Hot Town

Hot evening sky. (Click picture for larger view)

"Hot town, summer in the city
Back of my neck getting dirty and gritty
Been down, isn't it a pity
Doesn't seem to be a shadow in the city
All around, people looking half dead
Walking on the sidewalk, hotter than a match head.
~ Summer in the City, The Lovin' Spoonful

Scattered clouds in the summer sky over New York City. It has been a hot one the past couple of days and will probably be the same until the front comes through tomorrow. The sidewalks aren't deserted but people are trying to limit their outdoor activity, short walks to and from the market or the subway only and everyone carries a water bottle. The subway stations are stifling, even the wind through the tunnels from a passing or arriving train is hot and affords little relief from the heat. The subway cars are air conditioned but usually full. Nyssa and I found one completely empty except for one person, sitting in the corner, reading a book. It only took a couple of seconds to figure out why it was empty; the air conditioner was broken and the car so hot, the air so thick with humidity that a person could barely breath. The very next stop we quickly got off and changed cars. I couldn't help wonder, how did all these people know that one car was hot? How did they know not to get on in the first place? Probably the experience of having lived here and learned the rules of subway riding. Rule #5: Never get on a subway car that is completely empty. There is something wrong here.

Submission for Thursday Challenge topic "sky". (end of post)