“Did you get engaged at Shelby Farms outside of the FedEx Event Center last night? Congrats! I got pictures,” said Reddit user u/ChantalChante over the weekend. “In case you need a photo of your friend taking a photo of the photographer getting a photo …”
Got ’Em
Posted to X by NLE Choppa
Memphis rapper NLE Choppa stirred up the MEMernet on X last week.
He posted, “I’m coming out …,” on Thursday, and on Friday posted, “…with [a] new song, a new project this month, and Black Duck Boots. Y’all ain’t let me finish …”
Driving out
Posted to Facebook by Memphis Memes 901
Does it get any more Memphis than a MATA bus with drive-out tags?
“I guess I learned from Covid what anxiety and depression really were.” Alice Hasen is recalling the genesis of her latest release some years ago, when cabin fever’s creeping trepidation was not only a personal matter, but a generalized fear for all of humanity. All of us went through similar emotions, but Hasen, being a classically-trained violinist and composer, and well-seasoned on the stages of the Mid-South, confronted them through her music. Hearing her EP Dream of Rain now, it’s clear that the stress helped her to produce the most powerful music of her career.
But if the Covid lockdown era jump-started the musical project, it quickly grew beyond that, thematically. That’s made clear in “Temperature Rising,” the EP’s opener. As she explains, there are multiple dimensions to both the global and the personal stress she’s confronting, and the opening track is about “all of the different ways the temperatures were rising around us. Primarily, the EP is mostly about climate change, wildfires, and the mental response to that. But it’s also definitely a product of the pandemic because our internal temperatures were rising and the political temperature was rising, too. So it’s a musical embodiment of all of those anxieties, for me, coming together and needing to find a way to be expressed.”
Hasen, of course, wouldn’t be the first artist to respond to end-of-the-world angst. Local rock band Heels, for example, released Pop Songs for a Dying Planet a couple of years ago, and that title says it all. But Heels’ “pop songs” were punk-infused barn burners reminiscent of, say, the Clash — exactly what you’d expect from apocalyptic rage. Hasen, on the other hand, takes a subtler approach. While she’s dabbled in funk, classic rock, and other genres in her previous solo work (and in the work of Blackwater Trio, her more collaborative band), this EP reflects a more introspective approach and a lush beauty all its own. Facing up to such anguish, it turns out, can be a very delicate thing.
The EP’s title song is a prime example. “Dream of Rain” begins quietly, Hasen’s violin meandering pleasantly before the subtle rhythm kicks in and, with Hasen’s conversational musings melodiously unfolding in the verse, it resembles nothing so much as Joni Mitchell. Clearly this is a world where beauty and fear come in equal measures. As Hasen reflects, “Part of me wants to let people interpret it for themselves, but for me, that song is about denialism and being invited into this world where nothing is wrong. It’s not real; it’s not a real world. So there’s extreme beauty and comfort, but also there’s something off about it that you can’t quite place. Yet there’s also sort of a hope that we can just dream of rain. Like in the bridge, where it kind of breaks down and turns into spoken word: If you can dream of rain, pray for rain, sing for rain, and dance for rain, then we can magically manifest it.”
Such magic is therapeutic in a world that seems to be falling apart. As Hasen notes, the vast scale and inexorable march of climate change “makes me feel trapped. But there is some hope in the album, too. Like, ‘Dream of Rain’ is an optimistic song for me because we’re trying to manifest rain to go to the places it needs to go.”
The fine line between hope and despair comes through loud and clear as the song unfolds:
“For generations this has been our home,” she sings, “our hiding place/But now we’re running where we used to play, all burned away/No fire escape, all burned away/Have you heard the news?/Where we’re going there is no more pain, no yesterday/Worrying or arguing on how to play the game/Funny how those words of peace and anger sound the same/When you’re the one in the flames.”
