Balloon with Girl

Think of Banksy’s ‘Girl with Balloon’, but in reverse.

The girl was me; I was walking along the edge of a field just outside Writtle in Essex.

For some reason, I stopped and turned to look across the open field. At that moment, a red heart-shaped balloon came from the sky, its string landing in my outstretched hand.

I stood there, in my hand a red heart-shaped balloon on the end of a string.

The universe also stood still then, for more than a moment.

It was a red, metallic, heart-shaped balloon, with Minnie Mouse on it.

Holding it in my hand, I walked back to the village. Just before the churchyard I put it in the wooden litter bin.

The next day, Sunday morning, as soon as I woke up, I went back through the village and through the churchyard, back to the wooden litter bin – and the balloon was still inside. So I took it home, and I still have it.

2 June 2025