Tuesday, July 10, 2007

I'm Melting

I melt in the subway, on the streets, in my sleep, before work, after work. This evening I tried in vain to reach behind me on a crowded uptown no. 1 train to wipe, through my shirt, the bead of sweat running down the hollow of my spine. And now I sit in my apartment with chronic forehead perspiration and my box fan placed strategically on the floor to circulate warm air in my direction while the backs of my legs lightly dampen the microsuede of the couch. Even the inside of the pantry is warm. I had to put my protein bars in the refrigerator.

Why I'll splurge on a new outfit at H&M or cocktail hour at the bar - yet I haven't bought an air conditioner, I'm not quite sure I know. Maybe because my window won't accommodate a window unit or wall slide-in. And according to every PC Richards in this city, I have to purchase the $399 in-sleeve A/C and pay an additional $80 to have it delivered and installed in the sleeve under my window. It just pains me to spend that kind of money when a window unit can cost as little as $99.

I've been talking myself in and out of the purchase for weeks while I swim in my bedsheets during the heat waves and convince myself I can get through the summer every time the temperature returns to a comfortable degree.

And so tonight, I swim again. I know, I know. Cry you a river. It's so hot. Poor her. Blah-blah-blah. If I can't determine the importance of an A/C over a week's worth of happy hours with friends and coworkers, I really can't have it that bad. I probably won't cry you a river, but I could definitely sweat you one.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

I just journal surfed in. It was an interesting visit. I can't imagine making it without a/c or trading the south for NYC. It sounds like you are making a good transition, the post you talked about the different and how NewYorkers didn't get as involved sounded lonely to me. It is good it is working for you though. I will always be a Southern girl, even as a 40 something yr old woman :)

Todd said...

Seriously? You still don't have an A/C? How small is your window? What's this about a sleeve? Why can't you use the $99 unit?

If you need help with this, shoot me an email. Seriously, you shouldn't suffer in this stuff.

KJS said...

My window is HUGE. That's the problem. I'll take a picture tonight and show you. Actually - there are a couple of pictures here: http://becoming-a-new-yorker.blogspot.com/search/label/apartment

The "sleeve" in the wall under my window is approximately 25x14" and maybe 1-2 ft deep ...

Apparently if I put the $99 unit into the sleeve, it will "suffocate" itself because of poor air circulation(?). And something about city regulations. I've gotten that same spiel from one Best Buy and about four PC Richards-es.

Senorito<- Ako said...

Oh man.. I had to re-read this twice.

"Even the inside of my pantry is warm."

I thought this turned into a erotic blog of sorts. My bad....

Todd said...

Ah. Yeah, that is a problem. I really have no experience installing the sleeve units. You probably want to pay someone to do that or risk nailing a passer-by in the head Happy Gilmore style.

KJS said...

Ako,
Hahahahahahahahahaha!

Todd,
I'm a trooper. I feel like I can wait it out, lose a little water weight in my sleep, and save the $400+ for cocktails and random city meanderings ... but mostly cocktails. We'll see how I feel if another August killer-heat wave sets in.

But back to Ako,
Hahahahahahahahahaha!
Classic.

Todd said...

I'd be all for the cocktails idea, but you never go any place with the rest of us. Maybe next time.

P.S. I hope that water weight is evaporating and not soaking into your mattress. That'd be gross.

Annalisa said...

I honestly can't imagine that. I think I would go insane. If it gets over 78 in our house the AC is on. And it isn't even humid where we live. I think you are very brave and must love alcohol a LOT! ha ha.