The grim imagery continues through other songs on the EP as well. “Goodnight Moon,” far from an homage to the popular children’s book, describes humanity as “coming in hot/Caught victim by our firelust,” as we become mere “victors of dust, prizes of rust.” But the first single off the EP, “Hold Still,” which drops September 20th, offers a kind of balm to this collective anxiety. Over some of the most delicate music of her career, Hasen sings some sage advice: “Hold still, this won’t hurt a bit/Finding the heartbeat, keeping the magic/Hold still, the world is an eggshell/We’re on the inside, nothing is tragic.”
Leaning into the fragility of the tune, Hasen also plays flute on it, a flourish that complements her arrangements for string ensemble throughout the EP. While she overdubbed herself for the latter effect during recording (with Estefan Perez on cello), she’s looking forward to featuring a live string ensemble and a flutist when she celebrates the EP’s release at The Green Room at Crosstown Arts on October 4th. And, she notes of the Green Room performance, “this will probably be the only show where I do the entire EP front to back, ever. Because this project, being full of emotions and a definite darkness, has been very laborious and emotionally taxing.”
Yet, on the flip side, Hasen’s looking forward to having fun while playing live this season. The first gig on the horizon will be the Mighty Roots Music Festival in Stovall, Mississippi (near Clarksdale), this Friday and Saturday, September 13th and 14th, with Hasen and band appearing Saturday at 2:15 p.m.
“I’m really excited about that,” says Hasen. “I spent four years in Clarksdale, and that was sort of where I was born as an artist, I think, because that was the first place I really got to experience playing non-classical music. And of course, it’s such a musically rich part of the world, I think it really influenced me and the way that I sound, and my particular voice on the violin, my songwriting voice.”
She pauses a moment, then adds, “And Stovall is an amazing place because it’s the birthplace of Muddy Waters. When I was looking in Clarksdale, I used to ride my bike over to Stovall and just sit under a pecan tree and look out over the fields for a little bit before going home.”
ARIES (March 21-April 19): One of the longest bridges in the world is the 24-mile-long Pontchartrain Causeway in Louisiana. During one eight-mile stretch, as it crosses Lake Pontchartrain, travelers can’t see land. That freaks out some of them. You might be experiencing a metaphorically similar passage these days, Aries. As you journey from one mode to the next, you may lose sight of familiar terrain for a while. My advice: Have faith, gaze straight ahead, and keep going.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): My horoscopes don’t necessarily answer questions that are foremost in your awareness. This might annoy you. But consider this: My horoscopes may nevertheless nudge you in unexpected directions that eventually lead you, in seemingly roundabout ways, to useful answers. The riddles I offer may stir you to gather novel experiences you didn’t realize you needed. Keep this in mind, Taurus, while reading the following: In the coming weeks, you can attract minor miracles and fun breakthroughs if you treat your life as an art project. I urge you to fully activate your imagination and ingenuity as you work on the creative masterpiece that is YOU.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): The Gemini musician known as Prince got an early start on his vocation. At age 7, he wrote “Funk Machine,” his first song. Have you thought recently about how the passions of your adult life first appeared in childhood? Now is an excellent time to ruminate on this and related subjects. Why? Because you are primed to discover forgotten feelings and events that could inspire you going forward. To nurture the future, draw on the past.
CANCER (June 21-July 22): You are lucky to have an opposable thumb on each of your hands. You’re not as lucky as koala bears, however, which have two opposable thumbs on each hand. But in the coming weeks, you may sometimes feel like you have extra thumbs, at least metaphorically. I suspect you will be extra dexterous and nimble in every way, including mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. You could accomplish wonders of agility. You and your sexy soul may be extra supple, lithe, and flexible. These superpowers will serve you well if you decide to improvise and experiment, which I hope you will.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): The internet is filled with wise quotes that are wrongly attributed. Among those frequently cited as saying words they didn’t actually say, Buddha is at the top of the list. There are so many fraudulent Buddha quotes in circulation that there’s a website devoted to tracking them down: fakebuddhaquotes.com. Here’s an example. The following statement was articulated not by Buddha but by English novelist William Makepeace Thackeray: “The world is a looking glass. It gives back to every man a true reflection of his own thoughts.” I bring these thoughts to your attention, Leo, because it’s a crucial time for you to be dedicated to truth and accuracy. You will gain power by uncovering deceptions, shams, and misrepresentations. Be a beacon of authenticity!
