Water Ballons, Assemble

Summer fun; I’m not sure what else can be said about the excited screaming sound that dances upon the play of a water balloon fight! When the nights begin to stretch longer and longer, days hotter and energies flowing stronger; I find myself dizzy excited at the thought of instigating a water balloon fight. From the varying vibrant colors of the balloons to the spraying sound of the water and erratic flowing jet of water song that roars from the water spigot promising shenanigans. I captivate at the idea.

The random bursting of over filled balloons or the awkward, dropped, running, un-cuffed by knot tie, balloon rebel; resisting it’s task of being tied and transported to whatever container is being used to hold the troop of brightly colored bombardiers. All brothers and sisters in arms being once again reunited in some giant blue tote that once held the Christmas tree in an attic. Or, designations separated into teams, some in a laundry basket, others in a kitchen trash can, and an old camping cooler the water balloons solidarity remains.

Once the blue tote or the teams of balloons loaded into their plastic war transports have been prepared and assembled; confidently jiggling, wearing jewels of water droplets, march forward. The battalion of agitators in the blue tote assembling in mass in the center or the scavenged house hold containers, now serving as deployment vehicles for the teams of balloons to pre designated rallying points at equal distance around the battle arena.

Shining promises of excitement in their plump wiggle dance, their colors screaming their playful battle cry of fun, laughter, and play; a silent roar echos from the balloons awaiting to be deployed. With but one purpose in their design, they proudly stand, challenging, awaiting command; unconcerned with their short lifespan and unafraid of the intensity of their mission.

The sound marking the beginning of the battle ringing in the air marks but moments of further anticipation. The balloons now committed to battle, selected at random, by frenzied hand; some dropped—an unfortunate case of friendly fire. Others selected two at a time, or loaded into other smaller deployment vehicles to be transported further in to the battle area like a cavalry charge by hands of swimsuit wearing giants upon bare feet.

As laughs roll across the field and excited outbursts, taunting smiles, and the backwards motion of the giant’s hand catapult launch procedure, the balloons achieve their most intense shine as the sun sparks their imagined rubber fuses. This was it, their destiny, that moment for which they were designed, packaged, and patiently staged at parade rest upon boring shelf in some retail store. This was the highlight of their life as the propelling mechanism of sun highlighted skinned hand begins it’s forward movement motion.

Upon release they sail screaming their color’s charging wail. Some falling short of their target, others going wide - left or right due to an unintended, unexpected, or obscured flanking maneuver. Possible mis-calibration of the launching mechanisms or inexperienced giant leviathan pilots. Others war balloons flying over the swimsuit clad opposing giants dome command couch striking tree trunks or falling with their crystal explosion at the far edge of the opposing battle arena.

But, there were those determined rubber water warriors that achieved the greatest of honors and proudly became memories, fulfilling to their destiny of becoming heroes making the ultimate sacrifice promised in their invention. These outstanding individual balloon warriors found their mark in a glorious explosion of globby drops paired with refracted rainbow mist, their color bursting into a sun filled explosion of summer fun!