Night on the Town

In the midst of preparing my classroom for the new school year and having another Color Guard fundraiser (it went better this time), my dad came into town for a conference. He stayed downtown this time (apparently the Comfort Inn had giant roaches the last time), so he decided that Wes and I would have to go downtown with him. What a night!

Wes and I both had to work everyday this week. I also had Guard practice in the evenings on Tuesday and Thursday this past week, so we went out with my dad on Wednesday. We drove downtown and parked by the river across from the Titans stadium where my family always parks in downtown. Then we made the trek to my dad's hotel; only I managed to get the two of us lost. We wandered around for 30 minutes. First we got all the way to the Sommet Center, too far. Then I had us turn the wrong direction on 4th Avenue, making it all the way to the Country Music Hall of Fame before Wes pulled out his cellphone and looked up the address for the Double Tree. We figured out we were going the wrong direction, turned around, and eventually met my dad as he had begun walking downtown to find us. Next time Wes says he is in charge of parking and directions.

After meeting my dad, we went out to dinner at Demos'. It's a great restaurant that is known for their spaghetti and steak. Awesome. Dad and I split a bottle of white zinfandel; Wes drank water. Then it was off to the bars. Dad wanted to show us were he goes with his work buddies when he is in town. The first bar we went to was Cadillac Ranch. It's a rock and country bar and grill, according to its sign. We listened to three singers in a sort of open mike situation. My dad tried to get me to drink, but I was already feeling the two glasses of wine, so I just drank water. Wes and Dad had two beers a piece. We stayed through the first set of an Australian rock band (they were pretty good), and then headed somewhere else.

Dad began to pull out his cellphone and try to find out where his buddies were, but they weren't answering. So we headed to the Paradise Park Trailer Resort bar. This bar was as unpretentious as they come. Two guys play country music all night long. There is lawn furniture in the beginning of the lounge. Over by the pool table, a portion of a truck bed (complete with a tail gate) has been converted into a bench. Dad and Wes again had a beer, while I continued to drink water. They then played pool, a game which my dad won. I actually enjoyed this bar. It reminded both Wes and I of hanging out at Cadillac's in college.

After the pool game, we left, because it was edging past 9 o'clock (yes, we are party poopers). Dad again pulled out the cellphone. Wes and I half-expected him to break out with the "Where you at?" my high school students would say (he at least used proper English saying "Where are you?"). Dad decided that we had to go meet his buddies at Mulligan's since he was always talking about us (nicely, of course). So we met his buddies, and then we went home.

All in all, it was a fun evening. It is sad though that we have lived in the city for a year and a half (and I have lived here alone a year longer than that) and we had to have my dad take us out for the first time. Wes and I decided we had to get out more. We don't have kids, and we aren't dead (being only 25), so it wouldn't hurt us to go out on the town on occasion. We will see if we actually make it out in the future. Personally, we both have our doubts (we are lazy people). It was still fun, and you never know, we may try it again sometime. We'll just have to wait and see.