Chase-ing the Cool

by Tracy Anderson,  Sharon Northington and David Tow

Johnny Mac counts his profits (photo by Tracy Anderson)

PHOENIX _ Outside Chase Field on Wednesday, June 18, activity buzzes. Baseball fans entering the stadium look for a way to keep cool under the Phoenix sun. Workers like Johnny Mac and Kat make a living from these fans by offering water, snacks, and rides. Their most valuable tips include drinking water and keeping wet, cool towels on hand.

Johnny Mac works on the corner of Jefferson and Third.  Once the fans are inside the stadium, he counts his money and packs up his goods.  On a good day, he makes between $200-$300. 

Kat stays cheery despite the heat (photo by Tracy Anderson)

Johnny Mac, originally from Chicago, said that
110 degrees in Arizona feels like 90 degrees back home.  One of his tips to beating the heat, 
is that he takes a cold shower before work.  He
wears dry fit shirts to keep the sweat off of him.

Kat - just Kat - rides a pedi-cab around the Chase Field-US Airways Arena area. In her eight years here, she has had a lot of unique experiences. However, only some of them can be shared.

She manages to survive the blistering Arizona heat by drinking massive amounts of water, supplementing with electrolytes, and being generally aware of how she feels. Working a job like this where she spends much of her day outside has made her very aware of her fluids and her state of mind.

Although Kat likes her job, she doesn't think she'll do it forever. It does, in the meantime, permit her a great deal of freedom, freedom she wouldn't get behind a desk.

If anyone knows how to beat the Arizona heat in downtown Phoenix, it's Kat and Johnny Mac,