My name is Eric, I’m 28, and I recently moved to Phoenix, Arizona for a new job. I grew up in Michigan, so my entire life I’ve been dealing with freezing winters, snowstorms, and gray skies for half the year.
Because of that, I always told people I loved hot weather.
Well… that confidence lasted exactly one week in Phoenix summer.
I started my new job at a small construction supply company about three weeks ago. During my first week, the temperatures were already hitting 115°F (46°C) almost every afternoon.
Everyone in the office kept complaining about the heat, which I thought was funny because compared to Michigan winters, it seemed like a dream.
One day during lunch, a few of us were standing outside near the loading area. My coworker Mike (mid-30s, born and raised in Phoenix) was wiping sweat off his forehead and said, “Man, this heat is brutal.”
Without thinking, I said the sentence that started this entire situation.
“I actually love the heat.”
Everyone just stopped and looked at me.
Mike squinted at me like I had personally insulted the entire state of Arizona.
“You love the heat?” he said.
I shrugged and said, “Yeah, after Michigan winters this feels amazing.”
He laughed and said, “Alright, rookie. We’ll see about that.”
At the time I thought he was just joking.
He was not.
The next day during our afternoon break he walked over and said, “Hey Michigan, come stand outside with me.”
I thought he just wanted to talk, so I followed him out to the parking lot.
He leaned against the truck and said, “Let’s see how long your ‘love for the heat’ lasts.”
That’s when I realized he meant literally standing outside in the sun.
I laughed and said sure, figuring it would just be a minute or two.
Ten minutes later my shirt was soaked with sweat.
Mike looked completely fine.
He just stood there drinking water like this was a normal Tuesday activity.
After about fifteen minutes he said, “You still loving the heat?”
My response was mostly heavy breathing.
Eventually I gave up and went back inside while he yelled, “ROUND ONE GOES TO PHOENIX.”
Now this has apparently become a daily challenge.
Almost every afternoon Mike asks if I’m ready for “heat training.” Sometimes a few other coworkers come outside to watch like it’s some kind of weird office sport.
Yesterday we made it 18 minutes before I tapped out.
Meanwhile Mike acts like we’re just hanging out at room temperature.
To make matters worse, every time I complain he reminds me that I was the one who said I loved the heat.
So now I’m stuck defending my original statement while slowly melting in the Arizona sun.
Moral of the story: never brag about loving hot weather to someone who grew up in Phoenix.
They will absolutely make you prove it.