While standing on a street in Waco, I looked up and saw a balloon overhead, the type that people ride in. It quickly descended, finally disappearing behind some houses. I saw a second dark blue balloon which looked more like an oversized telephone booth. It likewise was quickly descending. Just before it reached the earth, it slowed down and lightly landed on the sidewalk. A young black man was inside. He stepped out and began looking over the balloon. I was dumbfounded at first, but finally walked over and spoke to him. I concluded that a balloon contest had been taking place and that the balloons were now descending.

The balloons actually had been supposed to land nearby, on the outskirts of town. This fellow, however, hadn't made it; he said something was wrong with his balloon. I laid down a camera which I was carrying and helped the fellow tip the booth over. We then picked it up. It was quite light and I thought it must be made of aluminum. Blackstock walked up; I told Blackstock I was going to help carry the booth to where the fellow was supposed to have landed.

A white man (in his late 30s) drove up in a small blue car. The man offered his help and we began putting the booth on the top of the car on a rack. The top of the car was scratched up and I concluded the car had been used before for carrying such things. After we had put the booth on the car and the man had driven off, I stood a few minutes before walking away.

Blackstock began walking back toward a house where he apparently was staying. I hollered to him, "Well, lets go watch the rest of the balloons land."

I then said, "I left my camera in that car."

Blackstock responded, "No you didn't. You laid it down back there at the house. I'll go back and get it."

When he turned around and headed back to the house to get the camera, I looked up and saw more balloons. I counted six large balloons quickly descending. I could see some large trees near the outskirts of town and I thought the balloons were supposed to land there. I couldn't see the balloons when they actually landed, but I thought they had reached the ground. Since they had descended so rapidly, I thought some people might have been injured. I watched a couple more balloons come down, then I headed off running in that direction.

I quickly reached the outskirts of town, and began running across a field. I had to avoid some puddles of water in the field.

I recalled that Weitz (a law student) had made one balloon for the contest. I wondered where he had gotten the time to make the balloon. I thought, "Well, they're probably taking his picture over there."

I wished I had my camera with me. I figured Weitz would enjoy having his picture taken and he would be standing over there with his chest puffed out in front of his balloon.

Dream Epics Home Page