Going For a Ride
“Hey, Unique! Are you waiting for the bus?” Unique jumped. “Oh, Poppy, You startled me. I didn’t see you coming. What bus?"
Poppy flicked her titan hair over her shoulder and said, “The bus that’s taking us all out for the balloon ride. Aren’t you coming?”
“I’d forgotten all about that, Poppy. What time does the bus leave?”
“Oh, it’s not leaving for thirty minutes – you have time to get ready. I’ll meet you down here later.
“Is this everyone?” The tour bus driver looked around at the people standing under the portico. He was a nervous fidgety man who looked like he’d be more at home nursing a hangover with a cigarette in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other. He tapped his pencil impatiently against his clipboard. “I have ten names listed here and all I see is youse three. Haskins, Hullings, and Material. Where’s the rest of youse?”
“Here come Ray and Peaches”, said Poppy as she waved to her friends coming out the door. “That’s Maestrowork and Peaches. And there’s Bill, Frank, and Neuro behind them.”
“Her name is Lola”, said Will, “She’s a showgirl. And Ray better not let her boyfriend catch him juggling those oranges. He might end up with something worse than a handful of razor blades. I’ve heard those mutes are mean when they’re riled up and Guillermo’s no picnic anytime.” William turned to the bus driver, “And I told you my wife wasn’t coming this morning. That’s Yvonne Haskins. You’re only waiting for nine.”
“Can we get on the bus now? It’s cold out here.” Unique blew her bangs out of her eyes and stuck her hands under her arms to warm them. “Cripes, it’s cold. I can see my breath.”
“That’s the scotch fumes, love”, said Bill as he mounted the steps to the bus.
“Ha, ha, wise guy”, she said and punched him in the arm as he passed by.
“That’s it’, the driver said. “Only eight but sunrise is in an hour and 40 minutes and we gotta leave now.” As the driver mounted the steps as an elfish figure burst from the hotel doors.
“Wait! Wait for me!” SC came to a stop at the bottom of the steps. “Truman said he couldn’t make it. He gave me his spot. You have Truman Coyote on your list?”
The bus driver ran his finger down the clipboard. “Yeah, yeah, Truman Coyote right here. Who are you?”
SC, SCFireandIce. The driver added her name to his list. “Get on, missy. This bus is leaving.” SC clambered on board and took the front seat. The doors shut with a hiss and the bus pulled away from the hotel. “Where are we going?” SC asked the driver.
“Miller’s field and we need to get moving. The best time to launch is just after sunrise.”
“Lunch after sunrise?” SC shook her head. I don’t understand these folks around here she thought. Eating lunch at sunrise?”
Truman Coyote, the ultimate practical joker didn’t tell SC he was giving her his place on a hot air balloon ride. In fact, he didn’t tell her anything but to take his place on the bus. He implied it was a bus tour of the local area. She still hadn’t figured out his joke.
The bus soon left the paved road and started up a rocky incline. The houses had thinned to an occasional cabin perched on the side of the mountain. SC’s ears popped. Finally the engine stopped groaning and grinding as the bus leveled out. Two more hard bumps and the bus shuddered to a stop. “Okay, everybody out”, the bus driver called. “Meet up with Jackie and John at the end of the field by the van. They’re your pilots today.”
“Pilots? SC thought. “What pilots?” She stepped off the bus and stopped. Bill came off the bus next and crashed into her back. “Great place to stop SC. Are you all right?”
“Come on you guys, let us off the bus.” Yeah” called another voice, “Move it down the line a little, will ya?” “Hurry up.”
SC moved away from the bus and turned to Bill, “What’s going on? Why are we stopping here?”
Bill gave her a funny look, “This is probably the flattest 50 acres in a 100 miles, SC. This is a great place to launch.”
“Launch? Launch? I thought the man said lunch. What did I get myself into?”
“Didn’t Truman tell you? Bill lifted his leather backpack and adjusted the straps before settling it on his shoulders. “Hot air balloon ride; come on, SC.” Bill and the others headed off toward the big white van parked at the end of the field.
