t know. But, it’s sad. It’s a lose-lose. No citizenship wants to deal with this. But, it’s not like it’s our only problem as a city either.
There’s also a metric shit ton of potholes throughout the city that are claiming new cars every day. I’m just waiting to get pulled over because I’m swerving all over the road, attempting to dodge potholes, looking like a drunk driver. I can’t tell you how many times my butthole has taken a beating the last few weeks from nailing these potholes, and I know I’m not the only one. They’re everywhere.
While it may seem like all hope is lost, this is still a buzzing place. You wouldn’t know that by the way it has pretty much rained for an entire frickin’ month. But, there’s something still good here in Nashville.
All of the bars.
Yes, Nashville is a mecca for the casual alcoholic. New bars are popping up all over town. Personally, I can’t wait for the weather to warm up and I can explore some of these new rooftop bars. Rooftop bars are all the rage in Nashville now.
But, it all feels hollow. The whole scene. For where is there a place that evokes the strong bond of a family? Where can one go where they can feel the magic of childhood again? There’s nowhere in Nashville for that. Maybe the Adventure Science Center. Maybe The Rainforest Café in Opry Mills. I don’t know. But, it sure feels to me like Nashville has had a giant hole in its heart ever since Mr. Gatti’s closed down.
It was such a magical place. I mean, sure, my mom tells me stories about seeing mice in there when she went there before I was born. But, that’s like every Friday night at the Waffle House. Totally nothing to concern yourself with.
Mr. Gatti’s is a place where you can eat a pizza so mediocre, you can…wait…no…that’s not a good thing. I’m not going to sell Mr. Gatti’s because of the pizza. Mr. Gatti’s was ALL about the games. It felt like a never ending arcade of wonder.
In June of 2012, I discovered that Mr. Gatti’s does still exist, and it’s just outside of Pigeon Forge, Tennessee (damn it – now I want to go to Gatlinburg). But, it’s not the same. No – when we traveled there that fateful Summer evening, what we found was a desolate shell of what Mr. Gatti’s should be. No one was running around in excitement, and the pizza was so bad, you could almost taste the heat lamp it sat under for the six hours prior to our arrival.
It was incredibly disheartening to see what was once such a strong institution of Nashville culture reduced to this mess. A mess that was at least four hours away from Nashville, no less.
Mr. Gatti’s was the physical embodiment of “the good ol’ days.” As a community, we need to build that back up for the sake of our future generations.
So, the solution is simple. Mayor David Briley…something tells me your plate is pretty full, but I did hear you on WKRN this morning talking about getting serious about “fixing the city’s problems.” And, well…a lack of Mr. Gatti’s is a serious problem. Do the right thing – bring back Mr. Gatti’s! Send this city into the next step of its evolution.
….and don’t bang your security guards.
(For what it’s worth, Briley has actually said that he will not travel with security detail)
Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD and #BeBetter. “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Alabama Crimson Tide football, the WWE, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley
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