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Peregrine falcons can move at a speed of 242 miles per hour. Mexican free-tailed bats reach 100 miles per hour, and black marlin fish go 80 mph. These animals are your spirit creatures in the coming weeks, Virgo. Although you can’t literally travel that fast (unless you’re on a jet), I am confident you can make metaphorical progress at a rapid rate. Your ability to transition into the next chapter of your life story will be at a peak. You will have a robust power to change, shift, and develop.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Mythically speaking, I envision a death and rebirth in your future. The death won’t be literal; neither you nor anyone you love will travel to the other side of the veil. Rather, I foresee the demise of a hope, the finale of a storyline, or the loss of a possibility. Feeling sad might temporarily be the right thing to do, but I want you to know that this ending will ultimately lead to a fresh beginning. In fact, the new blooms ahead wouldn’t be possible without the expiration of the old ways. The novel resources that arrive will come only because an old resource has faded.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Did you ever have roommates who stole your credit card and used it to buy gifts for themselves? Does your history include a friend or loved one who told you a lie that turned out to be hurtful? Did you ever get cheated on by a lover you trusted? If anything like this has happened to you, I suspect you will soon get a karmic recompense. An atonement will unfold. A reparation will come your way. A wrong will be righted. A loss will be indemnified. My advice is to welcome the redress graciously. Use it to dissolve your resentments and retire uncomfortable parts of your past.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): One of my oldest friends is Sagittarius-born Jeffrey Brown. We had rowdy fun together in our twenties. We were mad poets who loved to party. But while I went on to become an unruly rock-and-roll musician, experimental novelist, and iconoclastic astrologer, Brown worked hard to become a highly respected, award-winning journalist for the PBS Newshour, a major American TV show. Among his many successes: He has brought in-depth coverage of poetry and art to mainstream TV. How did he manage to pull off such an unlikely coup? I think it’s because he channeled his wildness into disciplined expression; he converted his raw passions into practical power; he honed and refined his creativity so it wielded great clout. In the coming months, dear Sagittarius, I urge you to make him one of your inspirational role models.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Let’s hypothesize that you will be alive, alert, and active on your hundredth birthday. If that joyous event comes to pass, you may have strong ideas about why you have achieved such marvelous longevity. I invite you to imagine what you will tell people on that momentous occasion. Which practices, feelings, and attitudes will have turned you into such a vigorous example of a strong human life? The coming weeks will be an excellent time to meditate on these matters. It will also be a favorable phase to explore new practices, feelings, and attitudes that will prolong your satisfying time here on planet Earth.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Few Americans are more famous than George Washington. He was a top military leader in the Revolutionary War before he became the country’s first president. George had a half-brother named Lawrence, who was 16 years older. Virtually no one knows about him now, but during his life, he was a renowned landowner, soldier, and politician. Historians say that his political influence was crucial in George’s rise to power. Is there anyone remotely comparable to Lawrence Washington in your life, Aquarius? Someone who is your advocate? Who works behind the scenes on your behalf? If not, go searching for them. The astrological omens say your chances are better than usual of finding such champions. If there are people like that, ask them for a special favor.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Over 15 centuries ago, Christian monks decided Fridays were unlucky. Why? Because they were the special day of the pagan Goddess Freya. Friday the 13th was extra afflicted, they believed, because it combined a supposedly evil number with the inauspicious day. And how did they get their opinion that 13 was malevolent? Because it was the holy number of the Goddess and her 13-month lunar calendar. I mention this because a Friday the 13th is now upon us. If you are afraid of the things Christian monks once feared, this could be a difficult time. But if you celebrate radical empathy, ingenious intimacy, playful eros, and fertile intuition, you will be awash in good fortune. That’s what the astrological omens tell me.
