a balloon man arrived next to the man who works the ride for tiny children. The weather was so hot 'rideman' had fixed parasols to the cup and saucer cars. Balloon guy was holding a fair selection of helium inflated balloons that jostled and bumped above him. My eye was caught by the impressive range of figures and characters, there were the usual Bart's and Lisa's, there were Teletubbies, Barbies, Barbie's horses (Neddy, Shane, Snow, Crystal, Meth, Imminent Arrest) and strangely a Donnie Brasco though I'm not sure children got that reference. I did ask one or two but they thought it was the Brad Pitt character from Fight Club so what the do they know?
On occasion a gentle breeze caused balloons in the centre to push their way outwards. It was an ever changing crowd and I glimpsed a touching Baby Jesus dressed in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger, a Mary and Joseph briefly appeared riding Barbie's nag Wilmott and pursued by Columbian Federal Troops, Mary had a white moustache and looked fucking fabulous but that might have been a trick of the light. A child passed by and tied to her wrist was a long silk tape atop of which bobbed a representation of the Tay Bridge Disaster that included a neat outline of the doomed train's final moments before it plunged into that black river. You could even see the driver looking shocked. Tying balloons to children is a good idea given their propensity for letting go though in various high corners around the precinct there was evidence of parents who had not done this. Huddled above the hardware store that sells drinking paraffin a few wrinkled balloons seemed attached to a rat faced Dealer balloon. One child's tape was clearly too tight resulting in a poor hand swelling up like a balloon and as a result he now floated just below nearby guttering and people were running for a ladder to get him back down. As it is with some children he wasn't distressed merely curious that he could finally see what happens on roofs. Some nun balloons were praying for his soul and a few held soul balloons in case he was a catholic. The nun balloons were being admonished by a Dominic the Umpteenth balloon that was fat and bloated and in his top pocket was a tiny Papa JP2 sporting a white moustache balloon with a speech bubble that said "Bogota tarmac! Little wonder I spent so long on my knees." No idea what he meant by that. I was getting bored of balloons when another balloon man arrived with crowd of thug balloons looking for trouble. Just across from the door to my office a large truck appeared and began unloading a boiling kettle ride. Hmm, seems the only thing that's brewing in funland is trouble.
Of course I'll report any developments.
8 comments:
Do you remember that story about the beautiful red balloon?
my kids will take a dora the explorah and batman balloon respectively. please. now! they want one now now now please!!! they wannnnnna have a ballooooon nowwwwwww.
mommy hates balloons.
surfing blogs, have ended up here and saying hello.
G,
I remember a French Film, vaguely, and some pop song by a German Group from the eighties. And that's my lot re red balloons.
Honestyrain,
Your children can have an Abe Lincoln at Gettysburg, Morning Sea Mist over the Golden Gate Bridge or a wonderful vista of the Thames Flood Barrier holding back a spring tide. Unfortunately you've arrived after all the best ones have gone and so have deprived your children of Nelson's death at Trafalgar (involves men kissing so might not be appropriate for the little ones especially as Capt Hardy used his tongue (uurrrgghhh!)a little known historical fact), and my favourite, Neil Amstrong stubbing his toe on that last rung of the moonlander.
Honest they went like wildfire.
Dan, why do I get the feeling that, like my mum you can really strrrrretching a tale? Must admit, it's a great talent.
You work near a fun park, and play and kids? I'd be gazing out with longing all day.
The beautiful red balloon was a book, a sweet magical tale. Travels. Adventures.
p.s. all those balloons made me wish I had a pin...hehe...
G,
My office is on the edge of a horrible car park for this large supermarket, no scenery at all. A couple of weeks ago a man arrived with a little roundabout for children, the tamest ride you ever did see though I suspect it's fairly racy to the average four year old. I pass it at least twice a day and it's good to see the tots laughing and screaming as they sedately spin round. Well, not so much a spin more a gentle meander. And as for the pin? How could I deny children the pleasures of a helium filled balloon shaped like Barbie's head?
Aww, that little ride sounds sweet.
Yes, you're right, can't deny the little tots their Barbie-head balloons.
Guess I'll have to stick to blowing up plastic bags and busting 'em.
When will I grow up?
The trick is not to grow up too much. Have all the fun of adulthood but never lose that curiousity we all had as children.
aww geez, that's all that's left? damn. they are so gonna be pissed. i think we'll have to skip the balloons and go straight for candy! and mommy likes candy so all will be alright.
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