A Southerner’s Attitude Toward Air-Conditioning
Today, New York City will likely top 100 degrees Fahrenheit. It is only June 9th. Let me repeat, June 9th. I expect this for August and can deal with it then - barely. In June, it makes me fear for the rest of the summer, when only weeks ago I was begging for it.
As a former Houstonian, I thought I would never complain about the heat in New York, the way I did this past weekend. Somehow, the combination of concrete, humidity, and a general lack of central air make this seem worse than August in Texas.
[Image: A man trying to survive the heat in New York City. Courtesy of MSNBC.]
Even if you consider the heat equally unbearable in both cities, Houstonians have “The Tunnel” in the face of triple digit heat to traverse the city streets - a point I make, because this is air-conditioned space.
[Image: A map of the tunnel system in Houston, which is color-coded for wayfinding. Courtesy of Downtown Houston.]
New Yorkers, in the face of triple digit heat, enjoy the subway system where bodies glisten in sweat, two people fill the space of one on subway cars, and the sweet aroma of piss fills the air.
Oh, if only our subway stations were air-conditioned…
For more,
It’s Lonesome in This Old Town, Until You Go Underground, NY Times
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Comments
Gitcha an air conditchner!!! 
Look at it this way, you’re getting conditioned for the wedding in July in Austin. No complaints when you come!
i feel your pain.. you know, the first air conditioner was actually invented in Brooklyn, inside this old factory building that i once rented space out of.
you have a really nice blog here…take care..stay cool!
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As another former southerner, I have the same sentiments. I don’t remember it reaching 100 degrees all of last summer…and here we are two weeks before the offical start of the hottest season. Yikes. The stations may not be conditioned, but thank goodness the trains are…except when they aren’t…like the one I rode this morning. Come on MTA, get it together.