Welcome To Utah

"Attention students, faculty and staff. This is an urgent announcement regarding the extreme heatwave impacting our campus..."

Ryan shifted in his creaky desk chair, wiping a bead of sweat from his brow as the voice over the building's PA system crackled to life. He looked around the stuffy classroom - sunlight streamed through the windows, amplifying the stifling heat. Students were fanning themselves with notebooks, some had even loosened their ties in a vain attempt to catch a breeze. 

"...Due to record high temperatures reaching 115 degrees Fahrenheit and the failure of many campus air conditioning systems, all classes are suspended until further notice. Students living on campus are strongly advised to remain in their dormitory residences, where facilities management is working to keep cooling systems operational..."

A murmur of relief spread through the classroom. If he was being honest, Ryan had zoned out halfway through Professor Holbrook's economics lecture. The heat was sapping his energy, making it nearly impossible to focus. 

"...Professors will be coordinating remote learning via Zoom for any remaining assignments, exams or instruction for the remainder of the semester. Check your emails and Learning Suite for more information from your individual class instructors..."

As quickly as the announcement had begun, it ended, leaving the classroom in a momentary silence that was soon filled with the rustling of backpacks and chairs scraping against tile. Ryan sluggishly began gathering his notebooks, decidedly less enthusiastic about the prospect of heading back to his un-airconditioned apartment.

"Hey man, you look like you're melting," Ryan's friend Joel quipped as he slung his backpack over his shoulder. 

Ryan shot him an exasperated look, pushing his damp hair back from his forehead. "Don't even start with me. At least in our apartment it stays shady in the afternoons."

"True, but do you really want to sweat it out until 8pm?" Joel shuddered at the thought. "I'm camping out in the library until they shut the AC off."

"Good luck finding a spot," Ryan chuckled wryly. "It'll be a madhouse in there."

The two made their way out into the searing late-spring heat, already feeling beads of sweat forming on their brows. The campus was a flowing river of students - some trudging dejectedly towards residential halls with bookbags slung over their shoulders, while others with more ambitious plans hurried off towards the air-conditioned library, student center or off-campus housing.

"Want to grab lunch before we split up?" Joel suggested, squinting against the bright afternoon sun. "Maybe that cafe on 900 East still has power."

Ryan considered it briefly before shaking his head. As uninviting as his apartment seemed, the thought of waiting in line and enduring a crowded, stuffy restaurant held even less appeal.

"Nah, I'm gonna head home and try to catch a nap. Maybe by evening it'll cool down enough to grill something."

"You're braver than me," Joel remarked with a dramatic eye roll. "Text me if you need a refuge from the blast furnace!"

With a friendly clap on the back, the two parted ways. Ryan turned north through the sparse parking lot, trailing a thin line of sweat that tickled at his spine beneath his shirt. He couldn't remember the last time it had been this hot before the summer solstice. 

The streets were mostly abandoned, a rarity for the normally bustling suburban town. A few cars passed in a daze, windows rolled down as passengers fanned themselves with maps or takeout menus. Despite the heat radiating from the baking asphalt, Ryan found a small strike of motivation in the empty road. With any luck, he could make it back to Wymount Terrace before the sidewalks and apartment stairwells became impassable.

He pushed open the door to his apartment, greeted by a muggy, stale wall of air. It wasn't quite as sweltering as outside, though not by much. Kicking off his shoes, Ryan did a quick pass through each room, throwing open any windows or sliding doors in a fruitless bid to catch a cross-breeze. The rattling window unit in the living area sputtered and wheezed, barely pushing out a trickle of cooled air.

With a resigned sigh, Ryan retreated to his bedroom, peeling off his damp t-shirt as he went. He spread out on top of his bedsheets, having learned the futility of tangling himself in a stuffy comforter during heatwaves. Closing his eyes, he tried to relax and think cool thoughts - ice cream, frozen streams, snowy mountain peaks. Anything to escape the oppressive warmth surrounding him.

After what felt like only minutes, Ryan blinked awake with a start. His mouth felt parched, throat scratchy. He'd nodded off at some point, greeted now by the dimming light from his bedroom window and the realization that he'd failed spectacularly at cooling himself down.

A glance at his phone revealed it was nearly 7pm. The temperature, stubbornly defiant of nightfall, still hovered in the low 90s according to the weather report. 

With a groan, Ryan hauled himself up and towards the shower, desperate for some relief. As the stream of tepid water washed over him, he couldn't quite suppress a grimace. So much for the refreshing cooldown he'd envisioned.

After toweling off and throwing on a dry t-shirt and athletic shorts, he trudged towards the kitchen to scrounge up something to eat. To his dismay, the apartment seemed even warmer than before his nap, not a lick of a breeze passing through the open windows and patio door.  

Rummaging through the fridge yielded little in the way of inspiration. With the power still operational, at least his food hadn't gone bad. But between the heat and his apathetic mood, did he really want to turn on the oven or stove?

An idea struck him. Their apartment complex's pool area had a public grill tucked off in the corner. If he was quick about it, he could fire it up and cook a couple burgers or hot dogs without turning his kitchen into a sweatbox.

Ryan hastily tugged on a pair of sandals and grabbed his keys and a pack of frozen patties from the freezer. Drawing a deep, stuffy breath to brace himself, he headed out into the night.

The walk across the courtyard was mercifully brief, though sweat was already beading on Ryan's skin by the time he reached the grill area. A small patio umbrella had been left open, providing a modicum of reprieve from the insistent rays still beating down. He fired up the grill, pleased that the propane seemed to still be flowing, and set about preparing his minimalist feast.

Before long, the tantalizing aroma of sizzling beef mingled with the thick evening air. Other residents milled about, some shooting him envious glances as acrid smoke wafted through the stagnant atmosphere.

As the first juicy patty sizzled to perfection, Ryan felt the knot in his chest loosen just a bit. It may have been an excruciatingly hot evening, but he'd be damned if he didn't find a way to still enjoy it. Times like these, you had to make your own refreshments.

Ryan smiled to himself, shooting a glance at the laundry room window just above the grilling area. Someone had thrown it wide, a crooked fan wedged into the frame in a feeble attempt to chase away the oppressive muggy air. 

Maybe he'd have to take Joel up on that offer to camp out somewhere cool tomorrow. But for now, he was determined to make the most of the simmering evening - one bite of chargrilled perfection at a time.