It's Not the Heat It's the Stupidity

NEW YORK -- With record breaking heat hitting much of the northeast and temperatures in Central Park on Tuesday hitting a record 103 the best place to be was indoors, though that didn't stop tourists from hitting Times Square where the city had set up public fountains. But having the afternoon to myself I decided the second best place to be was Central Park and not being a sun worshiper, under a tree, sitting in the shade, safe from the damaging rays of the sun dermatologists are always warning about.

Central Park, not surprisingly, was practically empty, something you don't see very often. The exceptions were some local news camera crews out interviewing the few people who could be seen walking in the park or riding on the carts that have replaced most of the Hansom cabs in Central Park. There was one brave soul jogging and a few obsessive compulsive types had their blankets spread out in the Sheep Meadow, obviously having no second thoughts about skin cancer or feeling that getting a tan was worth it.

With the park getting up to 103, I settled under a rather large tree and thought I was safe from any risk of sunburn. I was wearing cargo shorts but knowing I would be out of the sun, didn't bother using any kind of sunblock.

After sitting under the tree for a couple of hours involved in some of the work I brought with me, I packed up and went back to my apartment.

When I got in and went to take a shower, I took a look at myself in the mirror and it looked like someone painted a red racing stripe down the center of my legs and arms. Even though I had not spent so much as one minute in direct sunlight, the sun's rays had been so intense I had a substantial nasty looking sunburn.

Somewhere I remembered reading that both tanning rays and UV rays can get you even in the shade, I didn't remember it until it was too late. Its three days later and the burn is still clearly visible.

The reports are the heat will be will us till Saturday when its supposed to drop to a cool 89 degrees. Till then the shorts have been ditched. And I'll keep in mind the new summer time axiom, that its not the heat that gets you, its the stupidity.