Iain Kelly

Fiction Writing

THE BALLOON

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.

ronda-pov
Copyright Ronda Del Boccio

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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94 responses to “THE BALLOON”

  1. Anthony North Avatar
    Anthony North

    There’s a lot of it around at the moment. Nice one.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
    1. Iain Kelly Avatar
      Iain Kelly

      A pandemic in itself. Thanks Anthony.

      Like

      Reply
  2. neeltheauthor- author of WHEN LIFE THROWS THOSE CURVE BALLS Avatar
    neeltheauthor- author of WHEN LIFE THROWS THOSE CURVE BALLS

    ALL bluster, must say!

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
    1. Iain Kelly Avatar
      Iain Kelly

      Thanks Neel

      Like

      Reply
  3. neilmacdon Avatar
    neilmacdon

    At least he said “scuse me”. Manners maketh the man

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
    1. Iain Kelly Avatar
      Iain Kelly

      True, it’s more than most can manage these days.

      Like

      Reply
  4. Tannille Avatar
    Tannille

    Now that’s recycling! Great last line.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
    1. Iain Kelly Avatar
      Iain Kelly

      Ha, thank you 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  5. ceayr Avatar
    ceayr

    I like that your title doesn’t refer to the thing that flies!

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
    1. Iain Kelly Avatar
      Iain Kelly

      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!

      Like

      Reply
  6. justjoyfulness Avatar
    justjoyfulness

    Hahaha 🙂 Good one! I too took up the hot-air theme. I suspect there will be a lot of those 🙂

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
    1. Iain Kelly Avatar
      Iain Kelly

      The picture does suggest it, doesn’t it! 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  7. Dragon Warrior Avatar
    Dragon Warrior

    Your writing style is great and I especially loved the last line.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
    1. Iain Kelly Avatar
      Iain Kelly

      Thank you so much

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  8. pensitivity101 Avatar
    pensitivity101

    Like it Iain. We’ve all met them!!

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
    1. Iain Kelly Avatar
      Iain Kelly

      Glad it’s not just me who seems to think I am cursed to always end up with them!

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
      1. pensitivity101 Avatar
        pensitivity101

        🙂

        Liked by 1 person

  9. rochellewisoff Avatar
    rochellewisoff

    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

    Liked by 4 people

    Reply
    1. Iain Kelly Avatar
      Iain Kelly

      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! 😉

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
      1. rochellewisoff Avatar
        rochellewisoff

        It works. It just might become part of this yank’s vocabulary. 😉

        Liked by 1 person

      2. Lynn Love Avatar
        Lynn Love

        Oh, love that! Never heard it before but I’ll gladly use it now 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

        1. Iain Kelly Avatar
          Iain Kelly

          Perhaps it only works in the harsh West of Scotland accent 😉

          Like

  10. Sadje Avatar
    Sadje

    Ha! Good one Iain.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
    1. Iain Kelly Avatar
      Iain Kelly

      Thank you 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
      1. Sadje Avatar
        Sadje

        You’re welcome 😉

        Liked by 1 person

  11. J Hardy Carroll Avatar
    J Hardy Carroll

    Boy I hear you there! Well done

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
    1. Iain Kelly Avatar
      Iain Kelly

      Thank you 😉

      Like

      Reply
  12. Lynn Love Avatar
    Lynn Love

    Nicely done, Iain. Definitely worth the price and the slight risk to balloon away from this ‘balloon’ 🙂

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
    1. Iain Kelly Avatar
      Iain Kelly

      Thanks Lynn 🙂

      Like

      Reply
  13. magickmermaid Avatar
    magickmermaid

    Great story! There’s quite a lot of hot air from a certain orange balloon…… 🙂

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
    1. Iain Kelly Avatar
      Iain Kelly

      There’s a few about at the moment! 😉

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  14. Anita Avatar
    Anita

    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

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
    1. Iain Kelly Avatar
      Iain Kelly

      Thanks Anita

      Like

      Reply
  15. joyroses13 Avatar
    joyroses13

    Ooh yes! LOVE it! 🙂

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
    1. Iain Kelly Avatar
      Iain Kelly

      Thank you 🙂

      Like

      Reply
      1. joyroses13 Avatar
        joyroses13

        You are welcome! I like how your stories may be fiction but they have really in them!

        Liked by 1 person

  16. granonine Avatar
    granonine

    I am more than ready to be done with the hot air circling the globe. A cool-down would be wonderful!

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
    1. Iain Kelly Avatar
      Iain Kelly

      Wouldn’t it just, but it seems to be non-stop at the moment.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  17. Nobbinmaug Avatar
    Nobbinmaug

    Well played.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
    1. Iain Kelly Avatar
      Iain Kelly

      Thanks 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  18. msjadeli Avatar
    msjadeli

    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.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
    1. Iain Kelly Avatar
      Iain Kelly

      Wow, harsh, lol 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
      1. msjadeli Avatar
        msjadeli

        🙂

        Liked by 1 person

  19. MrBinks Avatar
    MrBinks

    They’re everywhere aren’t they. Nice take!

