APRIL

2021

Fronts of Coppell
Letter from Matthew Blanton
the Editor
On Feb. 14, I laid on my back in the
snow in my front yard, stared up at the sky
and watched the flakes fall.
The snow’s rarity in the area meant I
had forgotten just how silent it falls. Apart
from the wind, which I was fortunate
enough to avoid at the time I went out,
there was no sound.
It was quiet, and I could think. My
thoughts inevitably trailed to Sidekick. Fronts of Coppell is a Sidekick series in which
Four days prior, I had signed up for my executive news editor Shivi Sharma profiles a
last assignment to cover a Coppell High Coppell business owner to bring awareness to
School sporting event. It will be sometime community-based establishments.
in April, writing about a baseball game.
The prospect of finishing coverage had
gripped my heart in a mixture of nerves

Y
and nostalgia. ou may have heard his story during Coppell High School’s Virtual Adulting
The phrase “only one more” is seen as a Day on Jan. 7 or seen his shiny white trailer cruising along Coppell streets with
threat with every rising degree of finality. My ‘Quick Stain’ splashed across the side.
mind perceives it with pressure to get each Quick Stain owner and Coppell High School 2007 graduate Matthew Blan-
task done right, to make each experience ton tackles the unknown with hands-on activity. After high school, he took his knack
memorable, to do everything necessary and for vehicle work to the Ford Asset program offered by Dallas County Community
more. This semester continues onwards, Colleges and landed at the fabrication department at Rush Ford in Down-
and my Sidekick bucket list is shortening by town Dallas. Now, he’s looking to partner with similar programs and
the week. The echoes of “only one more” mentor those searching for technical job experience.
ring in my head nonstop; only one more When Blanton was furloughed from bus provider ABC
night out there covering, one more inter- Companies due to the COVID-19 pandemic last Au-
view left to conduct, one more story to write gust, he recognized a need for a local fence stain-
and publish; it’s all coming at some point. ing business. Establishing Quick Stain in
Once it happens, it’s done. December was not only an opportunity
I need to adjust my perception of a to combine his business knowledge
threat to a recognition of an opportunity. with the technical work he
To see it as a chance, not a looming set of enjoys, but a chance to
standards I had best meet or else. If I were work in his home-
better at taking my own advice, I would town again.
have changed my mindset already to match
this, but my realism tells me it will take a bit
of time before it really sets in.
My sight blurred at the accumulation of
snowflakes gathering on my eyelashes. I
closed my eyes momentarily as I drew even
further into my own thoughts.
I was getting old, wasn’t I? Instead of
waging frozen war on my younger sisters, I
had settled for hurling a single snowball at
each of them. You experience a pandem-
ic, landmark election and the worst winter
How did you learn technical work such as
weather the entire state has experienced
fence maintenance?
in who knows how long, and suddenly, you
I went to North Lake College for a couple years
feel like you’ve lived five lifetimes.
and then went to the University of North Texas.
I’m not really that old. I know I’m not.
I really found that I wanted to be out learning. I
There are so many things I don’t understand
wanted to be at a technical school, something where
yet, so many emotions I still can’t process. A
my hands could be building something or working.
month ago, I learned someone I had briefly
I learn quickly and that’s benefited me tre-
known had died. I didn’t know how to feel or
mendously. On-the-job training is what I’ve always
what to think, and I ended up being numb.
tried to do. It’s a dog-eat-dog industry. If you’re not
I’ll have to deal with it eventually. Peo-
tough, especially working at a flat rate, the hours
ple closer to me will pass, and I will have to
that they give you, you’re kind of wasting time.
learn how to grieve and mourn and cope.
The good thing is, I don’t need to know
how to go through it beforehand. Expe-
rience can be my teacher for handling
death and the rest of life in adulthood.
The snow was nice. The quiet was nice.
In the jumbled mess of my head, where
over explanations and convoluted descrip-
tions make even my internal monologues
louder than need be, it was nice to have a What is it like running a business in the same
moment to look inwards. community where you attended high school?
More aware of myself - physically, men- I’ve benefited a lot from working in the same town
tally, emotionally - I stood up, shook off the that I grew up in. Now I get to actually have the chance
snow and carried on. to help Coppell, which is such a great community. Get-
ting to come home and establish not just business re- Coppell High School 2007 graduate Matthew
lationships but relationships I’ve always had that now Blanton repairs a fence on Saddle Tree Trail on
reach a different level; it’s been really cool. March 12. Photos by Angelina Liu
EDITOR- IN-CHIEF