Wednesday June 15 2022

 

Waking up at noon (Arkansas time).

 

Rebecca, Mike, and I drive into downtown to catch the quaint yet stimulating street sights of Hot Springs.

 

 

Eating at a small brunch spot called Granny’s that actually stopped serving breakfast by the time we arrive. Our waitress Mystica (correct spelling?) is really nice and gives us some pointers on what to do nearby. Apparently, the original owner is a grandmother and filled up the top shelves with all her house décor and uses her very own Southern recipes.

 

Strolling alongside the infamous bathhouses that all have direct pipes into the spring water that comes out of the mountain. And most of these buildings were erected back in the 1900’s. We peruse inside the Fordyce Spring museum keeping intact all the original tubs and rooms.

 

 

At some point we discover a long stream from the hot springs coming out alongside the mountain. The water is so hot it would scald your hand – gotta be at least 100 degrees – the steam billows up feeling like an outside sauna.

 

Later on, we scoop up Dante and Mmy to join us on a drive up the mountain to climb the Hot Springs Mountain Tower with the perfect observation lookout across the green terrain.

 

 

Back at the hotel, Nigel got everyone a bunch of cook out supplies (burgers, hot dogs, veggies, etc.) and made a deal with the construction crew to borrow their propane grill. So all of the crew and band hang by the pool sharing plates of thrown together backyard cookout food. Nigel is super stoked to be doing this in hopes to make everyone happy. Fun times in the pool.

 

 

Cleaning up and then taking a crew out to Maxine’s Live where a drag show is taking place (our second night in a row). With his slicked back hair Nigel looks like an Outsider to the likes of Patrick Swayze – slinging twenties at the bar buying rounds of drinks for everyone. I sip on an old-fashioned and a few beers – feeling pretty buzzed while we watch a few drag queens do their dance routines on the stage. I find two small balloons to give Nigel so he can place them under his shirt resembling big boobs. He runs on the stage and joins the queens – fits right in and they accept his excitement with hugs.

 

 

A funny moment with Mike filming me walk nonchalantly down the stairs with a broken dart in hand and just as a lady goes to squeeze his balloon boobs I pop one at the perfect moment. Mike says it was like Lee Harvey Oswald – assassination of Nigel’s Titties. Lol.

 

Rebecca, the only 100% sober one of the group, drives us to a Waffle House down the street – obviously some drama is in store for us. Almost immediately we witness a waitress have an argument with the manager/cook and ends up walking out – apparently the guy either said something inappropriate or possibly harassed her – no idea – but after returning from the bathroom Kevin, in vigilante mode, requests some help from me to beat the guy up – I defuse his eagerness. Either way it still creates a weird situation. Meanwhile, Nigel being his clown self is organizing lines of sugar to look like cocaine – some kids nearby start filming him.

...

I can tell on the way back Rebecca is not feeling great having to deal with all the drunks. I know she’s having a good time – it was a big and full day of activities – but sometimes it’s a little overwhelming with the type of characters in this band.