Call it selection bias - you have to understand that when I started looking I had done some prelim research and that research led me to a conclusion, and that conclusion led me to a direction. Imperfect action.
After a lot more reading I would now be open to other languages - but back to the whole user story analogy, I should have been describing the system and what the user needs vs. the technology to solve it. I don't 'really' have a complete understanding of the this vs. that so I just picked one and started making calls.
I guess when you come to a fork in the road...
Are you dead-set on using Ruby and Rails? If so, why? I ask only by way of suggesting that broadening your view of possible technology platforms might give you an opportunity to interact with a shop that will be able to accommodate your situation.
Maybe call on some Groovy / Python / Scala / Clojure / Erlang / $whatever shops? Just a thought...