Key West is hardly the deep south. I double dog dare the author to do w/o a/c in central MS for an entire summer. In a small apartment with conventional height ceilings.
And no a/c in his car or workplace either.
Double. Dog. Dare.
On the other hand, if the south went a/c’less a lot of the yankees would move back north...
Right on, beautiful you, Black Agnes!
A/C is essential here in the deep South.