Way Too Hot!

Door Leading to the AC

Summer is here—unfortunately.  Don’t get me wrong, there a number of things about the summer I really enjoy.  I love splashing in the doggy pool, I look forward to spending evenings sitting outside watching lightning bugs, I adore lounging in the air conditioning (when it’s on), and of course there are all the outdoor BBQs which bring about a drastic rise in the number of edible items accidentally dropped on the floor.  But summer also brings about uncomfortably hot temperatures (made even more uncomfortable by the glamorous fur coat I was born with) and equally uncomfortable sleeping conditions when my family decides not to use their air conditioners (it really is such a wonderful invention—I wish someone would figure out how to air condition my backyard too).  Last night was one of those uncomfortable nights; it was downright hot (had been for a couple of days) and my family refused to use their air conditioners.

My night began on the first floor in Ma and Pa’s room.  As bedtime approached (okay, technically I began three hours before bedtime), I started hovering by the door, hoping that my sad mournful looks and deep sighs would provoke someone into turning on the air conditioner.  They did not.  Then, at bedtime, I made sure I gave Ma and Pa my saddest “I’m melting!” look, but all they did was give me an ear scratch good-night and turn off the lights.

To say I was despondent would be an understatement.  “Why are they doing this to me?” I thought, “Why won’t they turn on the air conditioner? Hey, is the room getting stuffy? Are the walls closing in on me? Air! I need air!”  I ran to the window and raised my snout to the gentle breeze wafting in and immediately felt better.  But just because I felt better didn’t mean that I wasn’t still annoyed at the predicament I was in.  To show my displeasure, I started panting wildly into the window hoping to wake Ma and Pa up and convince them to turn on the air conditioner.  Sadly, my plan failed (Ma and Pa merely snickering at my attempt).  “Fine!” I thought, “I’ll see if I can guilt—I mean talk—Sister into turning on her air conditioner.”

Up the stairs I climbed (I think stairs multiply in the heat) and discovered Sister huddled in front of a teeny tiny fan in her room.  “This won’t do,” I thought as I stalked back out and into the hallway, “but at least Sister is an easy sell” (if there is anyone who despises the heat more than I do it is Sister).

With a thud, I threw myself against the wall and, leaning against it at a 45 degree angle, started digging at the carpet while whining and howling hysterically.  Eventually Sister emerged from her room and sat down next to me on the floor while I continued whining and barking.  "Have you gone crazy from the heat?" she asked rubbing my head and back until I eventually stopped digging and calmed down.  I looked up at her with my saddest expression and eventually she asked:  "Do you want to go to sleep?"  I wagged my tail and ran into her room.

But the air conditioner still wasn't on and it didn't look like Sister had any intention of starting it.  Obviously, I was going to have to carry on a little bit more to get my way.  First I scurried over to my pillow and started digging.  When Sister told me to stop, I hurried over to the corner of the room and started digging again, this time on the rug.  "Come on Rigs," Sister pleaded "I know you're hot, but just lie down already!"  Finally, I grabbed Sister's hair brush, flopped down on the floor, and began to gnaw on it (the bristles tickle my tongue).

That was all it took.

"OK, OK," Sister sighed.  "You're not going to be happy until I turn on the air conditioner are you?"  I wagged my tail (I have such a smart Sister!).

A few minutes later I was sprawled out on Sister's bed finally cool and comfortable.

But then Sister did a very mean thing.  Once the room was nice and cool she turned off the air conditioner, opened the window, put the fan back on, pushed me over (apparently she felt I was taking up too much of the bed), then climbed in to go to sleep.  At first everything was fine; there was enough cool air left in the room to keep it comfortable and a gentle breeze was coming in through the window.  A few hours later, however, the cool air had dissipated and I was forced to head back downstairs to find a cool spot on the kitchen floor.