At the Walmart in Eunice, Louisiana, police were called around 3:30 p.m. on June 22 about a group of women who were fighting, KADN-TV reported. They arrested Brionka Benjamin, 38, and her niece, Makatelynn Benjamin, 20, for simple battery, but Brionka got an additional charge: When the fight began, police discovered on surveillance video, she allegedly tossed her baby into a trash can near the entrance to the store so her hands would be free to slug another woman. She was charged with cruelty to juveniles; the baby was unharmed and released to relatives. [KADN, 6/24/2024]
It’s Good to Have a Hobby (Horse)
Some 260 riders from 22 countries showed up to the 11th annual Finnish Hobby Horse Championships in Seinajoki, Finland, on June 15, AFP reported. We could stop right there, but why would we? Hobby horsing involves people riding stick horses through a series of jumps, intricate dressage moves, and Western riding events. While hobby horsing is not recognized as an official sport in Finland, participants take it seriously. “We have faced so much bullying and judgment,” rider Nara Arlin, 24, said. Even so, the sport “is growing every year,” said Julia Mikkonen, chair of the Finnish hobby horse association. She notes the athleticism involved in some of the events: “If you jump over obstacles, your hip mobility has to be absolutely insane,” she said. She estimates there are about 10,000 hobby horsers worldwide. [AFP, 6/26/2024]
Awesome!
Fans of 1960s kitschy TV show Batman will not be surprised to learn that trusty sidekick Robin (also known as Burt Ward) has received the President’s Lifetime Achievement Award for rescuing more than 15,000 pets. WTOP-TV reported on June 26 that at the same ceremony, Ward and his wife received the United Nations Association of the United States of America Humanitarian Award for their work saving 45 different breeds of dogs. The former Boy Wonder said he and his wife “want to leave this planet better off than when we found it.” (We must have missed the episode when Robin found Earth.)
News That Sounds Like a Joke
• On June 24 in a federal by-election in Toronto, Canada, candidate Felix-Antoine Hamel, 45, made history: He received zero votes. The CBC reported that Hamel was approached by a friend to add his name to the ballot, one of the longest in Canadian history, as part of a protest against Canada’s electoral system. “Well, I am the true unity candidate,” Hamel said. “Everyone agrees not to vote for me.” Hamel couldn’t even vote for himself, as he is from Montreal, not Toronto. “I’m one of the last people that would be expected to make Canadian history in any way,” the musician said. [CBC, 6/27/2024]
• Jillian Uygun, 22, of Seminole, Florida, just wanted a cuddle from her boyfriend on June 29, The Smoking Gun reported. But when he refused her, they argued about the “victim’s disinterest,” police said. The next morning, Uygun repeatedly tried to snuggle with the boyfriend — then allegedly took it up a notch, grabbing his chest hair, scratching his face, biting him on the forehead, and breaking his phone. She was arrested for domestic battery, and a judge ordered her to have no contact with her cuddle-resistant boyfriend. [Smoking Gun, 7/1/2024]
Saw That Coming
Rolling Stone reported on July 2 that prolific baby daddy and host of The Masked Singer Nick Cannon has recently insured his “most valuable assets” for $10 million. “You hear about, like, all these different celebrities insuring their legs … so I was like, ‘Hey, well, I got to insure my most valuable body part,’” Cannon said. Even better, the “Ball-to-Ball” policy was taken out with Dr. Squatch, a men’s grooming company that invites users to find the “value of their balls.” The father of 12 (with five different mamas) said he’s “doubling down on … my future kids.” [Rolling Stone, 7/2/2024]
Send your weird news items with subject line WEIRD NEWS to WeirdNewsTips@amuniversal.com.
In the spiritual world, there are certain topics that are highly popular, and rightly so. Cleansing and protection are among the basics of metaphysical practice and therefore get a lot of attention. Love is another. But money is on people’s minds the most right now.
As we wind down summer and look ahead to autumn, we are entering harvest season. In Wicca and witchcraft traditions, August 1st is known as Lughnasadh or Lammas and is considered the first harvest. The autumnal equinox on September 22nd is known in these traditions as Mabon and is considered the second harvest of the season. Those who work on farms or have gardens are likely preparing to bring in their final harvest of the year within the next month or so. Harvest also brings us into the season of gratitude and taking stock of what we have.
