Hugo and the Red Balloon Text and illustrations copyright © 2016 by Billy Simons BS Productions, Babbatoons! All rights reserved. Published by BS Productions. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission from the publisher. I wonder if anyone actually reads this part. If you just did, maybe ask yourself, “Why?” First Edition, April 2016 For more information, email Billy at billy.simons.jr@gmail.com @ billy_anaire @billysimons
For You.
On Hugo’s seventh birthday, (oh what a wondrous day!) he blew out seven candles on seven different cakes.
He opened bags and packages! He tore apart their bows! He ravaged wrappers, ribbons finding toys and cars and clothes! And after every opened gift and gadget filled the room, he found his favorite thing of all...
...a single red balloon.
He did not know who brought the gift, for no one said, “Twas I.” And although Hugo asked Balloon, Balloon gave no reply. “Oh, silly me,” said Hugo, “of course you cannot say. You have no mouth to answer me I’ll fix that right away!”
He found the biggest marker and drew the widest smile and asked, “How do you think it looks?�
...then waited for a while.
“Of course, of course you do not know no matter how you try. You cannot SEE how good you look You don’t have any eyes!”
So Hugo hugged his floating friend then pulled his marker out and drew two big and happy eyes above his happy mouth.
“Hooray! Hooray! You’re looking good!” said Hugo to Balloon. “Now off we go to do the things that best friends like to do.”
They raced their bikes for hours...
...they fished along the creek...
...they stopped into an ice cream shop...
...and played some hide and seek.
They wore the same sunglasses, though neither had a nose, and chased their shadows from the sun until the moon arose.
They read their books by campfire and talked until they slept.
They told each other secrets and promised they’d be kept.
And so the boy and his balloon became the best of friends. Through night and day they’d always say, “This friendship never ends!”
But then one quiet evening, when Hugo was asleep, a blowing breeze came into town and Hugo did not see...
...The wind it whistled woefully and woke him fast to find the string that tied his red balloon had gotten all untied.
Hugo sprang up in a rush and wrestled to his feet with arms stretched out to grab Balloon, but no... he could not reach!
He ran as fast as any boy could say he ever tried, and watched as his best friend, Balloon, grew smaller in the sky. He jumped as high as any boy or any girl could do. But still, Balloon went higher, faster, shrinking towards the moon.
One second he was still a dot against the midnight skies, then disappeared completely. Gone, his smile. Gone, his eyes.
Then Hugo sat down on his bed and thought of how he tried to stop his friend from leaving. And he cried. And cried... and cried. But as he wandered ‘round his house his memories grew so bright! And Hugo dried his crying eyes and shut them both real tight.
He saw so many memories he couldn’t feel alone. A smile drawn from ear to ear! Their bikes and ice cream cones! He thought of all the days and weeks that he and his balloon had laughed and played together all those sunny afternoons!
“Goodnight, goodbye, I’ll miss you. And though I feel so sad, I’m grateful for our memories and all the times we had.” See all those dreams and memories Were always his to keep. So Hugo put their glasses on then smiling, fell asleep.