Desperate Measures

I'm typing this from my room at a Best Western about 10 miles from my house. I'm staying here for the night. Each day this week has been hotter than the last, and my house has become the Easy-Bake oven from hell. My cats have become blobs of furry pudding, and I've been reduced to lying on the couch on my side, groaning like some great wounded animal, my life oozing from every pore.

It's a pretty good deal, all in all. $50 bought me a comfortable, clean bed and air conditioning, but in reality it bought so much more. I've been able to relax for the first time all week. It's 104 degrees outside, and it's taken two hours for the temperature in my room to reach a decent level, but now that it has, it's all been worth it.