“Stop lying, it’s cold out!”

The temperature is currently 3 degrees F outside (-16C). So, why do some people still insist on not wearing a coat or worse yet, wear shorts when outside?

While standing at a corner, bundled up in hat, gloves, scarf and wool coat, still freezing from the bitter wind, I ask a few clad in shorts passers by, “why the shorts, aren’t you cold?” Invariably, a grin appears on their face as they no doubt anticipate your question having been asked it several times throughout the morning.

“Oh, my legs don’t get cold!”, is the standard response, grin on face turning to full smile, then smile freezing in place quite literally. Then they continue on their way before you catch their teeth starting to chatter. Because face it, they’re cold. They have to keep moving to try to warm up before the frost bite sets in!

Just once I wish this weather challenged wearer of shorts would stay around long enough for me to say to them, “Stop lying! It’s cold outside! You’re cold!”

I don’t know which I find most annoying, shorts in the dead of winter, or wool hats worn in 95 degree temperatures during the midst of a hot summer day. I know there are much more important things to worry about, the economy, global warming (maybe not today), terrorism, and so forth. But maybe if we each try to tackle the simple things first, such as wearing attire appropriate to the seasonal conditions, then maybe we can work our way up to the more important issues of the day.

- mingo