What’s that in the air, in the distance?
Is it a balloon?
Dang.
Yes, it is.
The light is fading.
I pull off the highway to watch.
It’s getting near dark.
They are coming down fast.
I hope they’re OK, and can find a place to land.
They see me watching them, and wave…
I wave back.
The balloon comes low enough that I fear for their safety.
But they fire up the burners, and start to rise up.
Away they go, quietly.
They’ll clear the ridge they’re approaching.
I hope there’s a good big field in their line of flight.
And that they’ll find it before dark.
I get back in my truck.
And move along.