Here he comes, full of bluster, just like his president.
He wasn’t ruining the holiday exactly, but every time that bellowing voice approached the pool area, the patrons visibly slumped.
‘Mornin’ y’all!’ He hefted his great bulk onto a lounger. ‘S’cuse me, boy! A little refreshment over here!’ The pool boy reluctantly answered the beckoning call.
‘I can’t take another day of this,’ I said to Cassandra.
We had come to relax and recover from the start to the year.
‘Hot air balloon?’ Cassandra raised an eyebrow.
I had resisted, now I agreed.
Might as well make use of all the hot air blowing around.
Written for Friday Fictioneers hosted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields (more details HERE). The idea is to write a short story of 100 words based on the photo prompt (above).
To read stories of 100 words based on this week’s prompt, visit HERE.
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Iain Kelly 
94 responses to “THE BALLOON”
There’s a lot of it around at the moment. Nice one.
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A pandemic in itself. Thanks Anthony.
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ALL bluster, must say!
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Thanks Neel
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At least he said “scuse me”. Manners maketh the man
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True, it’s more than most can manage these days.
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Now that’s recycling! Great last line.
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Ha, thank you 🙂
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I like that your title doesn’t refer to the thing that flies!
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I’m not sure it is just a Scottish insult, or whether the rest of the world would use it in the same way, but it is a Scottish use that I am quite proud of!
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Hahaha 🙂 Good one! I too took up the hot-air theme. I suspect there will be a lot of those 🙂
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The picture does suggest it, doesn’t it! 🙂
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Your writing style is great and I especially loved the last line.
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Thank you so much
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Like it Iain. We’ve all met them!!
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Glad it’s not just me who seems to think I am cursed to always end up with them!
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🙂
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Dear Iain,
Full of hot air is definitely a universal term. I’ll have to remember balloon. Rhymes with buffoon, doesn’t it? Good one.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Thanks Rochelle. It’s perhaps a Scottish (or even Glasgow) thing that we would call someone who is full of hot air a balloon, always preceded by an expletive. We also apply it equally to those we dislike and between friends if they disagree on something! 😉
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It works. It just might become part of this yank’s vocabulary. 😉
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Oh, love that! Never heard it before but I’ll gladly use it now 🙂
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Perhaps it only works in the harsh West of Scotland accent 😉
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Ha! Good one Iain.
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Thank you 🙂
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You’re welcome 😉
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Boy I hear you there! Well done
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Thank you 😉
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Nicely done, Iain. Definitely worth the price and the slight risk to balloon away from this ‘balloon’ 🙂
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Thanks Lynn 🙂
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Great story! There’s quite a lot of hot air from a certain orange balloon…… 🙂
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There’s a few about at the moment! 😉
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That’s smart usage of the hot air around!
We need more such resourceful persons for our world! 🙂
Stay safe!
A Whole New World – Anita
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Thanks Anita
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Ooh yes! LOVE it! 🙂
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Thank you 🙂
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You are welcome! I like how your stories may be fiction but they have really in them!
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I am more than ready to be done with the hot air circling the globe. A cool-down would be wonderful!
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Wouldn’t it just, but it seems to be non-stop at the moment.
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Well played.
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Thanks 🙂
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Incisive and entertaining, Iain. I think he should go up in the balloon, get real high in the sky, then have a projectile-assisted malfunction over shark-infested waters.
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Wow, harsh, lol 🙂
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🙂
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They’re everywhere aren’t they. Nice take!
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I’m surrounded! Thanks for reading 🙂
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Haha! Love it. I took my story in the same direction. I guess you can’t pass up an opening like that. 🙂
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Thank you 🙂
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LOL! Perfect! Yep – if we could harness all the hot air going around here now, we’d be able to lift off the world into another galaxy …
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Thank you 🙂
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Iain that is a great use of hot air, but what happens when he takes nap
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I’m sure there are plenty of others who could take his place. Thanks Michael
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If only that hot air actually could be put to good use 🤣
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Think of the energy we could generate!
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Yep 😬
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Hah! Good one.
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Thanks Dale
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I’ve met people like that, rings perfectly true, good stuff.
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Thank you
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I didn’t know that meaning for balloon. Learn something new every day.
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Thanks Jo
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Ha, a welcome break. Clever use of “hot air”. If they could stand it, they could take that chap along and save fuel!
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If he had a mute button, sure!
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i love the sneaky kind of humor. well done. 🙂
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Thank you 🙂
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If he bumps into a gasbag there’ll be an almighty explosion!
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🙂 Thanks Keith
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I think I might have agreed to a hot air balloon ride myself. Some folks can ruin anything.
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Thanks Gabriella 🙂
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I’ve felt like that on many an occasion – ‘Beam me up, Scotty!’
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When you need a holiday from the holiday! Thanks Liz
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I’m with them, get away while you can. Hopefully the two and a lovely peaceful time floating around
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Thanks Laurie, any peace is welcome at the moment!
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Bad enough to be on holiday with the balloon, but just suppose you were on lock-down with him? Nice story, Iain
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That would be a nightmare. I imagine there are a few people re-evaluating relationships after lockdown! Thanks Penny.
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Oh my. I’ll admit, I was thinking of this metaphor too. That’s not the only issue I have with the idea of flying via heated air, but … yeah. I like down to earth people, people with whom I may not always agree but at least they’re willing to stand for something. It’s important to stand up for things. Like civil rights, including my right to never get into a hot air balloon. Hope you have a great week!
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Ha, thanks Anne 🙂
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Loud people spoiling the peace, got it. Full of hot air, got it. Beam me up Scottie, in a balloon!
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There’s no escape! Thanks Trish.
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The trouble I notice is the Americans who are all bluster and loud don’t know other people exist. I stayed at a holiday hotel in Aruba and I noticed that even the wife of a particular US person kept away from him at times.
I will point out that this was an isolated case.
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Thanks James. I should add I think the British can be just as bad!
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I’ve always wanted to ride in a hot air balloon, but I’m afraid if the air came from a politician it would have a terrible smell.
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Eeeewww!
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Good story. I had such fun riding in that balloon.
Ronda
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Thanks Ronda!
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Lots of hot air at the moment ! I like the witty way you tell the story .
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Thank you
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Alas .. this hot air will not make you fly, it will bring you down like a Lead Zeppelin
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That’s the feeling about the whole world at the moment. Thanks Bjorn.
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Haha…that’s one way to get away from it.
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Thanks Dawn 🙂
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The last line is priceless! 🙂
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Thank you 🙂
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Good one. Stakeout. But, was it really the old lady across the hall?
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Welcome to that little voice and thank you for following my blog.
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