Did I Say That Out Loud?

"It's not the heat, it's the humidity.", the store clerk said to me in her air conditioned check-out space. In my head I grabbed her by both ears, lifted her a foot off the ground, stared directly in her eyes and said, "No. It's the heat."

Heat brings out the crazy in me. Thank God it stays in my head. No, I wouldn't assault anyone no matter the temperature, but sometimes a little Water Mitty-ing is good to keep one sane.

I smiled back at the clerk, nodded, and in my best voice I said, "You've got that right."

Yesterday was day four of an early heat wave here in Central Massachusetts. No big deal, this is the time of year for it, but it is a tad early. Would I be better prepared, and better able to handle the heat if it came in four weeks?

No.

It is the one thing I can whine about, and feel a camaraderie with others, too.

On the way out of the store a patron asked me if it was hot enough for me. In my head I nailed her with a squirt gun.

I smiled, and mumbled something. I was dehydrated, and slowly loosing perspective.

I'm glad that when all circuits are functioning normally we have this little "draft box" in our brains. We can think of a pithy reply, but edit it to fit the moment. Saves a lot of face, and bruises. There are times when the phrase, "Did I say that out loud?" can be heard, but for the most part what goes on inside our heads, stays there, and the socially accepted version is dispensed.

I do a lot of editing.

When I read of a proposal, or comment made by a co-worker, a relative, or a politician, I'll challenge it in my head first, then respond with the best socially acceptable response that still enables my feelings to be shared.

Giving my brother a wedgie, or flicking a spoonful of whipped cream at a co-worker is not socially acceptable. I need to be a better editor.

Well, it's not all my fault. It's all this humidity.