Regardless of what historians say, population growth and economic development of the "South" did not arise from cotton, slavery, water ports, or even oil and gas. Instead, it was the invention of air conditioning that made living conditions tolerable enough to allow those other factors to have any meaningful impact. I know this to be true, because my home AC has been out nearly a week, and I have started migrating north. So far I've made it to Dallas, and if the new AC is not up and running by next week, I'm heading on up to higher elevations and/or higher latitudes.
Of course my AC went out as a high pressure heat wave settled in over Houston, and new heat index records are reported daily by local weathermen. Fortunately, my American Home Shield warranty covers my AC (like my dishwasher, reported in previous blog posts). So I submitted a repair request on a Sunday, and followed it up with a call to Armadillo Air, the local service company that would receive the request, and left a message that I would be available for a service call first thing Monday morning. Armadillo Air called me back Sunday evening (bless them) and set a time for Monday morning.
Long story short, the entire AC unit is being replaced under the warranty. Yipee! The last time I had to replace the AC it cost me over $6,000. Still, it takes time to go through the ordering equipment, etc. process, but Armadillo Air stayed on top of things and kept me informed as to when my new Carrier AC was ordered, when it was expected to be delivered, and the plan to install it as soon as possible. But even with fans running in the house, some set up to blow out an open window, by 1:00 each afternoon it was hotter in the house than outside! I've been swimming in the mornings, taking cold water showers, then leaving the house by noon to run errands, visit friends and the twins, and hanging out at Bill's, then heading north to visit with grandson John.
Fans set up all over the house
Hanging out at Bill's in the afternoons and evenings.
But this whole experience really points out how dependent we are on air conditioning, especially as the heat index hits the triple digits, as it has this week that my AC is out. I had an emergency list of places to go, Panera's, the public library, the mall, and even driving around in the car. Plus friends' houses, and finally escaping to Dallas for a grandson visit.
But what on earth did folks do before AC! I do remember as a kid going to un-air-conditioned schools (in New Orleans!), but not in the hottest days of summer. No, on those hottest days of summer, I played softball outside! I remember driving in cars with no AC, spending a week at a beach house rental with no AC, and family camping vacations. Maybe heat doesn't bother kids as much as it does "women of a certain age", which I am now one.
I have visions of the ladies in the courtroom in a John Grisham novel/movie A Time to Kill, or in a church scene, wearing "Sunday" clothes, with hats and gloves, waving fans in front of their faces. I suspect that underneath those long skirts, they were bare bottomed, allowing some air to circulate and keep them cool! Why anyone even lived in the South before AC is a mystery to me. If you don't think the invention of air conditioning has been an elemental factor in development in the South, try living a week or more without AC!
I also did a little shopping at Penney's in Conroe (good AC), then hung out in my air conditioned bedroom. I called the AC company to find out some more info about the saga to get the parts, something just doesn't seem right. Maybe they will answer my questions tomorrow.
Video of babies playing with the can drum.
