Dear Arizona, Pug DJ here. I like many things about you. I like the blue sky, the desert sunsets, the mountains, and the fact that people take patio season very seriously. But during summer, I have one question: who is in charge of the thermostat, and why are they so angry?
By the time June arrives, the air outside can feel like somebody opened an oven door and left it open for three months. A normal walk becomes a very careful mission. Humans check the pavement. Dogs look for shade. Everybody carries water. Even the lizards seem to be asking if we can all calm down.
People from other places hear Arizona is hot and think, “Yes, but it is a dry heat.” I have heard this explanation many times. It does not make a hot car cooler. It does not make a sidewalk easier on paws. It does not make a black steering wheel feel less like a small sun. Dry or not, hot is still hot.
Arizona summer also changes the daily schedule. Errands happen early. Walks happen early. Taking out the trash becomes an Olympic event. By the middle of the day, every sensible person is inside, looking at the air conditioner like it is a national hero.
It is also a good reminder that a little planning makes a hard season easier. Keep a hat in the car. Park in shade when you can. Bring a water bottle before you think you need it. Put a bowl of water outside for your own pets and check on people who may not have a cool place to go. Simple choices can make a big difference on a hot day.
Here is my respectful request: turn the temperature down about fifteen degrees from June through September. I am not asking for snow. Snow would confuse the cactus and make me nervous. I am asking for a summer where a person can walk from the front door to the mailbox without needing a recovery drink.
Until that happens, let us all be smart. Carry water. Wear sunscreen. Check pavement with the back of a hand before a dog walks on it. Never leave people or pets in a parked car. Give outdoor workers grace, shade, and cold water. And if a neighbor needs help, be the person who notices.
The desert is beautiful because it is tough, but humans do not have to prove they are tougher than the weather. Stay cool when you can. Rest when you need to. And please stop pretending a 112-degree day is “not that bad.” That sentence has never helped anyone.
Arizona, I still love you. I just think our relationship would be healthier if you stopped setting the neighborhood on broil every summer. Yours sincerely, Pug DJ, desert resident, shade seeker, and proud supporter of indoor naps.
There is no prize for being overheated. There is only a better story to tell later if you had enough water, good sense, and a working air conditioner. In Arizona, being prepared is not dramatic. It is just sensible.
