The Balloonman presents the poodle, smiles and begins another. The child lifts it overhead; refracted color splashes his face.

Autumn engulfs the horizon—the carnival sags. The Balloonman squints as summer burns itself out.

The swan completed, he bows to one last girl, sighs, and turns toward evening and home.

Melody Leming-Wilson lives and teaches in Portland, Oregon. She writes mostly poetry, but is afraid the 50 word story might get in the way of that.