Even though we are moving into fall, into harvest and gratitude season, that does not mean we stop manifesting. Working with the cycles of nature lends extra energy to our workings, but our manifesting never stops.
Gratitude goes a long way on a spiritual path. I find that when asking for something, it helps to show your gratitude for things you already have. If you are doing money manifestation work, it may not hurt to tell your guides or the universe that you are grateful for the job or the opportunities you already have. If we show our appreciation for what we have, perhaps the universe will be more generous with us.
There are many different approaches to manifesting abundance and prosperity. Do what feels comfortable or right for you. If you are looking for a powerful spell that is easy to use, I often recommend candles. The longer the candle burns, the more energy is put into the universe on your behalf. You have plenty of options of candle size, so you can find one that works best for you. Candles are easy because they don’t require a lot of supplies or money, and once you light them the magic is working.
Color psychology plays a big part in manifestation. When manifesting money, you typically want to use colors that remind you of money: green, gold, or silver. But there are always exceptions to the rules. White is also powerful and can be substituted for any other color. And red is a color of fire and action. You can use red on any working to speed up the timing of your request. If you need fast money, try red.
Gemstones are also great to aid in your manifestation work. You can carry them with you or wear them. You can add them to candles, set up crystal grids, or place them in your home. Your money-drawing gemstones are typically going to be those whose colors are green or gold.
Many of your kitchen herbs can work for attracting prosperity. Basil, bay, allspice, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and ginger are all good for this. You can also use chamomile, lavender, five finger grass, goldenseal, and many others. You can dress your candles with these herbs, add them to a mojo bag, or even use them in your cooking to attract prosperity.
You can use all of these suggestions together to manifest money, or pick and choose. You can add your prosperity gemstones to a mojo bag with money-drawing herbs to carry with you or place at work. Or you can put them in a jar to create a prosperity jar spell. It is impossible to list all the options here, but you can also use incense or oils to attract money.
Regardless of which method you choose, there is a tool or an aide for everyone. Happy manifesting!
Emily Guenther is a co-owner of The Broom Closet metaphysical shop. She is a Memphis native, professional tarot reader, ordained Pagan clergy, and dog mom.
Chef Michael Patrick and wife Angel in Southaven (Photo: Michael Donahue)
Chef Michael Patrick thought he was getting out of the restaurant business for good when he locked the door of his restaurant, Rizzo’s Diner, for the last time in March 2022.
Part of the reason for closing, Patrick said in a Memphis Flyer interview at the time, was “labor costs, food costs. And everything is out of whack.”
Well, he changed his mind. After working at The Capital Grille for two-and-a-half years, Patrick decided he had enough of the corporate life and he wanted to own another restaurant. He and his wife Angel are opening Magnolia Bend Grille on September 25th at Bonne Terre at 4715 Church Road in Nesbit, Mississippi.
Plus, he wanted to connect with the area after he moved from Downtown Memphis to Southaven, Mississippi. “Moving to Southaven really opened my eyes to it,” says Patrick, 52. “All I was doing was driving back and forth. I wasn’t really doing anything in my community here. I had become kind of disconnected from Memphis itself. Being a corporate chef, I had never had an opportunity to connect to the area I had just moved to.”
He moved to Southaven last October after living in Downtown Memphis for 25 years. He decided to make the move after he was involved in a hit-and-run car accident. He also discovered Angel didn’t want to go to Kroger after dark. He thought, “I just don’t want to be here anymore. I don’t feel safe.”
Patrick was approached by the owners of BT Prime Steakhouse to take over their space. It was the restaurant at Bonne Terre, a 28-acre complex in Nesbit, Mississippi, that includes a chapel and the Ashley Hall event space. Patrick thought, “Alright. As soon as my notice is up, I’m going to hit the ground running.”
