Everyone takes it for granted, but I remember life without air conditioning. When I was a little girl, I used to go to the pool to cool off. It was a welcome relief. There’s nothing worse than being too hot in the summer.
We had a big fan upstairs in our unfinished 2 story house, but I never felt a breeze from it. It made a lot of noise. We kept the windows wide open, but all that did was let you hear the neighbors next door talking, laughing, or arguing. We had an unfinished porch and we’d sit out there when the sun went down. It gave a little relief. I kind of miss the old backyard porch, but I don’t miss the unrelenting heat.
Ice was something we’d use. You’d put it across your wrist, or just in a wash cloth. I spent as much time as I could at the pool.
When restaurants started to get air conditioning, you’d go there to eat to escape the heat, and then the mall.
Finally, my parents decided to install the air-conditioning to our house. My allergies weren’t as bad, and I didn’t have to escape to the pool anymore. I could actually pull the covers up on my bed at night because I wasn’t so hot. I could stay inside more.
Like anything else, I got used to it. I almost forgot about the big fan and the misery. But not quite.
When my own children were teenagers, sometimes they’d say, “ I don’t like the air conditioning, open the window.”
I figured they really didn’t know what they were talking about. Just spend a few years in the miserable heat.
Air Conditioned sign (Photo credit: Caroline on Crack)
Do you remember life without air conditioning? Are you the type of person who doesn’t like air-conditioning.
My Life in my 60's 