The Blue Balloon

 The three friends walked along the sidewalk on their way to the park. When they turned the corner, they saw man balloons standing in the old circus grounds again.

“Hey Jake,” said Midge. “Look, the balloons are back. I want to ride in one.”

“You can't ride in one,” said Booker-T. “The chased us away last time we were there.”

“I really want to try, okay,” said Midge. “I can sneak into one of the baskets.”

“Early in the morning they will be setting it all up for the day,” said Midge. “I can try it at that time.”

“Jake,” said Booker-T. “Midge is going to keep on so time to give it up and let her try.”

“I know,” said Jake. “She will try anything at least once.”

“She didn't try the last time they were here because they saw me jump into the basket and took me out of it,” said Booker-T. “So this will be her one time.”

“This will be fun,” said Midge. “I can jump in when they are ready to fly the balloon and it will be too late to make me get out. I will jump in really fast.”

“Okay Midge,” said Jake. “We will come early in the morning. Now lets go to the park and play in the water.”

The three friends played for a while in the park pond before going back home for the rest of the day.

The next morning, the sun was barely beginning to rise when the three started walking to the old fair grounds. They looked around the area where the balloons were and only saw one man walking among all the balloons checking to be sure they all were okay.

“See that pretty blue balloon in the back over there,” said Midge. “I want to try that one.”

“All the balloons are laying on the ground near the baskets,” said Jake. “How will you fly in one?”

“I don't know,” said Midge. “I think all they do is pull the cord, don't they?”

“Don't you know?” asked Booker-T. “How will you fly it if you don't know how?”

“If you get the balloon in the air,” said Jake. “How will you get down?”

“I don't know,” said Midge. “Do they just turn off the gas and it comes down?”

“I don't know,” said Jake.

“I will try,” said Midge.

They walked around looking at all the balloons trying to stay hidden from the man patrolling the grounds.

“Hey Jake,” said Booker-T. “Look at this cool balloon. It looks like a shoe.”

“Wow,” said Midge. “I want to fly that one.”

“That one might be harder to fly,” said Jake. “Maybe you should try the pretty blue one.”

“Okay,” agreed Midge as she started to walk to the blue balloon. “Where is the man?”

“Okay, Midge,” said Jake. “He is at the other end of the grounds now. Jump in.”

Midge leaped into the basket and laid down on the bottom so no one could see her.

“Midge, Midge,” whispered Jake. “Are you okay in there?”

“I'm fine,” said Midge. “I'm looking for the rope.”

“Okay,” said Booker-T. “Here comes the man back this way. Stay down.”

Jake and Booker-T just sat down and watched the man approaching them.

“Hello boy,” said the man as he reached out to pat Jake on the head and then pet Booker-T when he rubbed up against his leg. “Now what are you two doing wandering around here early in the morning?”

Jake sat and looked up to the man as he walked away to the other end of the grounds again.

“Midge,” called out Jake. “The man is gone again. Did you find the rope?”

“Yes,” said Midge. “I'm going to pull it now.”

Midge pulled the cord and suddenly, flames shot from the top of the tank on the basket.

“Hurry Midge,” said Jake. “Here comes the man.”

As the man approached the basket, it slowly started lifting off the ground. “What happened?!” said the man as he tried to grab the basket.

The man grabbed the ropes around the basket as it lifted from the ground. “Hey!” called the man but no one was in the basket to help him into it. Midge poked her head over the side of the basket to see the man hanging onto the ropes as the basket continued to rise higher and higher.

“Hey Jake!” called Midge. “Look at me, I'm flying.”

“Midge,” called Jake. “I think you need to come down. That man is going to fall.”

“What am I going to do?” called Midge as the balloon flew away from the grounds.

The man held tight to the rope and pulled himself to the top of the basket and climbed inside with Midge. He patted Midge on the head and said “It's okay girl, we will get down. I know a little about these balloons.”

He grabbed the rope to the tank and started adjusting the amount of heat trying to bring the balloon safely down. Midge kept looking over the top of the basket at the ground below. “I sure wish I was down there and not up here,” thought Midge.

“Sit down girl,” said the man. “ I will get us down soon.”

He worked hard at getting the balloon to come down in a field away from power lines. Slowly the balloon began to descend. Then sometimes it would go back up and he would have to adjust the heat again. Midge sat and watched him as he worked the heat, pulling the rope.

On the ground below, Jake and Booker-T were following the balloon waiting for it to come down. Midge looked over the side of the balloon and saw them running to try and keep up with the balloon as it flew over houses and trees. The man finally brought the balloon down to the ground in the school yard. Jake and Booker-T ran to the side of the balloon basket. Jake jumped up and put his front feet on the side of the basket trying to see inside. The man lifted Midge up and set her down outside of the basket. “Run home little one.” said the man. “Now I need to call the people who own this balloon. I don't think they will be happy.”

The friends stood staring at the balloon. “Lets go home,” said Jake. “I think it is safer to be home.”