He and Angel wanted “magnolia,” which is the state flower of Mississippi, in the restaurant’s name, but they couldn’t find a lot of history about Nesbit. So Patrick looked up the meaning of the town’s name. “The word ‘nesbit’ in Scottish means a hook in a nose, a bend in a river, or a bend in the road. Angel came up with ‘Magnolia Bend Grille.’”
The new restaurant is much bigger than the more intimate Rizzo’s. “It’s 3,200 square feet and it seats 72. But the bar has an additional 20, so you’ve got 92 seats.” And they added a patio, which can seat 50 to 60 comfortably.
Patrick didn’t have to add much to the restaurant decor. “The building and the area itself, to me, is elegant.”
But he wants to make sure the restaurant doesn’t feel stiff. “One thing I was able to do at Rizzo’s for so long was make you feel it’s not a pretentious place. I wanted you to feel comfortable and good when you come into the restaurant. I want to convey the same feeling when you come in Magnolia.”
Menu items “are going to be a little pricey, but what isn’t nowadays? But it’s not going to cost you an arm and a leg.”
The bar menu items will run between $18 and $26, but many of them are shareable. They will include a sausage-and-cheese plate, sliders, and a hamburger at a lower price.”
People can come in and get a quick bite at the bar and then head over to their event, whether it’s at the nearby Landers Center or BankPlus Amphitheater at Snowden Grove. “Come in and get an appetizer and dessert and you’re off to a show.”
Or they can get a “quick sit down” dinner. Entrees will range from $34 to $60.
Patrick will feature his “Southern-influenced” fare — the “same kind of food” people were used to him doing at Rizzo’s. “At the end of the day, I’m a meat-and-potatoes guy.”
He’s not going to feature items like “duck a l’orange with cranberry-scented rice,” he says. “I don’t eat that way.”
But he wants diners to get dishes “they can’t get at home. You want to come back and do it again.”
For those used to eating steak at the former steak house, Patrick says, “There’s going to be steaks on our menu.”
These include an 18-ounce bone-in rib eye. “Hopefully, it’ll be the best $60 rib eye you’ve had that day. But if you want a $34 seafood dish — salmon, the fish and grits or a half-baked chicken — that option is there, too.”
He’s gotten more experience in the steak area. “Working at The Capital Grille for two-and-a-half years taught me a little more about handling steaks and cooking steaks. I always had a filet or a lamb on the menu wherever I’ve been. But we’ve got this large grill back there, and to not have a steak on the menu, having that equipment, would be a disservice to the kitchen.”
Some of his popular Rizzo’s Diner items will be back. These include his lobster Pronto Pups, blueberry white-chocolate-chip bread pudding, and his popular hamburger. He’s still considering bringing back his cheeseburger soup. “It was the first soup I learned to cook from scratch at a restaurant when I was 16, 17 years old. It kind of stuck with me.”
And, he says, “It most likely will end up on the menu.”
Summing up Magnolia Bend Grille, Patrick says, “I want people to feel like they’re at a country club when they’re eating with me. And they’re all members of the most exclusive country club in Mississippi for an hour and a half. The area needs a restaurant like this.”
Linda Morgan, Tramaine Morgan, and Karen Sanders (Photos: Michael Donahue)
The play’s the thing. And so is the award for the play.
About 600 attended the 40th annual Memphis Ostrander Awards show, which was held August 26th at the Orpheum Theatre.
Sumi Montgomery and William SmytheJude Knight and Debbie LitchEli Garrett and Marianne Gebb
Jeff Hulett, who managed publicity for the event, says the local gala celebrates excellence in theater in the Greater Memphis area.
Eliza Fleming, Michael Panos, and Nolita PalomarWhitney Jo, Michael and Denice Detroit
More than 30 awards were given during the ceremony, which included performances by nominees. “Think the Oscars for theater,” Hulett says.
Joe Lentini and Patsy DetroitSavannah Bearden, David Parks, and Jane Parks
In addition to awards for acting, awards were given for everything from costume design and lighting to best original script, directors, and productions.
