Balloons are one of those conflicting things in life. They represent fun times, childhood, birthday parties, circuses and baby showers. They are colorful and full of memories, and they are fun to pop. If you let go of them they propel wildly making farting noises. If they are full of helium and you let go, they fly up and up and up forever. But, the reality is that they don’t disappear into the nether reaches, they submit to gravity and fall to the earth as more plastic waste which works its way to the oceans and wildlife along with plastic bags, 6-pack holders and lost flip flops. The above illustration, which I did with watercolor, colored pencils and ink, represents the happier story. Apparently the new Halloween tradition is to hand out goodies out of he trunk of your car so kids avoid going to strangers houses, although my mother would have freaked out if I took something from the back end of a car. Times have changed and the more conscientious parent gives out treats that won’t rot your teeth. This brings us back to balloons, a good alternative, right? I really know how to take the fun out of balloons don’t I? Go Figure!
