Rant #3,405: Hot Child In the City

Yesterday was another day, another physical therapy session, and another day where I sweated my toukis off to do the best that I could do to get better.

It is darn hot out, I can't stand it, and I live for air conditioning, whether at home or in my car.

According to my car temperature reading, it was 98 degrees in my neck of the woods at about 1:20 p.m. on Thursday.

Officially, I think it got up to 92 degrees on Long Island, but I go by my car thermometer, and it got to just two ticks under 100 degrees.

And the humidity ... fugedaboudit!

And it is pretty warm already on Friday morning, and the weatherman says it is actually going to be hotter today than it was yesterday.

Fugedaboudit!

I cannot take the heat at all, and it is getting worse as I am getting older, especially as it relates to my allergies.

I cannot take the heat, and the humidity makes it all the more worse.

I know some people enjoy this type of weather, but not me.

I would love it to be in the 60s or 70s, but heck. It is August ... it is supposed to be hot!

I remember as a kid in my old neighborhood of Rochdale Village, South Jamaica, Queens, the heat never stopped us from doing anything; we even opened the fire hydrants to get cool.

And when the ice cream truck(s) came to the neighborhood--

There was a seemingly endless line of kids getting ices, ice cream and drinks.

Good Humor, Mister Softee, Bungalow Bar, Hood ... we had them all, and sometimes, three or four of them came at once.

And we also had fountains, which we could barely feel when we played ball, but even a soft touch of that water felt so good.

And yes, the apartments there had air conditioning, so when the day was done, we could cool down in the evening with the air conditioner pumping out that cool air while we slept.

At Rochdale Village Day Camp, we went to the beach--Jones Beach, Rockaway Beach, Riis Park, Rye Beach--and to the pool--Walcliff and Casino pools, both in Western Long Island--and we had fun at these watering holes.

And on the weekend, we played in the Rochdale Vilkage Athletic League, and we sweated through whatever sport we played.

It is just so different when you are a kid.

The heat affects you, but somehow, you manage to get through it.

But when you become an adult, the heat just means something different ... much like with snow in the winter.

Personally, I can't take either one.

But with all my complaining, and with all my reminiscences, there are those who have had to put up with extreme heat well into the 100s, tornadoes, hurricanes, flooding and other weather disturbances that are not just nuisances, they are life changing.

They lose their homes, their livelihoods and their lives.

So what am I complaining about?

Have a great weekend, and I will speak to you again on Monday.

And please stay cool!