Saturday, July 05, 2008

Chance Encounter

(Continuation of a previous SS story).

Not your usual pick up, that's for sure. But who said Prince Charming had to come on a white horse? Besides, she'd always wanted a ride in a hot-air balloon.

As soon as the gate snapped closed, Debra had a brief moment of self-doubt as visions of a news broadcast flashed through her mind, Witnesses said it looked like a giant fireball as the balloon climbed into the sky and then plunged into the RV Park near the U.S. border.

"Oh, stop it! It's only a dream! Enjoy yourself!"

She had a habit of thinking the worst. It was a way to shield herself from the inevitable disappointments in life. Her life philosophy went like this: If she could think of the worst case scenario in any given situation and it didn't happen, then she was ahead of the game; wasn't she.

Debra could still hear the strains of "Someday My Prince Will Come", but it was morphing into something else. She couldn't quite put her finger on it. Oh well, it would come to her later.

She looked up to see the balloon billowing and filling above her head. There didn't seem to be any source to inflate it. Well, at least she didn't have to worry about exploding propane tanks. The basket lifted gently off the sand and rose up, up and away.

Up, Up and Away! That's what the other song was - the Fifth Dimension song. "This isn't a dream, it's a nightmare!"

Now, that she could name it, she couldn't get it out of her head:

Would you like to ride in my beautiful balloon
Would you like to ride in my beautiful balloon
We could float among the stars together, you and I
For we can fly we can fly
Up, up and away
My beautiful, my beautiful balloon
The world's a nicer place in my beautiful balloon
It wears a nicer face in my beautiful balloon
We can sing a song and sail along the silver sky
For we can fly we can fly
Up, up and away

Debra hated the song. She'd always hated it. It was one of her mother's favourite songs; one that she'd play over and over, happily dancing and singing along. "Ha! Lot of good all that happiness did for her."

The syrupy, sweet lyrics made Debra want to gag. It was the antithesis of everything she'd come to know about life. Her life, at least. There is no nicer place, no silver sky, and certainly no "you and I".

How could she get this stupid thing down? And how could she stop the friggin' music?

As her head filled with colourful adjectives, she heard a whooshing sound. A cold wind ripped through the basket of the balloon, knocking her off-balance. The back of her head smacked against the edge of the basket and in the engulfing black fuzziness, she felt herself slide and roll onto the floor.

When Debra opened her eyes, she realized she was back on the beach. Same white blouse, white slacks, white pumps.

There was a figure silhouetted against the blue sky. She squinted to make out details.

"Charles? Is that you?"



For a Sunday Scribblings prompt.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

i hate getting those song worms in your head when they won't go away! --- what now??? - is it charles? and what if it is? --- interesting and imaginative piece!!!

Anonymous said...

Sorry I had to laugh...I hate that song too, yet it was the theme for the ice Capades once long ago in Atlantic City. I was practically homeless and a bum, had just left teaching in disillusionment, but this guy befriended me and took me to my first skating show and dinner at the top of the Holiday Inn. That was in 1968 and he deduced that all I needed was for once to see a better side of life. Eventually I did return to teaching and he and I are still friends all these years later.He was once teacher of the year and later principal of the year in PA. I remember I cried through most of the experience...i had never experienced such richness and beauty before. Can't say I liked that goddamned theme song though.it played forever and ever on all the media.
Thanks for your comment on my little singer. I had to delete it because it starts up automatically even after other postings. Your reacton of course was my reaction.
And now I wonder if I am that Charles...can't be, there's nothing inflated here.

Anonymous said...

Apart from that song, I enjoyed reaing this post. Made me laugh!

defining boundaries

Anonymous said...

Wow, I must give credit to you for continuing the story from the previous prompt, that's ingenius :)

Luckily for me I don't know the song; otherwise I have a feeling it would have gotten stuck in my head forever.. It's one of those kinds of songs, isn't it?

Anonymous said...

This is good - you added to a piece you started! I'll keep saying that I really do like the way you write. You draw me in and always make me want to know more.

I like the way you intertwined the balloon, song, beach, Charles and kept me guessing and wanting more.

Anonymous said...

Wow! How do I find out how this ends? You really built some suspense up and I need to know the outcome, Ell!!!!

Anonymous said...

Hmmm. How does this end? I'm not sure yet. It might depend on an interesting prompt. :)