I

"Global warming my foot!" Arlene said as she looked out the sliding glass door.
"That's frost!" she exclaimed as she turned toward Arlu. "Arizona does frost?"
Arlu paused a moment, tried to coach the words before they leap into air.
"Well," she began, "did you know Arizona has about every climate from sub-Artic to desert?"
She paused again, checking the exit. "About everything but tropical and ocean transitions."
She checks the interior weather,  "Arizona  has some unique climates too.
Many of the Sky Islands¹ in Arizona have unique wildlife largely because of the unique character
of the habitat, the climate being key." Arlu took a slow breath.

"So," Arlene begins as she finally turns toward Arlu, "What will global warming do to those islands?"

II

"Well, they are fragile. But they are also at a fairly high elevation.
I suspect other areas will be hit harder first." Arlu casually replies.
"You been to one," Arlene asks, "one of these sky islands?"
"Well," Arlu launches into a groove, "Tucson sits at the boundary between the Sky Islands
and the Sonoran Desert. And I love it here!"

"Tucson has always been a contested landscape." Arlu says, "Lets pull-up a virtual map.
Then you'll see what is at risk."

"So, you want to save all these rocky hills and canyons?"
"Well, yeah," Arlu gives up coaching words, "there is unique life there.
They deserve a chance. They aren't warming the globe!"

Arlene is lost in thought. Then she smiles, turns to Arlu. And sees Arlu grinning through tears.