Balloons on the Bumper #99WordStories

55 Replies

Balloons on the Bumper

This week at the Carrot Ranch, Charli Mills challenged writers to In 99 words (no more, no less), write a story about balloons on a bumper. Is it a spectacle, an occasion, an eccentricity? Why are the balloons there? Who is involved? Go where the prompt leads!

The prompt reminded me of an occasion just over twenty years ago, when my sister, niece and I attended a ‘hen’s party’ (terrible term) for my future sister in-law. My niece collected a bunch of helium-filled balloons to take home. She couldn’t squeeze them all into the car, and I drove home with one balloon sailing above us and my sister and niece both in hysterics all the way. Needless to say, they’d both had a few drinks to help the merriment. When we got home, my daughter and nephew, both early teens, decided to inhale the helium, and the hilarity began all over again.

Anyway, I decided to revisit Amy and Lucy and their little red convertible from a few prompts ago. I hope you like it.

Balloons on the Bumper

“Where to today?” asked Amy.

“A party,” said Lucy, tying balloons to the bumper of their little red convertible.

“Whose party?”

“Teddy’s. He’s getting married.”

“I didn’t know he had a girlfriend.”

“He doesn’t. He has a unicorn-friend. Mother said I can marry anyone I want. So, Teddy can too.”

“Right. Which way?”

“Over the mountains, across the river, and through the far-away forest.”

“Be home for dinner,” said Mother.

“We will!”

The balloons sailed above the little red car. At the party, the children fluttered with fairies and pranced with unicorns as Teddy and Ollie shared their vows.

Thank you blog post

Thank you for reading. I appreciate your feedback. Please share your thoughts.

Note: The collection of stories made in response to the previous prompt Swimmingly, including mine, can be read at the Carrot Ranch.

55 thoughts on “Balloons on the Bumper #99WordStories”

  2. pedometergeek

    Both stories were just wonderful. The children being children, just perfect. The hen’s party (this term I recently came across in a romance novel I read), made me smile (imagine all of this comment said in a squeaky Minnie Mouse voice). ~nan
    PS. Did you know that helium is running out?

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    1. Norah Post author

      Imagining your comment in a squeaky Minnie Mouse voice gave me a giggle, Nan. Thank you.
      No. I didn’t know helium was running out.
      Is that because it’s so light, it floats away before anyone can catch it? 😉😂 Maybe like my joke, eh?

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      1. pedometergeek

        Cute joke, Norah, and I got it. If it is light, does that mean the helium has gone on a diet? (another not so good joke on my part.) Seriously, I think helium is running out because it is used so frequently and possibly frivolously. As an element, I am not sure it can be produced easily. ~nan

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        1. Norah Post author

          Hehehe. That’s a very funny lighthearted joke, Nan. (Just to continue the puns.)
          I was intrigued by your comment about helium running out so I had to search the internet for more information. Seems (according t some) it won’t run out for a long time but stored stocks of it, which aren’t necessary to store any more, are slowly being depleted by filling balloons. 😂

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  4. Pingback: Balloons on a Bumper Collection « Carrot Ranch Literary Community

  5. Jules

    Imagination is a wonderful thing.
    I was at a party last week (at a winery) – the owner was telling us about a company that he heard about that was attempting to put helium in beer!!
    I can just imagine how that would be at any party or BBQ!

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  8. Prior...

    I smiled when I got to the part about
    “Over the mountains, across the river, and through the far-away forest.”
    And said “woods” in my head
    Fun take on the prompt – and a red convertible for adventures is very cool

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    1. Norah Post author

      Thanks, Yvette. “Woods” would have worked. We don’t generally talk about woods here, though. We have the bush, the scrub and forests – mainly rainforests. ‘Woods’ would have saved me a word had I thought of it. 😂

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      1. Prior...

        Well the fact that you didn’t use “woods” is what have me the twist – because somewhere in my brain the little ditty has that phrase with woods
        And so in my case / the other words were better for this fiction

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            1. Norah Post author

              Thanks, Yvette. Looks like I unknowingly combined two different things. I wouldn’t be choosing to travel that pass at any time, but I did enjoy the song. How cute! It really does have a catchy ‘join in’ tune.

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          2. Prior...

            Over The River And Through The Woods is a traditional, American folk song and nursery rhyme that is often used for Thanksgiving day. The song from 1844 is actually often called “The New-England Boy’s Song about Thanksgiving Day”

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    1. Norah Post author

      Thanks, Anne. I’ve been to a couple, but not many, and never one abroad. Maybe going abroad is easier over there than it is here. 😂 Balloons usually mean fun. I worry about their environmental impact now. I wonder what would be a suitable substitute.

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  14. petespringerauthor

    Yes, “hen’s party” sounds like a derogatory term. Men don’t have “rooster parties.” Inhaling helium and uttering a few words is always good for a laugh.

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