Companions in the Sun

Waking to sunlight coming through the bedroom window and warming his face, Leo hears his parents and baby sister in the kitchen.  He walks down the narrow hall and joins them to eat some breakfast and stare at his sister.  She is a wonder and a source of some jealously for Leo.  It has been his dad, mom, and Leo for a few years now, and he is used to this.  Even the dog Tiki is fun to have around and tease with food.  His sister takes up a lot of time and attention from Leo and he is not too sure about her presence in his home. He knows some of the kids on his street who are his age have sisters closer to their own age and they play together. He thinks this might happen later but for now he wonders.  Leo goes to his room and his mom helps him change into his clothes for what is to be an exciting day.  The babysitter arrives and Leo knows they will be leaving soon for the big game. This is his first football game in person and his younger sister will remain at home today. It is a sunny and clear day, full of birdsong and activity. Slightly chilly and crisp - "Great football weather" his dad tells him as they climb into the car. Leo enjoys riding in the back seat of the family car. He can look out the large front window and it is like being in a dream, gliding down the road. Almost like flying and the way his stomach lifts to his throat over hills is the best part of it all.  Sometimes his mom takes Leo down a particularly hilly road with this in mind. She accelerates over small hills with steep drops, and then they yell out with joy until their stomachs cut them off.  At four “and a half” years old Leo knows this is a neat day to be going with his parents to a college football game. His mother is an alumna of the school and his father an alumnus of the visiting school. They met in Mexico City “while studying abroad in their undergraduate days.” All mysterious stuff to Leo. After parking and walking while holding hands with his parents to the tailgate area, Leo immediately feels shy. No other young children are present as it turns out. The older kids want to explore off and Leo must stay close. His mother buys him a red balloon. Leo likes how it floats and tugs slightly on his hand. His mom tells Leo to stay with the balloon, and it is to be his friend today. She can easily see him with the balloon and ties it lightly to his wrist. Leo eats his food and has fun doing so with his balloon tied to his wrist. It bounces down and springs back up with life as he eats. The older kids come back and want to see his balloon and even play a game by punching at it. Leo is not going to let them and goes to his mother’s side. The adults ask the other kids to get their food and start packing up for the football game. Leo notices people pointing at him and his balloon while walking to their seats. "How cute is that" some said. "I bet we will see the balloon float away inside" others said. Leo pulls the balloon close to him and holds the string where it attaches to the bottom of the balloon. He does this during the game as to not block anyone’s view as his dad suggests. Leo's mom holds the balloon while he eats his favorite Carnation chocolate ice cream in a cup. His mom says since they are in the shade, the balloon “will be much happier.” Leo is not sure why, but agrees he is happier as he does not need to put more sunscreen on. During the big plays or when there is applause for the team mascot, Leo releases the balloon into the air and brings it back on its string quickly to his chest. Sometimes he does this too many times and his dad ask him to stop. Leo looks through the balloon at a red colored world during the game. All day Leo stays with his balloon. He senses loneliness and being out of place, not knowing much about football, but the balloon makes him feel better. He stays awake to keep the balloon company too. All the way home he stays awake with the balloon floating beside him in the backseat. He speaks to it like a friend. Later, when it is time to lay down for the evening, he does not want to fall asleep, and his mom ties it to his bedpost. He stays awake so he can watch the balloon as it sways over his bed. The next morning, he wakes and is pleased to see his friend still red and still floating. Leo has his dad tie the balloon back to his wrist so he can be with it all day. When it is time for a nap, Leo walks with the balloon to his bedroom and starts to lay down. He notices something odd. The balloon is much lower in the air than before. He tugs on it and talks to it. Nothing seems to change this. The balloon starts to drop closer to the ground. Leo thinks his friend is sick and dying like his grandpa did. The sun is out high in the sky and Leo again wants to stay awake as his balloon slowly drops to the floor. Napping is not an option.  Sobbing comes over Leo, and he is crying in despair for his red balloon. His mother tries to console him, and explain it is because of a gas called helium and it is normal for balloons to do this. Leo asks if she has more of this gas to put in his friend. His mother explains she does not, and this is the way it is, and they could not put more gas into the balloon. "Maybe we can get another balloon this week" his mother suggests. Leo thinks this is the only balloon who knows him. The balloon he spent a lonely and fun day with. He cries himself to sleep and understood this to be true.