Tennessee's Newest Jimmy

On a bar stool. Beloved Tennessee. Jimmy drinks a local craft brew while I sip a glass of commodity Chardonnay. I thought it must have been a rough Monday. Evidenced by his request of a third glass. But not so. He is enjoying the conversation and wants to stay in it a little longer. He loves Tennessee and he is beginning to settle in, but he hasn’t forgotten why he came here.

The conversation started when I asked him why he came to Tennessee.

My son moved here after graduating college. He got a great job in a couple of towns over from here. Then my daughter graduated college and moved out of the state. When my kids left town, I had nothing left but weird politics and radical people surrounding me, so I packed up and left, too. There’s a lot of good people leaving New York. There’s a lot of good people still there.

I had to leave or else I would have been arrested. I speak up. When something is wrong and people are doing wrong and it begins to affect me, I speak up. There’s no tolerance in NY anymore for common sense. They would sooner lock me up as to hear a logical conversation on the policies that are damaging New York. So, I had to leave.

I love Tennessee. I love the people. I love being close to my son. The mountains. The lakes. I like to visit the beach sometimes, but Tennessee is always better.

He continued.

I’ve been divorced for fourteen years. I am fine being alone. I like being alone, but I met a nice Tennessee lady. I am enjoying spending time with her. I am a little scared at how much I like her. She’s been divorced for five years. She likes her alone time, too. Maybe we’re a good match. I guess time will tell.

I’ve worked in big corporations all my life. I managed things and people. But I never settled into a manager’s title. I don’t like the way people treat you when you have a title behind your name. They treat you different. I say -I’m just Jimmy, your co-worker. But they can’t treat you like a friend when you are the boss. When I left New York, I left the title there too.

Now I work here. I am in sales at this locally owned company. See – this place (as he removes his ball cap and points to their logo embroidered on the front).

I recognized the company and nodded so. I thought how lucky they are to have Jimmy on staff. A real guy. A personable guy that knows how to relate to people. I bet he sells a lot of stuff.

A wide smile stretches across his face. Jimmy is proud and happy with small town Tennessee life. I am, too. Which is why I ask every newcomer why they come here to live. I want to hear them talk how great it is. I have been blessed to be here my entire life and when someone chooses to relocate to my home state, I want to exhale with the breath of relief that I never had to make that choice.

ONE question and the conversation started and continued for the next hour.

Conversations are part of our state’s charm. I hope we always protect it. But it requires us to put down our hand-held devices. Look someone in the eyes and ask a question…or two. Don’t be afraid of the responses. Have courage to disagree. Respect the dialog. You think Tennessean’s talk funny, and maybe we do, but we Tennesseans know how to talk to one another.

Just ask Tennessee’s newest Jimmy.

What great state are you reading from?

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