“I can’t believe the things I get myself into” SC said as she hurried to catch up.
“Good morning everyone. I’m John and this is my wife, Jackie.” The man was huge – well over six feet and built like a bear. His full black beard and deep gravelly voice made him look like a black bear dressed in red flannel and blue jeans. His wife was similarly dressed but only half his size. She might weigh 100 pounds if she wore extra socks. “If I can get a couple of ye over here to help me lay out these envelopes, we’ll get started. It’s best to have these laid out and filling as the sun rises.”
“Envelopes, we’re stuffing envelopes?” asked SC.
“No, silly” said Unique, “Envelopes are what they call the balloons. Come on with me. I’ll show you what to do.”
The two girls joined William and Neuro in lugging out their balloon. Once they had the envelope laid flat, John started attaching the guide ropes. “You want to make sure you get them lined up in the proper order. If you cross thread them, it’s a real bitch getting the envelope back on the ground to rehook them.”
Once the guide ropes were secured for both balloons, John and Jackie loaded the burners and the extra tanks. The GPS was built into the basket and the batteries were replaced with fresh ones that had been charging in the van.
“Now, we don’t usually carry an extra fuel tank but the National Weather Service said there’s a strong upper level current aloft. We may need to rise up over it if it turns out to be very wide. Stow that over there, will ya, boy?”
‘Boy?’ thought William. “Sure thing, Pops.” Will tucked the extra canister beneath the basket’s rim.
“Now we’ll divide you up according to weight. Since Jackie’s a lot lighter than me, she can take more people in her basket. You three there, you go on and join Jackie.” He pointed to Frank, Poppy, and Bill. “You three come with me.” Will, Unique, and Neuro climbed into the closest basket. “That leaves you three. You’re a little thing, you come with us.” SC climbed in beside Unique. “Ma’am, for all your, uh – charms, you probably don’t weigh much” he said to Peaches. You and this feller here,” he pointed to Ray, “you two join Miss Jackie over there and she’ll let you know what needs to be done.”
Poppy flicked her titan hair over her shoulder and said, “The bus that’s taking us all out for the balloon ride. Aren’t you coming?”
“I’d forgotten all about that, Poppy. What time does the bus leave?”
“Oh, it’s not leaving for thirty minutes – you have time to get ready. I’ll meet you down here later.
“Is this everyone?” The tour bus driver looked around at the people standing under the portico. He was a nervous fidgety man who looked like he’d be more at home nursing a hangover with a cigarette in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other. He tapped his pencil impatiently against his clipboard. “I have ten names listed here and all I see is youse three. Haskins, Hullings, and Material. Where’s the rest of youse?”
“Here come Ray and Peaches”, said Poppy as she waved to her friends coming out the door. “That’s Maestrowork and Peaches. And there’s Bill, Frank, and Neuro behind them.”
“Her name is Lola”, said Will, “She’s a showgirl. And Ray better not let her boyfriend catch him juggling those oranges. He might end up with something worse than a handful of razor blades. I’ve heard those mutes are mean when they’re riled up and Guillermo’s no picnic anytime.” William turned to the bus driver, “And I told you my wife wasn’t coming this morning. That’s Yvonne Haskins. You’re only waiting for nine.”
“Can we get on the bus now? It’s cold out here.” Unique blew her bangs out of her eyes and stuck her hands under her arms to warm them. “Cripes, it’s cold. I can see my breath.”
“That’s the scotch fumes, love”, said Bill as he mounted the steps to the bus.
“Ha, ha, wise guy”, she said and punched him in the arm as he passed by.
“That’s it’, the driver said. “Only eight but sunrise is in an hour and 40 minutes and we gotta leave now.” As the driver mounted the steps as an elfish figure burst from the hotel doors.
“Wait! Wait for me!” SC came to a stop at the bottom of the steps. “Truman said he couldn’t make it. He gave me his spot. You have Truman Coyote on your list?”
