A Party Without Balloons

With her sister’s party only a day away, Clara was still missing most of what she needed. On Friday she made her way to the village shop, a tiny place that managed to sell a little of everything and a great deal of nothing in particular. Its owner, Mr Bell, was reading behind the counter.

“Do you have any candles?” Clara asked. “Yes, I do,” Mr Bell said, folding his newspaper. “I have some candles here.” “Do you have any balloons?” “I’m afraid I don’t have any balloons today. A school class bought the lot yesterday.”

“Is there any paper for a banner?” Clara asked, with diminishing hope. Mr Bell shook his head. “No, there isn’t any paper, I’m afraid. But there is some string.” Clara stared at it, trying to imagine a banner made of string.

Mr Bell was not one to give up easily. He crouched down, rummaged beneath the table and pulled out a dusty box. “I don’t have any balloons,” he said, “but I do have some paper lanterns!” They were red, yellow and blue, and Clara realised at once that they would be far more memorable than balloons.

She bought the candles, the string and the lanterns and carried them home. “Is there any cake?” her sister asked, peering into the bags. “No, there isn’t any cake yet,” Clara admitted with a laugh. “But at least we have some candles!” It was not the party she had planned, but it might turn out to be a better one.