Today, as I was pottering along Rundle Mall in the 39C heat, a polka-dot figure caught my eye. It was a little girl, no more than 5, with brunette curls tumbling down her bright polka-dot dress. She was pushing a stroller that was about as big as her. Her father had his hand on the handle, guiding it as they ambled along. In the stroller lay her baby brother, who appeared to be sound asleep. There was a white helium balloon tied to her right wrist. Every now and then, she would glance up at her balloon and tug at her wrist, as if to make sure it was still floating above her head.
Just outside KFC, the stroller came to a jolting halt. The sudden shift in momentum must have woken her baby brother, because he started to whimper and cry. The little girl scooted around to the side of the stroller and stuck her head under the shade, cooing to her brother and reaching in to mother him like how big sisters do. It was at this moment that the ribbon on her wrist came loose, and her white helium balloon floated its way up into the crisp, clear skies.
Taken aback by the realisation of what had just occured, the little girl turned and stared helplessly at what was her white helium balloon just 5 seconds ago, drifting towards its own freedom. Shocked, she burst into tears. She forgot all about her baby brother in that instant. In that instant, she was not his big sister. She was just a 5-year-old kid who had lost her white helium balloon.
Just outside KFC, the stroller came to a jolting halt. The sudden shift in momentum must have woken her baby brother, because he started to whimper and cry. The little girl scooted around to the side of the stroller and stuck her head under the shade, cooing to her brother and reaching in to mother him like how big sisters do. It was at this moment that the ribbon on her wrist came loose, and her white helium balloon floated its way up into the crisp, clear skies.
Taken aback by the realisation of what had just occured, the little girl turned and stared helplessly at what was her white helium balloon just 5 seconds ago, drifting towards its own freedom. Shocked, she burst into tears. She forgot all about her baby brother in that instant. In that instant, she was not his big sister. She was just a 5-year-old kid who had lost her white helium balloon.
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4 Durian(s) Thrown at Jun:
i coming to town on thursday!!
joe: can't wait then!
But still. Such a sweet older sister caring for her kid brother. :)
kenny: still a kid at heart-- as always.
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