Snapped

I had lunch with some colleagues from New York. They were asking if it was always this hot this time of year and why it was burning up every time they visited in late summer. I explained that yes, it's always this hot this time of year and will remain so deep into October. "We don't acknowledge September except to send our kids back to school." I then explained that So Cal is always burning up at this time of year because we haven't had any rain since last spring and there is nothing but kindling on our mountains.

They then wanted to know where all the smoke was. "I was in Vegas yesterday and could see it rolling in from my hotel room." Again, I explained, "You don't see it because you're in it." The son seemed surprised. I told him he was lucky that he was far enough away to not smell it. He seemed surprised at this detail as well.

I then went a bit further (maybe too far). I told them that I thought New Yorkers, as much as I love them, are a bunch of pansies. I broke into a girlieman impression of a New Yorker flailing hands in the air "Ooooh, it's snowing. Oooh, it's so cold! Oooh, Willard Scott told me it would be sooooo coooooooold!!!" Whatever. Turn on the heat, bundle up and gimme a break. "At least you see your disasters coming." I said. Try rattlesnakes and bears in the backyard, burning hills that later turn into dreadful mudslides and top it all off with some earthquakes for good measure. They nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I'm a city boy. That's too much nature for me."

Harumph. That's what I thought. Bunch a pansies.