The Balloon Scare

“Are we there yet?  How much longer will we have to ride in this van?”  “Can we get a balloon?”  Stephanie, Christopher, and Hannah impatiently probed Steve and I with questions.   “We are almost there.  Watch for the Missouri State Fair sign!” Steve smiled and answered.  From visiting 4-H exhibits, to watching the Missouri Conservation Department’s huge catfish, are activities we loved for 18 consecutive years.  Even helium balloons possessed much excitement for the whole family one year.

  

As Steve parked the van, Stephanie gasped, “I see the Ferris wheel!  Oh, can we ride the Merry Go Round?”  Christopher cried, “Can we see the horses?”  “Of course we can, but allow me to park the van.”  We quickly applied sunscreen to our faces, arms, and legs, gathered a tote bag with needed items, and hitched a ride on the tram to the front gate.  “Finally we are here!” exclaimed Stephanie.

As we entered the fair grounds, several minutes later, we mapped out our plan in our tour of the exhibits.  We visited 4-H project exhibits, a wild cat show, wild life with the Missouri Conservation Department, a pig race, horse judging, and more.  When we became tired or hungry, we rested and ate.  The Missouri Pork Association Pork Chop Place was a healthy restaurant to eat at.

At one exhibit, individuals gave our children helium balloons.  They carried those balloons tied to their wrists all afternoon.  When the day began to cool off around 7 pm, we purchased tickets for kiddie amusement rides.  The Merry go round, cars, trucks, and a small roller coaster will quite the rave for our children.  It brought so much joy to me to watch their smiling faces as I held their helium balloons.  We could not let them go! 

On the way back to the front gate, we purchase cotton candy to eat on the way home.  We walked the long way back exhausted.  It had been a fantastic day.  After the kids were seat belted in we secured the balloons to a handle on the seat or arm on a seat.  It would be a sad day to lose those balloons.  I looked back at the kids observing dirt, grim, sweat, and stick cotton candy on their hands and faces while they slept.  

Two and a half hours later we parked the van in the driveway.  “We are home now.  It’s time to get up and go to bed.”  I said.  Even though it was approximately midnight to 1 a.m., some took showers before falling into bed.  It felt so good to shower all the day’s dirt away from our bodies.  However, the most important part was to tie the balloons to the chairs by the kitchen table. 

Waking up in the wee hours of the morning, I was thirsty.  I gingerly and quietly slipped out of bed to tip toe to the kitchen leaving the lights off; I did not want to wake anyone up.  Suddenly, I spied what appeared to be two heads of people standing at the table and moving slightly side to side.  I froze and stifled a yell.  I choked back these words, “What do you think you are doing in our home?”  I stood paralyzed!

I stood in place for a few seconds and observed something that indicated these heads were not people.  Standing approximately 5 feet high, these people had no shoulders, arms, torso, legs, and so on.  I recognized and remembered the balloons.  Whew!  I let out a sigh of relief!  At first glance, in the dark the balloons looked so much like people.  I laughed at myself and walked to the refrigerator for my water.  I drank and returned to get some needed sleep, thankful that it was the balloons only, and thankful I did not wake everyone up.

I read in a book, Peace Pilgrim, this statement,  “If you realize how powerful your thoughts are, you would never think a negative thought.”  If we allow our imaginations to play tricks on us, a situation can seem to be fearful.  I could have screamed and frightened every family member.  But when I stopped myself from yelling and remained in control.  I allowed my mind to focus on what was real and I saw the truth.  The balloons were at the kitchen table, not people in the middle of the night.