On the subject of attendees, participants and wizards. Just like watering holes, Mountain Man Rendezvous encampments, Bus Stops, Food Courts, midday corners in various cities around America and Occupy camps, Hot Springs are Public Gathering Venues-Nexuses-Places. Public Gathering Venue-Nexus-Places (PGV-N-Ps) are not just destinations or points on a map; they represent both a place and an intended use/design, which intended use/design in the case of Hot Springs is bathing maxin’-relaxin’-style in healing and/or otherwise therapeutic mineral waters.

It should be noted that many PGV-N-Ps possess a gravity incommensurate with their intended use/design—e.g. while in the case of Hot Springs many come for the water, just as many (if not more) come for the scene, which scene (this designation warrants reiteration) is public, as in public transportation (subways like the A/C between MetroTech and Fulton, city buses, mixed-use bike paths, etc.) and public libraries and public bathrooms. Those of you familiar with Public Anythings know the designation is effectively synonymous with a number of predictable qualities and attributes: lowest common denominator hygiene, opt-out performance art and unsolicited story time. The more practical or utilitarian a PGV-N-P’s is, the more boring its Adjacent Public Scene (APS) is: booger picking, caustic mobile phone conversations, Bucket Drummers, megaphoned alt-Jesus diatribes, etc. The more outdoor, the more secluded, the more metaphsyical and spiritual a PGV-N-P’s is, the more interesting its APS is.

To Recap the Above

1. Hot Springs are a Public Gathering Venue-Nexus-Place for Healing Water enthusiasts.
2. Some people come for the water.
3. Some, if not more, people come for the people who come for the water.
4. This creates an Adjacent Public Scene in a spiritual place.
5. This attracts Wizards, and Wizards are the best.

A Short List, in no Particular Order, of Non-Healing-Water-Related Reasons to Visit a Hot Spring

1. To get naked in public.
2. To be seen naked in public.
3. To see other people naked in public.
4. To sell people in various states of dress marijauna and other drugs.
5. To chill.
6. In the pursuit of a captive audience.
7. For warmth.
8. To swim.
9. To meet German dudes and bussloads of Koreans.
10. To casually engage in a cultural exchange.
11. To steal underwear and shoes.