Fourteen organizations participated in the Ostranders, which were named in honor of the late actor Jim Ostrander. It began 40 years ago as the Memphis Theater Awards. The name was changed to “Ostrander” in 2001, Hulett says.
Gabe Boyd and Jennings Goode (Photos: Michael Donahue)
The Sierra Ferrell concert, held August 31st, was one of the largest concerts so far in the Shell Yeah! Benefit Series at the Overton Park Shell, says Jeff Hulett, who manages PR and publicity for the Shell.
Sierra FerrellOlivia and Austin MerrymanGrant Vazzano and Sydney Carty
“That was a sea of humanity,” Hulett says. “As a fan of the Overton Park Shell, that was one of the biggest shows I ever went to.”
People from the West Coast were among those attending. “There were people there from all over the place. I think Sierra Ferrell is about to blow up in a big way. To where we won’t ever get her back to the Overton Park Shell.”
Ilaria Pisoni and Will SmithCam Braden and Kara Spencer
And this wasn’t a free concert. “Overton Park Shell offers the free concert series, but in order to do the free concert series, we have to do a series of fundraiser shows.”
Lonny and Kelly ClemonsAmber Johnston and Austin Kimpel
And, Hulett says, “A lot of people don’t know that producing and putting on a free show costs a lot of money. So, we have to find the funds to keep doing that. The Overton Park Shell is all about providing for the community.”
Rep. Cohen takes the pledge at last weekend’s Kennedy Dinner of the Shelby County Democratic Party. (Photo: Courtesy Lexie Carter)
“We’ve secured $13.1 million in federal funding to overhaul one of the most dangerous intersections in our city — Lamar Avenue, Kimball Avenue, and Pendleton Street.”
So begins an online notification from the office of Memphis Mayor Paul Young, and it is accompanied by a photograph of the mayor with U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg.
The notification goes on to boast that “[w]e’re not just fixing a dangerous intersection — we’re transforming it with clearer signals, safer crosswalks, and better pedestrian pathways” — all of it being “a huge step towards ensuring that every Memphian can navigate our streets with confidence and peace of mind.”
Sounds good all right. I remember that intersection from the days when, as a 14-year-old, I threw the old Memphis Press-Scimitar in that neighborhood. In vintage times, it was where the old streetcars did a turnaround, and it absolutely was hazardous to negotiate, especially on a bicycle.
And comes yet another online notification — this one from 9th District Congressman Steve Cohen: “I’m pleased to announce a new investment of $13.1 million [under the] Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act … to completely redesign the dangerous intersection at Lamar Avenue, Kimball Avenue, and Pendleton Street …”
The congressman, a senior member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, notes further, “I strongly advocated for this project and for funding to improve our streets in hearings with Secretary Buttigieg and in letters of support to the U.S. Department of Transportation, and I’m proud we brought it home.”
Well, er, to whom goes the honor of having snagged this benefit from the feds? The mayor or the congressman?
Both, as it turns out. Asked about it, Cohen calls it a “cooperative joint effort” and says, in a text, “The mayor was a planner, and they’re his people. Politics and pitching by congressmen certainly helps. … Grants don’t just fall out of a coconut tree.”
And credit for the grant goes even further. Cohen points out that the grant, in its original form, was first proposed by former Mayor Jim Strickland and had been included as an earmark in legislation that, before being resurrected, was stalemated in a previous session of Congress.
All of which is to say that, yes, it does indeed take a village to get things done.
• Perhaps unsurprisingly, the vote of the Shelby County Commission on Monday to support the City Council’s lawsuit against the Election Commission to restore a gun-safety referendum on the November ballot was passed on a party-line vote — nine Democrats aye, four Republicans no.
Speaking for the Republicans, Commissioner Mick Wright quoted Governor Bill Lee’s concerns, expressed earlier Monday in Memphis, that the city should find itself at odds “with the rest of the state.” Democratic Commissioner Henri Brooks countered that it was “time to stand up to bullies.” And other commissioners tended to follow their party’s line.
With its vote, the commission became an “amicus curiae” in support of the suit, which has caused various GOP state officials to talk ominously about withholding shared state funding from Memphis.
