There was an unnatural wailing noise when the College St. car rolled into the Spadina stop (I was returning from lunch on Baldwin Street).

One child got on with his mom. He wasn't the source. Ditto the second kid.

So what was the source? A woman, possibly in her late 50s, looking to be in full nervous breakdown mode.

"Does anyboy know where I can get an air conditioner?" she cried out after she got on the streetcar (for the record, the temperature at this time was 28 degrees Celsius, but it felt like 37). No response that I could detect from the other passengers.

Screaming Lady then takes a seat right behind me -- and starts howling at the moon.

"Why is she crying?" asked one of the inquisitive tykes. Mom tried to explain that the heat was getting to her.

The bus driver told her: "M'am, you're going to have to be quiet, OK?"

"OK," she sniffled.

But it did start up again.

"Ma'am, where are you going?" asked the puzzled driver.

"I wanna go to Wal-Mart!" she yelled.

A kindly, elderly, East European-sounding man sat beside her, and told her he was going to Dufferin.

"I'll take you there (to Wal-Mart)," he said. She said thanks and quieted down.

I made my escape.

Afterthought

I allowed myself a shudder and a grimace when I wonder about she might react if Wal-Mart had no air conditioners left.