I was born in Louisiana. I know heat and humidity…Charleston gave me a dose of its brand of heat last week (on my first trip out of state since January 2020). Very impressive.
Lately, Maryland seems like it’s trying to show off its southern side.
I hadn’t opened the windows when I returned home last Sunday because of the air quality due to the wildfire smoke from Canada. I turned on the AC last Monday. By Tuesday, I hadn’t noticed it was M.I.A.
I’d been painting every day and was underneath the ceiling fan. On the days when it rained, I turned off the unit, and enjoyed the freshened air. I hadn’t been doing any cooking; opting for salads and DoorDash. I’m not sure when it occurred to me that nothing was blowing from the vents.
It was hot outside this past Monday. I ran an errand. When I came back home I realized just how comfortable the car ride had been.The heat hit me. The ceiling fans were just circulating hot air.
I remembered summers in Louisiana. Every aunt’s neck was adorned with a towel, and I was amazed at how they’d whip it back and forth to fan their faces. They dabbed— never wiped.
I remembered box fans turned backwards in windows to draw the hot air out. Every shotgun house was cool. I’m still amazed by that.
I was doing fine…I could almost heard my grandmother say, “Just sit still, Baby”. I concentrated on my painting. A sistah shouldn’t be sweating when she’s just sitting. I went to the thermostat. It read 85 degrees.
I heeded my grandmother’s words…made myself a giant glass of ice water…and called Belair Engineering — ‘cause that’s who my Dad used to call.
The elders never stop teaching, even after they’re gone.
The technician arrived as promised, and quickly assessed the problem…and the cost wasn’t of the leeching variety that had devoured my stimulus check when the blower went on the fritz exactly 3 years ago.
AC’s running again. The number on the thermostat is slowly decreasing from the sweltering 86 that greeted me this morning.
Thank you baby, teenaged, adult, and resurrected Jesus.
…and now, I hear thunder.
The rain is going to do its cooling, cleansing thing, (because of course that’s what happens when you get the AC fixed).
Who knows. Maybe the rain will also deter folks and their bombs bursting in air, who think it’s still the 4th of July.
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