Every morning when I walk my dog, I pass the same man wearing shorts—even when it's below freezing, way too windy, sleeting, or snowing. When I started paying closer attention, I began seeing guys in shorts (and it's almost always guys) at all my usual haunts, from the grocery store to the coffee shop.
What, I wondered, was possibly the appeal? Was it a ploy for attention, did these men simply run hot, or was there some other explanation escaping me? I called up psychologists, doctors, and cold-weather shorts guys to find out.