You may see the headline and assume that this is another story on feeling youthful and your age is only a number and this and that. Yes, the headline is misleading because it has nothing do with getting younger, only getting older and as you read you will see.
Back in 2014, I wrote about it and that was really before our city started changing in so many ways. Then in 2018, I wrote another story on it and then our city was in the middle of something we had never seen with so many people moving here.
Now, I have to write it again and hopefully this time, people will listen and here it is. Stop telling people that it takes “only 15 minutes to get there from here.”
In 2014 it didn’t work, and in 2024, my goodness, it certainly is three times that to get anywhere in town.
“How long do you think it takes to get from Hermitage to Nippers Corner?” I don’t eavesdrop on conversations, usually, but I did on this waiting for the reply. Either way, I was going to write a story because if he said “15 minutes,” then I had something or if he said, “about 30,” I also had something to write about it. I waited and waited and waited.
“Oh, it is only about 15 minutes. Hop on 40, get on 65, off on Old Hickory and you are there.”
Have any of you driven this lately? 40-west from Hermitage will take you to the 24-40 split where you will see so much zig and zag from cars in front you, it will seem as if you were in a video game. Forget about merging onto 440 from the split because that thing is so backed up, even WhatAburger is jealous of the traffic jam. Then after being yelled and cursed out and getting the number one sign for trying to into the lane, you get onto 440 where you probably feel the need for a cigarette. Then onto 65 south and finally make it to one of the 77 Old Hickory Boulevard exits that are in and around Nashville. You go south off the exit, and red light, after red light, after red light, after red light awaits you on this magical and mystical journey. And oh, your fifteen minutes has been up forever and you finally make Nippers Corner.
My reply now when someone asks me how long it takes to get from point A to point B in town is, “Are you sure you want to make that drive?” We laugh and I start to cry, most times. Any time you are crossing town now, forty five minutes, at least, should be the immediate answer.
Now if it is a suburb that is next to another one, maybe. Antioch-Lavergne. Gallatin-Hendersonville. Donelson-Hermitage. Yeah, forget that, it will still take 45 minutes Fine examples, for the most part. But, Bellevue to Hendersonville? Better get your A-boarding pass and wait. Franklin to the airport for a flight that leaves on Thursday? Leave on Wednesday. Nashville to Smyrna? First off, why and secondly, it is probably quicker taking the Stones River.
We laugh now but you will catch someone soon saying “it is only 15 minutes,” and you will giggle. Remember, we are all in this together. So let’s just be honest with each other when asked how long it takes and say, “An hour, give or take sixty minutes.”
