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- Story Listed as: Fiction For Kids
- Theme: Family & Friends
- Subject: Fate / Luck / Serendipity
- Published: 06/14/2018
A Message From Emily
Born 1947, M, from Oceanside, United StatesA Message From Emily
As Emily’s classmates watched their balloons rise toward the clear blue sky, she wondered who would find her balloon, and would they read the message inside?
All the balloons contained messages. That was part of their assignment. Mrs. Marsh, their teacher, had told the children to write messages of friendship on pieces of paper. These were going to be stuffed inside balloons, along with the name of the person who wrote the message, what grade they were in, and the address of the school: Jefferson Elementary. That way, whoever found a balloon could write back to the individual whose name was on the message and let that person know where they lived, and maybe even become pen pals.
Other schools had done the same thing. Several balloons had traveled great distances. One was even reported to have been found as far away as a thousand miles from its origin. Emily wondered how any balloon could have traveled that far?
While she was thinking, Emily heard one of her classmates shout. When she looked up again, she saw her balloon going in a different direction than the others. She knew it was her balloon because of the tiny yellow ribbon she had taped to the string. Her smile collapsed into a frown. How could that be, she wondered, as a sudden gust tossed a lock of her brown hair into her face?
Brushing aside her hair, Emily felt tears begin to seep into her eyes. My balloon is going to become lost, she thought. How will anyone ever find it?
As if to show her concern was correct, her balloon took a sudden dip and began to drift toward the trees at the edge of the field. Emily held her breath. She watched as her balloon drifted closer and closer to the waiting branches. Any moment it was going to collide with their sharp ends and burst into pieces.
At the last instant she saw it leap up and continue to soar safely over the tops of the trees. Relieved, Emily exhaled. Still, she was uncertain her balloon was ever going to be found. At that moment, she felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked up and saw it was Mrs. Marsh, the teacher. She was smiling.
“Don’t worry,” she said to Emily. “This is probably a sign that something special is going to happen.”
Emily wanted to believe her teacher. Instead, she turned, and with her eyes lowered, followed the other children back into the classroom.
Later, after Emily arrived home from school, her mother noticed Emily’s sad expression. She asked, “What’s the matter?”
Emily told her about the balloon and how it had drifted off by itself.
A tiny smile spread across her mother’s face. “I know what will make you feel better.”
“What?” asked Emily.
“A story.”
Although she was old enough to read on her own, having her mother read to her was always something Emily enjoyed.
She smiled sadly. “I think I’d like that.”
The story that her mother chose to read turned out to be one Emily had heard many times before, but it was one of her favorites. It was about a cat who took an unexpected ride in a hot air balloon.
The cat named Lucky had become curious when he saw a balloon being filled with hot air to give some people a ride. Climbing inside the basket, Lucky tried to imagine what it would be like to soar with the birds. Just then, a strong breeze lifted the balloon into the air and away from the humans.
Even though he had not planned to take a ride, the curious cat found himself enjoying his trip. From high up, he could see all around. He saw a farmer driving a tractor in a field. He saw linemen fixing a power line. He saw a group of children playing in a playground. All waved to him as he sailed by. He even flew close to an eagle resting in its nest high on the edge of a cliff.
After the balloon slowly settled back to the ground, the cat jumped out and started for his home, where he knew his supper would be waiting. That certainly was a wonderful adventure, he thought.
While she listened to the story, Emily found her mind wandering to thoughts of her own balloon.
“Do you think anyone will ever read the message inside?” she asked, as her mother tucked the bed covers under Emily’s chin.
“I’m sure someone will,” her mother said. “Now close your eyes and go to sleep.” She switched off the lamp, leaving on the night light. “I’ll see you in the morning,” she said then closed the door.
Instead of falling right to sleep, Emily lay with her eyes open, staring up at the ceiling. In the dimness, she imagined it to be a river of fast-moving clouds, and she was a red balloon being tossed about helplessly by the river’s swift waters. She shivered.
The next day at school, Emily’s friends talked excitedly about their balloons.
“I bet mine travels a hundred miles,” said John.
“I bet mine goes a million miles!” exclaimed Mary.
Emily said nothing.
During recess, Charlotte told Emily she thought it was weird the way Emily’s balloon had gone off by itself. “Maybe someone in another country will find yours,” she said.
Emily didn’t answer.
That evening, while she was in her room practicing her handwriting, she heard the phone ring.
A moment later, her mother appeared at the door. “It’s for you,” she said.
When she answered the phone, Emily recognized the gravelly-sounding voice of Bobby Jennings. Bobby, who was one of her classmates, had not been in school that day. Nor had he been in school the previous three days. Mrs. Marsh told the children that Bobby’s mother called the school and said Bobby had pneumonia and would not be in school the rest of the week.
Bobby said, “I want to thank you.”
“For what?” Asked Emily.
“The message you sent me.”
Emily frowned. “What message?”
“The one you left outside my window.”
Emily stared at the phone as if it had just made a dumb noise.
“My mother wants to know,” said Bobby, “how you got it so high up in the tree?”
“Got what?” She asked.
“The balloon with your message inside. That was a neat idea.”
A smile turned up the corners of Emily’s mouth. “I’m sure glad you found it,” she said. Then she went on to explain how her balloon had drifted off by itself. “I was afraid it was going to be lost.”
“My mother says your message sounds very grown-up.”
That pleased Emily. She had wanted her message to sound “grown-up.” But she couldn’t decide on what to say, so she had asked her mother if she would help.
“I think Mrs. Marsh would want you to do your own homework,” said her mother.
“Oh, Please!” Emily begged.
Emily’s mother smiled. “Okay,” she said after a moment. “Let’s see if together we can’t think of something.”
After discarding several messages, Emily and her mother settled on this: May you always be happy and have a lot of friends. If you don’t, smile anyway. It won’t cost you anything.
Emily’s mind drifted back as she heard Bobby say, “The doctor told my mother, if I’m better by the middle of next week, I’ll be able to come back to school. So I guess I’ll see you then.”
After she hung up the phone, Emily rushed back to her room. Taking out a piece of paper she sat down to write another message. This one was going to be special, she thought. This one I will make up and deliver to Bobby myself.
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