The bus driver ran his finger down the clipboard. “Yeah, yeah, Truman Coyote right here. Who are you?”
SC, SCFireandIce. The driver added her name to his list. “Get on, missy. This bus is leaving.” SC clambered on board and took the front seat. The doors shut with a hiss and the bus pulled away from the hotel. “Where are we going?” SC asked the driver.
“Miller’s field and we need to get moving. The best time to launch is just after sunrise.”
“Lunch after sunrise?” SC shook her head. I don’t understand these folks around here she thought. Eating lunch at sunrise?”
Truman Coyote, the ultimate practical joker didn’t tell SC he was giving her his place on a hot air balloon ride. In fact, he didn’t tell her anything but to take his place on the bus. He implied it was a bus tour of the local area. She still hadn’t figured out his joke.
The bus soon left the paved road and started up a rocky incline. The houses had thinned to an occasional cabin perched on the side of the mountain. SC’s ears popped. Finally the engine stopped groaning and grinding as the bus leveled out. Two more hard bumps and the bus shuddered to a stop. “Okay, everybody out”, the bus driver called. “Meet up with Jackie and John at the end of the field by the van. They’re your pilots today.”
“Pilots? SC thought. “What pilots?” She stepped off the bus and stopped. Bill came off the bus next and crashed into her back. “Great place to stop SC. Are you all right?”
“Come on you guys, let us off the bus.” Yeah” called another voice, “Move it down the line a little, will ya?” “Hurry up.”
SC moved away from the bus and turned to Bill, “What’s going on? Why are we stopping here?”
Bill gave her a funny look, “This is probably the flattest 50 acres in a 100 miles, SC. This is a great place to launch.”
“Launch? Launch? I thought the man said lunch. What did I get myself into?”
“Didn’t Truman tell you? Bill lifted his leather backpack and adjusted the straps before settling it on his shoulders. “Hot air balloon ride; come on, SC.” Bill and the others headed off toward the big white van parked at the end of the field.
“I can’t believe the things I get myself into” SC said as she hurried to catch up.
“Good morning everyone. I’m John and this is my wife, Jackie.” The man was huge – well over six feet and built like a bear. His full black beard and deep gravelly voice made him look like a black bear dressed in red flannel and blue jeans. His wife was similarly dressed but only half his size. She might weigh 100 pounds if she wore extra socks. “If I can get a couple of ye over here to help me lay out these envelopes, we’ll get started. It’s best to have these laid out and filling as the sun rises.”
“Envelopes, we’re stuffing envelopes?” asked SC.
“No, silly” said Unique, “Envelopes are what they call the balloons. Come on with me. I’ll show you what to do.”
The two girls joined William and Neuro in lugging out their balloon. Once they had the envelope laid flat, John started attaching the guide ropes. “You want to make sure you get them lined up in the proper order. If you cross thread them, it’s a real bitch getting the envelope back on the ground to rehook them.”
Once the guide ropes were secured for both balloons, John and Jackie loaded the burners and the extra tanks. The GPS was built into the basket and the batteries were replaced with fresh ones that had been charging in the van.
“Now, we don’t usually carry an extra fuel tank but the National Weather Service said there’s a strong upper level current aloft. We may need to rise up over it if it turns out to be very wide. Stow that over there, will ya, boy?”
‘Boy?’ thought William. “Sure thing, Pops.” Will tucked the extra canister beneath the basket’s rim.
“Now we’ll divide you up according to weight. Since Jackie’s a lot lighter than me, she can take more people in her basket. You three there, you go on and join Jackie.” He pointed to Frank, Poppy, and Bill. “You three come with me.” Will, Unique, and Neuro climbed into the closest basket. “That leaves you three. You’re a little thing, you come with us.” SC climbed in beside Unique. “Ma’am, for all your, uh – charms, you probably don’t weigh much” he said to Peaches. You and this feller here,” he pointed to Ray, “you two join Miss Jackie over there and she’ll let you know what needs to be done.”
posted by uniquematerial | 11:01 AM
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