Need to catch 5:36 am to Grand Central.
Out the door.
Reach down in one motion…snag the morning paper and head down the street. Smooth. Just like 007.
Walking briskly. It’s 5:20. ½ mile walk. Gotta go. Gotta go.
Grab iPhone to check weather.
Precipitation:50%
Humidity: 96%
Wind: 4 mph
Temperature: 72F
Humidity. 96%. 96%.
Sweat accumulating on forehead.
I yank my tie off and toss it in my bag.
Why is my bag so damn heavy? Do I really need all this cr&p.
Beads of perspiration rolling down my back.
Shirt collar feels tight. I undo three buttons. Herb Tarlek. WKRP in Cincinatti.
Breathing heavy.
I take off my suit coat and fold it over my arm. Feel some relief.
Suit pants sticking to my legs.
Thighs rubbing together. (What fresh hell is this?)
Susan offered to drive me to station. And I said what? No? I’m good?
Feet now sliding in dress shoes. Wet feet. Sweaty socks. Oh, what a feeling.
Feel wisp of a breeze. God laughs.
Train arrives.
Not a single seat is open. It’s 5:36 am!
I stand.
Wipe my brow. The back of my hand glistening.
I wiggle my toes.
And smile.
Where’s the bloody joy in this?
I like the rain before it falls. of course there is no such thing, she said. That’s why it’s my favorite. Something can still make you happy, can’t it, even if it isn’t real.
~ Jonathan Coe, The Rain before it Falls
Credit: Image – Dromo.com. Quote – journalofanobody
Live & Learn 
I would be unable to cope with such commuting.
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And you can see how well I’m coping…:)
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David: let’s go fishing instead!
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Pal, I would have given just about anything to go fishing this morning. Hmmmmmmm
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I’m feeling ya, pal, although in my case it was sweatin’ it out at the gym. It’s like working out under a wet wool blanket. Nasty… Hope the trip home is more enjoyable….
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Air conditioned gym. Yes Lori. Exactly the same. But I love the sensory depiction – I feel exactly as one would feel covered with a woolly blanket on a hot day. Exactly. And yes, ride home was much better thanks.
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If it makes you feel any better, its 110 degrees here today…
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Ouch.
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any climate change deniers out there still? thinking of the firefighters in Arizona this morning.. and wondering also why I complained about the cold and rain in Paris last week.. what was I thinking…
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Yes to all that Makere….all of it.
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Last Thursday caught the LIRR into Penn then the No. 1 downtown to 14th Street then the L to Union Square. Couldn’t have put up a better sweat if I spent an hour on the treadmill doing hill intervals at top speed. Stood under an air conditioning vent for 20 minutes to dry and cool off before heading upstairs to my appointment. NYC + summer = highly moisturized content. Bleah.
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Ouch. I could feel all of that. Nothing like blowing heat down in the subways. And the cool refreshing solace coming from the A/C. I’m with you Jeff. I really am.
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The only joy in this is the visual of you smiling about it..Nothing like feeling like a squishing around in your clothes…ANd then once you get into the air conditioning, all that sweat will dry to a film that will beg to be washed off all day. Keep smiling – the fresher hell would be going through that commute only to walk into an office where the cooling system is on the fritz.
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Smiling, grimacing – it all looks the same from a distance. 🙂 Funny – I felt exactly as you described it – a film all day. Then I had to walk across town – so one sweat caked onto another. Then dried. Then back home. Oh, the feeling of taking your shoes off and jumping into the shower. Is there anything better?
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Jumping into the pool..which I have done after a commute like that – without stopping to go in the house and get a towel. Did I say our house is secluded? It comes in handy when your body has turned into an oil slick and your head is so itchy from absorbing heat that you begin to feel like you’ll never be clean again.
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ahhhhhh, sounds wonderful
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It is totally awesome…although Andy still shakes his head with disbelief. But twenty-plus years later and I’ve never been ‘caught’…
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Smooth. Bat girl, there one moment. Gone the next. 🙂
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Oh! the WKRP reference! Oh! and squishy socks! Ugh! Argh!
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Laughing!
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Grueling start to the day.
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Yes. Grueling. Exactly.
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Perspire and regain
Your composure
Don’t complain
Its your idea to walk to train
Is high humidity a strain
Or you are too dressed up
and decked up 🙂
try to be simple
always be light
did you forget it is July
its gonna be hot
whether day or night
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Sweet!
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🙂
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Hope the back end of your day is much better!
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It was Vicki. Much better thanks.
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On the bright side, the humidity is good for your skin.
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Valid point! Not so great on the dry cleaning bills. 🙂
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This is inspiring, David. Keep it up!
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Thank you Christian. Have a great 4th!
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