On an off note (2)

Today, it is hot out there under the Iowa sun. For those of you not familiar with the area's climate, 80's this time of the year isn't unheard of, but still unusual. Its still going to get hotter and more humid in a couple months. Sometimes it astonishes people that we can go from negative 30 in January to 70's by April. And humidity makes it the devil's playground. And for those of you in the south who are used to 80 and 90 degree weather--well, its a whole different story when you have 90% humidity to go along with it. Instead of feeling like 80 or 90, it feels more like 120 or 130. (I remember 110 in Arizona and that was so much more comfortable than 85 here in Iowa) It just isn't as fun when you are trying to breath water.

Yesterday it was worse. We hit 93 by mid afternoon. I wasn't supposed to work, but I switched my monday shift with another guy on the condition that I would work for him. I guess I should have been a little more careful there. As a delivery driver, I'm used to seeing certain people on a regular basis. The same people who complained about how cold it was this winter (and honestly, this winter was pretty mild [I say this as I remember sliding sideways on the road and nearly running into another vehicle once]) are now complaining about how hot it is outside. They complain because they aren't ready to use those air conditioners and they complain because "what is this world coming to. I tell you, it has to be global warming." (Don't even get me started on that one...

Anyway, to get back on topic. It gets to be a little annoying (I can't think of a nicer way to say that). Hearing it over and over again, you get tired of it. Not to mention, being out in that heat, 1: you already know exactly how hot it is, and 2: Do they really think you haven't already heard it a few dozen times?

So, I play nice. I have been told a few times that my snarky comments are going to get me in trouble one of these days, and with it being so hot, and me being so tired because the heat is just draining me, I keep my mouth shut with a few "yep"s and "yeah it is"s.

My last delivery, I pull up to the house and walk up, knock on the door and wait. The guy that answered the door, left me hanging out in the heat for about five minutes, so we'll just say I was a bit frustrated. He pokes his head out the door and smiles at me and says, "Man, it is hot out here. Kinda makes me miss the cold from winter."

And what does my big mouth do? It betrays me! I say (without thinking of course), "I guess so, I figured I'd be out here until it got to be that cold again."

Luckily the guy laughed it off, or I would have been in so much trouble. I guess this has been a lesson in patience.