Hug the Pipe
Originally posted on Olyblog by Crenshaw Sepulveda
If I had a top ten list of cool things about Olympia (wait a second I do have one) the artesian well in the Diamond parking lot downtown would be right up there near the top of the list. The fact that it even exists is amazing to me. Here is this huge company that has parking lots all over the region and they allow this well to spring forth on their property. I spend a lot of time at the well and I'll tell you that people from all walks of life make use of it. I see people drive up in BMWs drive up and fill a couple of water bottles. I see homeless people shuffle up to the spout and take a drink and wash their faces. Almost every one I've talked to at the well has a story. Some claim miracle cures to the waters. Some just like the community they find at the well. A whole set of etiquette has evolved around the filling of bottles. I've never seen such a cooperative process. Kids with body piercings cooperating with lawyers and state officials here at this one magical spot.
It is a magical place, the Olympia Artesian Well. I will not vouch for any cures the waters have, but it often cures my soul. Water is the most fundemental thing in life. Sure we have those nay sayers that will pipe up and say, yeah what about air? But let us face it, without air we ain't around very long, couple of minutes at best, and once you have been air deprived you ain't coming back. Water, however, is generally available, but in a pure form becoming scarce. Heck people actually pay for the stuff in half liter bottles that if sold by the gallon would cost more than gasoline. So here we have this Diamond Parking company, I'm sure it is a multimillion dollar concern, and they let this pipe sit in their parking lot for all to enjoy. I almost get religious about the significance of the act. To some it is just some pipe sticking is asphalt spewing out water. To me it is like holy communion. A communal sharing of a life giving resource. A true mixing of every walk of life engaging in this sacred act. Shut me up if I get to corny.
If I had a top ten list of cool things about Olympia (wait a second I do have one) the artesian well in the Diamond parking lot downtown would be right up there near the top of the list. The fact that it even exists is amazing to me. Here is this huge company that has parking lots all over the region and they allow this well to spring forth on their property. I spend a lot of time at the well and I'll tell you that people from all walks of life make use of it. I see people drive up in BMWs drive up and fill a couple of water bottles. I see homeless people shuffle up to the spout and take a drink and wash their faces. Almost every one I've talked to at the well has a story. Some claim miracle cures to the waters. Some just like the community they find at the well. A whole set of etiquette has evolved around the filling of bottles. I've never seen such a cooperative process. Kids with body piercings cooperating with lawyers and state officials here at this one magical spot.
It is a magical place, the Olympia Artesian Well. I will not vouch for any cures the waters have, but it often cures my soul. Water is the most fundemental thing in life. Sure we have those nay sayers that will pipe up and say, yeah what about air? But let us face it, without air we ain't around very long, couple of minutes at best, and once you have been air deprived you ain't coming back. Water, however, is generally available, but in a pure form becoming scarce. Heck people actually pay for the stuff in half liter bottles that if sold by the gallon would cost more than gasoline. So here we have this Diamond Parking company, I'm sure it is a multimillion dollar concern, and they let this pipe sit in their parking lot for all to enjoy. I almost get religious about the significance of the act. To some it is just some pipe sticking is asphalt spewing out water. To me it is like holy communion. A communal sharing of a life giving resource. A true mixing of every walk of life engaging in this sacred act. Shut me up if I get to corny.
posted by Jade at 7:26 PM
2 Comments:
You know those nature shows about the sahara? And they always go on and on about how hard it is to survive, how tough nature is, how every animal is for himself, etc.? And then at some point, they show all the animals coming to one spot to drink. The well always reminds me of that.
I think of it as our version of a public house. It's a place where people can come together from different parts of the community and share our common resources in a sometimes uneasy truce. Sort of like the lioness and the zebra. Without the narration. And without the killing and eating of each other...usually.
P.S.: Anyone who's interested in preserving this watering hole should contact me--I'm writing up a petition and gathering support to buy the parking lot from Diamond. Let's do it for real this time! urbanlayers@riseup.net
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