Tis the season for Zonis

Zonis are people from Arizona, and San Diego gets flooded with them during the summer. Many of my customers are zonis, and I call them "heat refugees" when they tell me they're from Phoenix. They get a kick out of it. If it was 118 degrees (48 c) where you live, you'd be fleeing, too. When I take zonis to the airport I usually ask if they'd prefer the windows up and the AC on. Zonis almost always say the same thing: "Leave the windows down. We want to feel the last of the cool air. It's 115 where we're going."

One of people I drove tonight was a pleasant guy, about 50, going to the airport with no luggage. He was flying Southwest. Those things, taken together, usually mean Phoenix.

Him: How did you know?

Me: No luggage and you're flying Southwest. And we get a lot of heat refugees this time of year. (It's such a tired old line to run on people, but it's new to them.)

Him (laughs): Yeah, I get out here as often as I can in the summer. I'd move here, but then where would I vacation?