IN PRAISE OF AIR-CONDITIONING IN THE AMERICAN SOUTH
By OLIVENE GODFREY
About a week ago, son Barry's AC stopped working in his ten year old car. Barry has taken good care of the car and keeps it in our enclosed garage when it isn't being used. And the car looks like a new one but Barry said that its old enough now to start needing repair work. Barry said he might consider buying a new car if the U.S. economy was more stable. Barry inherited his late dad, Ralph's mechanical talent. The AC compressor stopped working about this time last year and Barry replaced it with a new one but he says it was hard work. But, last Friday morning Barry installed a new compressor in his car and it is working fine now. He is hoping the AC will continue to work okay for at least the rest of the summer.
This incident reminded me of the many years we drove cars with no AC during the six months of the year when the weather is either warm or very hot in the American South. I remember when I wore dresses and panty hose all the time except for casual wear and I would go out for interviews or other business on hot, sultry days and would be miserable by the time I returned home. And, for years our houses were also hot and oppressive.
And during the "dog days of summer" the nights remained hot, too.
I vividly remember one summer before Barry was born and we lived in Dalton, Georgia. We drove to Daytona Beach that year for a vacation. Until you've traveled from north Georgia to the Florida line, you can't realize just how large the state of Georgia is, especially when you are in a car with no AC.
On that particular trip, the temp was over one hundred degrees in south Georgia and our old car was like a furnace blasting
hot air on us. I was wearing shorts and a shirt and they were both wet with sweat. This was in the days before U.S. Interstate 75 was built and we traveled on old U.S.41 to Florida. There were no fast food places and few "tourist cabins." on this route. As we drove along a barren stretch of highway in south Georgia, we spied a concrete building with a welcome sign of "cafe". We had foolishly not brought any water with us and we stopped at the cafe which did have AC and we asked for water. A kind waitress brought us glasses of iced water and I'll never forget how wonderful the water felt on my parched throat.
We ordered a light meal and left the cafe feeling better.
Back in the 1960s, we had no AC in our cars and we still appreciate the AC in our vehicles now. Barry's truck, which he inherited from Ralph, has a good AC but I can no longer get in and out of it. And, I need a car with AC because of my breathing problems. When we lived in Florida, few homes had AC and we suffered during the hottest months. We didn't have AC in our car then either. Now I am so grateful for central air in our house and I never take it for granted.
I hope all U.S. readers have a happy Independence Day, July 4th.
See you next time.
By OLIVENE GODFREY
About a week ago, son Barry's AC stopped working in his ten year old car. Barry has taken good care of the car and keeps it in our enclosed garage when it isn't being used. And the car looks like a new one but Barry said that its old enough now to start needing repair work. Barry said he might consider buying a new car if the U.S. economy was more stable. Barry inherited his late dad, Ralph's mechanical talent. The AC compressor stopped working about this time last year and Barry replaced it with a new one but he says it was hard work. But, last Friday morning Barry installed a new compressor in his car and it is working fine now. He is hoping the AC will continue to work okay for at least the rest of the summer.
This incident reminded me of the many years we drove cars with no AC during the six months of the year when the weather is either warm or very hot in the American South. I remember when I wore dresses and panty hose all the time except for casual wear and I would go out for interviews or other business on hot, sultry days and would be miserable by the time I returned home. And, for years our houses were also hot and oppressive.
And during the "dog days of summer" the nights remained hot, too.
I vividly remember one summer before Barry was born and we lived in Dalton, Georgia. We drove to Daytona Beach that year for a vacation. Until you've traveled from north Georgia to the Florida line, you can't realize just how large the state of Georgia is, especially when you are in a car with no AC.
On that particular trip, the temp was over one hundred degrees in south Georgia and our old car was like a furnace blasting
hot air on us. I was wearing shorts and a shirt and they were both wet with sweat. This was in the days before U.S. Interstate 75 was built and we traveled on old U.S.41 to Florida. There were no fast food places and few "tourist cabins." on this route. As we drove along a barren stretch of highway in south Georgia, we spied a concrete building with a welcome sign of "cafe". We had foolishly not brought any water with us and we stopped at the cafe which did have AC and we asked for water. A kind waitress brought us glasses of iced water and I'll never forget how wonderful the water felt on my parched throat.
We ordered a light meal and left the cafe feeling better.
Back in the 1960s, we had no AC in our cars and we still appreciate the AC in our vehicles now. Barry's truck, which he inherited from Ralph, has a good AC but I can no longer get in and out of it. And, I need a car with AC because of my breathing problems. When we lived in Florida, few homes had AC and we suffered during the hottest months. We didn't have AC in our car then either. Now I am so grateful for central air in our house and I never take it for granted.
I hope all U.S. readers have a happy Independence Day, July 4th.
See you next time.
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