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
    1. Iain Kelly Avatar
      Iain Kelly

      I’m surrounded! Thanks for reading 🙂

      Like

      Reply
  20. EagleAye Avatar
    EagleAye

    Haha! Love it. I took my story in the same direction. I guess you can’t pass up an opening like that. 🙂

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
    1. Iain Kelly Avatar
      Iain Kelly

      Thank you 🙂

      Like

      Reply
  21. Na'ama Yehuda Avatar
    Na’ama Yehuda

    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 …

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
    1. Iain Kelly Avatar
      Iain Kelly

      Thank you 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  22. michael Avatar
    michael

    Iain that is a great use of hot air, but what happens when he takes nap

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
    1. Iain Kelly Avatar
      Iain Kelly

      I’m sure there are plenty of others who could take his place. Thanks Michael

      Like

      Reply
  23. Tina Stewart Brakebill Avatar
    Tina Stewart Brakebill

    If only that hot air actually could be put to good use 🤣

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
    1. Iain Kelly Avatar
      Iain Kelly

      Think of the energy we could generate!

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
      1. Tina Stewart Brakebill Avatar
        Tina Stewart Brakebill

        Yep 😬

        Liked by 1 person

  24. Dale Avatar
    Dale

    Hah! Good one.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
    1. Iain Kelly Avatar
      Iain Kelly

      Thanks Dale

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  25. theministryofshrawleywalks Avatar
    theministryofshrawleywalks

    I’ve met people like that, rings perfectly true, good stuff.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
    1. Iain Kelly Avatar
      Iain Kelly

      Thank you

      Like

      Reply
  26. JoHawkTheWriter Avatar
    JoHawkTheWriter

    I didn’t know that meaning for balloon. Learn something new every day.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
    1. Iain Kelly Avatar
      Iain Kelly

      Thanks Jo

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  27. draliman Avatar
    draliman

    Ha, a welcome break. Clever use of “hot air”. If they could stand it, they could take that chap along and save fuel!

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
    1. Iain Kelly Avatar
      Iain Kelly

      If he had a mute button, sure!

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  28. plaridel Avatar
    plaridel

    i love the sneaky kind of humor. well done. 🙂

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
    1. Iain Kelly Avatar
      Iain Kelly

      Thank you 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  29. Keith's Ramblings Avatar
    Keith’s Ramblings

    If he bumps into a gasbag there’ll be an almighty explosion!

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
    1. Iain Kelly Avatar
      Iain Kelly

      🙂 Thanks Keith

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  30. Gabriella Avatar
    Gabriella

    I think I might have agreed to a hot air balloon ride myself. Some folks can ruin anything.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
    1. Iain Kelly Avatar
      Iain Kelly

      Thanks Gabriella 🙂

      Like

      Reply
  31. Liz Young Avatar
    Liz Young

    I’ve felt like that on many an occasion – ‘Beam me up, Scotty!’

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
    1. Iain Kelly Avatar
      Iain Kelly

      When you need a holiday from the holiday! Thanks Liz

      Like

      Reply
  32. Laurie Bell Avatar
    Laurie Bell

    I’m with them, get away while you can. Hopefully the two and a lovely peaceful time floating around

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
    1. Iain Kelly Avatar
      Iain Kelly

      Thanks Laurie, any peace is welcome at the moment!

      Like

      Reply
  33. pennygadd51 Avatar
    pennygadd51

    Bad enough to be on holiday with the balloon, but just suppose you were on lock-down with him? Nice story, Iain

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
    1. Iain Kelly Avatar
      Iain Kelly

      That would be a nightmare. I imagine there are a few people re-evaluating relationships after lockdown! Thanks Penny.

      Like

      Reply
  34. ahtdoucette Avatar
    ahtdoucette

    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!

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
    1. Iain Kelly Avatar
      Iain Kelly

      Ha, thanks Anne 🙂

      Like

      Reply
  35. trishsplace Avatar
    trishsplace

    Loud people spoiling the peace, got it. Full of hot air, got it. Beam me up Scottie, in a balloon!

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
    1. Iain Kelly Avatar
      Iain Kelly

      There’s no escape! Thanks Trish.

      Like

      Reply
  36. James McEwan Avatar
    James McEwan

    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.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
    1. Iain Kelly Avatar
      Iain Kelly

      Thanks James. I should add I think the British can be just as bad!

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  37. Russell Gayer Avatar
    Russell Gayer

    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.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
    1. Iain Kelly Avatar
      Iain Kelly

      Eeeewww!

      Like

      Reply
  38. Psychic-Medium-Author Ronda Del Boccio Avatar
    Psychic-Medium-Author Ronda Del Boccio

    Good story. I had such fun riding in that balloon.
    Ronda

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
    1. Iain Kelly Avatar
      Iain Kelly

      Thanks Ronda!

      Like

      Reply
  39. Woman walking Max Avatar
    Woman walking Max

    Lots of hot air at the moment ! I like the witty way you tell the story .

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
    1. Iain Kelly Avatar
      Iain Kelly

      Thank you

      Like

      Reply
  40. Björn Rudberg (brudberg) Avatar
    Björn Rudberg (brudberg)

    Alas .. this hot air will not make you fly, it will bring you down like a Lead Zeppelin

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
    1. Iain Kelly Avatar
      Iain Kelly

      That’s the feeling about the whole world at the moment. Thanks Bjorn.

      Like

      Reply
  41. Dawn M. Miller Avatar
    Dawn M. Miller

    Haha…that’s one way to get away from it.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
    1. Iain Kelly Avatar
      Iain Kelly

      Thanks Dawn 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  42. magarisa Avatar
    magarisa

    The last line is priceless! 🙂

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
    1. Iain Kelly Avatar
      Iain Kelly

      Thank you 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  43. tedstrutz Avatar
    tedstrutz

    Good one. Stakeout. But, was it really the old lady across the hall?

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
  44. that little voice Avatar
    that little voice

    Welcome to that little voice and thank you for following my blog.

    Like

    Reply

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