The Results Of Giving A Balloon A Face

When most people throw a party, they care more about cake, presents and cigarettes. They blow up some colourful balloons, but all they do is pile them on the floor as far as possible from the fireplace and leave them there. Neglected. Lonely. Left out of the main fun. 

That's why I gave my bright green balloon a face with a permanent marker. Wide eyes, and a surprised mouth in a big O. Someone said it looked like Hans (guy my dad used to work for), so that was the balloon's name.

Unfortunately, when I came back from my shower, I noticed Hans's head was smaller. Every time I came back from doing something--office work, errands, daily walks-- his head seemed to be more tiny, not unlike a depressed raisin that had completed an ultramarathon. 

The fate of Balloon Hans. 

Now Hans sits in my bedroom, always bearing that same mildly surprised look. Even though his head has shrunk, he keeps on being curious about things, wonderstruck. 

I think everyone should try to be like him. 

Except for the shrunken heads. 

I don't think anybody wants that.