• Citing the prosecution in Georgia of a father who armed his son with an AR-15 used in a fatal school shooting, Democratic state Rep. Antonio Parkinson says he intends to re-introduce his measure to penalize “a person who illegally transfers a firearm to a minor” using it for criminal purposes. Parkinson’s bill was introduced in last summer’s special session on gun safety but was tabled by the majority Republicans.
Sharing a lighter to keep out the cold. (Photo: Wirestock | Dreamstime.com)
I was walking home from Walgreens on the night before my birthday. I had just gone out with some friends to celebrate since I had to work on my actual birthday — a sad affair. But who can afford to miss any time at work nowadays? Plus, with my rent coming up, I especially needed all the time I could get. This morning, my building sent me a payment reminder, so the amount of $815 rang around in my head. I can thankfully afford it, but it’s been with some sacrifices here and there. Tonight was a rare occurrence for me. Usually I just stay inside and eat ramen on my weekends.
That’s when I saw you, huddled underneath the abandoned lawyer’s office awning. You and your girlfriend are sitting there with a lighter between the two of you. A blanket sanctifies your union. Next door, at the building where Lucyja Hygge used to be (before they got priced out), you both have set up another sort of home-ish situation. The patio is strewn with bed sheets, bottles, and a hot plate. There used to be chairs, but they’re gone now.
Before Lucyja Hygge was here, this building had been an artist’s studio. The artist himself lived in the back part. When I was younger, I had hooked up with him. But that’s another story for another time. It is unrelated to you. Here is our history as I remember it.
During Covid’s first winter, you set up shelter at my workplace. The shelter was elaborate, crafted with pure intention to keep out the cold. Blankets draped across a table. A comforter hooked onto a chair. You created a den of warmth with these simple discarded items. This lighter you hold now is a mere specter of what you once had. To what myself and others had to deconstruct and disassemble each week.
We weren’t open weekdays, just weekends. So, for a bit, we all lived in a sort of silent communion. We left you alone and you usually left us alone. Everyone was always apprehensive to ruin what you had made in the night. But we called you The Tenant in jest. We still call you The Tenant when you come in. When you do, all of us take turns telling you to leave the building. I feel like a traitor every time it’s my turn. Especially since I know your name now. It’s Gray. And I say your name when I tell you you can’t stay here. Hopefully it’s a kind enough gesture.
There’s another history with us that extends deeper than Covid though. A time before we all had to stay confined and separate and survive as best as we could. It didn’t occur to me until I got home and began writing this letter. You used to be a customer. I remember you now. I even defended you once, I think. You had a schizophrenic attack after your movie. This was back when we took cash. And that’s all you had: cash. I don’t remember the movie. It was probably any popcorn flick that anyone would go to. A Marvel movie maybe. Could have been Fast & Furious.
But this is what I remember. A lady walked up to me and said you were mumbling. She seemed frightened, so I reassured her you were harmless. That you come here all the time and don’t ever cause trouble. It seems though, trouble loves to find you. Who were you talking to that night, I wonder? Who did you see? What strange dreams plagued you then and plague you still?
It’s four or five years later now. Here you are in a new home, this abandoned rats’ alley between my apartment and the Walgreens. We’re neighbors. We’ve been neighbors. You once nodded to me in camaraderie as we passed each other by, a morning salutation with whatever drink you managed to scrounge up and hold fast to.
This is to say, I hope you stay warm and I hope you stay safe. Even if it means just a lighter and another warm body beside you, two souls who know the anger of this new world and its rising, deafening tone. I’m glad you have a companion with you to hold your hand when those demons come for you again, even if it’s in the elements.
Besides, isn’t that all any of us want at the end of the day, anyway? Another body, another soul, someone to say, “You are okay and we are safe,” even if that may not be true.
As I finish this letter, I remind myself that rent is due on the 5th. And I’d better pay it.
William Smythe is a local writer and poet. He writes for Focus Mid-South, an LGBT+ magazine.
