Relentless Delta Heat Wave
I lived for a few years in East Africa. I enjoyed a desert paradise, but it did not prepare me for the type of heat that Mississippi has been sucker punching us with in the last several days. There has been no need to use my oven. I can simply wrap up a nice piece of chicken in some aluminum foil, along with a few carrots, potatoes, and onions. After adding my favorite seasonings and some butter, I can leave it on my dashboard for an hour and a half. By doing this, I can enjoy a nice supper. The hot gossip that I hear at work isn't as steamy as the inside of my storage shed, where my garden tools sit, forlornly, waiting for me to have the gumption to use them.
I am keeping my little dog inside as much as possible. She is my loyal little shadow, and I prefer to keep her cool. Her dad and I love our little "piggy cow". (She's black and white. Because she's a Boston Terrier, she snorts like a little piglet.) She knows she's cute and she uses it to her advantage. She is spoiled rotten. She mostly stays indoors so that she can be within a few inches of me. Basically, she is a toddler in a dog's body and needs her mommy constantly.
I am thankful that I don't have leather seats in my car. I would probably suffer burns, just sliding in and out of the driver's side. I've been wearing fluffy winter mittens when I drive, so that my hands don't get too hot. I probably look silly wearing them, but I'm so short that other drivers think I have a futuristic car that drives on its own. If I strain my neck to look at something ahead of me, I can barely be seen over the steering wheel. Most likely, other drivers can't see my fluffy, stretchy black mittens.
As hot as it's been, at least I'm not trudging through the desert with a heavy rucksack on my back, surrounded by danger and longing for the basic comforts of home and family. I'm uncomfortable in this heat, but I know that there are men and women who are facing much worse, and they're doing it for people like me that they've never even met! I'm grateful for their dedication and bravery, and I thank them, especially on dangerously hot days like the ones we've had this week. As hot as I've been, I know that there are people all over the world who can only dream about a working air conditioner right now, or a cold glass of sweet tea over ice. Freedom has never been free. I wish these heroes cool air, a safe environment, and ultimately a safe trip home to their families.
