Human Temperature Values

People in this workplace talk about air conditioning a lot. It is perhaps one of the top three subjects, alongside the weather, and what the conversation partner is either doing on their weekend, or has done on the weekend. That’s something I learned to ask quite early on.

This body of mine is quite advanced, but it’s still difficult for me to ascertain temperature, so to fit in with my fellow workers I’ve started randomly saying things like “wow, golly, the air conditioning is strong today, my dear colleagues!” and “Gosh, those companies in Melbourne installing air conditioners did a very great and wonderful job, I can feel that cool air on my human skin!”

People used to look at me very strangely…well, whenever I opened my mouth for more than affirmative or negative statements. However, ever since I told them that I am actually an unusually-light-skinned person, no one seems to question me much. Racial divides, it seems, are not something you should question too harshly.

The temperature of the air coming out of the unit brings out many curiosities in the human temperament. Diana always wants the place to be warmer, so as soon as Kim goes to the unit and turns it up, it’s like Diana is always right on her heels to turn it up with an exasperated expression. It is like a dance, a matter of instinct that they are both aware of but go along with anyway. Fascinating. And then there’s Sandra, who simply must tell everyone on her office rounds not to have it on all day because it’s electricity best used elsewhere, and that getting air conditioning repairs near Melbourne does not cost “a handful of peanuts.”

I’m unfamiliar with this phrase. But the nuances of the air con unit continue. Perhaps I shall never understand them all, lacking as I am in temperature receptors.