The Story of Baby Balloon

It's been a strange day: I had a good trip to town buying clothes as I'm now a size smaller than last time I bought clothes. Good!

Then I had a dispiriting trip to the new hairdresser's - I can't even bear to tell you about it except the colour's good now and it doesn't look bad at all but she just didn't cut it short enough so I'm thoroughly fed up at the prospect of having to repeat the ordeal in the near future. So, since she didn't listen to me, I think I'll try somewhere else. Sighhh.

And then a great trip to see a play in Masham - - more about that soon.

But, meanwhile, the story of Baby Balloon, as told to me yesterday by our actor Andy Worthington.

When Baby Balloon was little, he slept in between his Mummy and Daddy in the big bed.

But then he grew bigger. Baby Balloon didn't fit between them any more and Mummy Balloon and Daddy Balloon kept getting pushed out onto the floor. So Mummy Balloon and Daddy Balloon decided that it was time for him to move out to his own bedroom. They prepared him a lovely room with pictures on the walls and a brand new bed and he loved it.

"Now then, Baby Balloon," said Daddy Balloon, "promise me that you'll stay in your own bed tonight, and won't try to fit in between Mummy Balloon and Daddy Balloon."

"I promise," said Baby Balloon, and snuggled down in his very own bed.

But then, in the middle of the night, Baby Balloon woke up and he was scared, all by himself in his own room. He wanted to be in the big bed, in between Mummy Balloon and Daddy Balloon.

So he crept into the bedroom and tried to climb into the bed, but there was just no room. So Baby Balloon had an idea. Carefully he untied Mummy Balloon's knot and let some air out. But Baby Balloon still didn't fit in the bed. So he untied Daddy Balloon's knot and let some air out. But Baby Balloon still didn't fit in the bed. So finally he untied his own knot and let some air out and then climbed into bed in between Mummy Balloon and Daddy Balloon.

In the morning, as soon as Daddy Balloon woke up, Daddy Balloon realised what has happened.

"Come downstairs with me," he said to Baby Balloon, " because we need to have a serious talk."

Mummy Balloon, Daddy Balloon and Baby Balloon all sat at the kitchen table.

"Now then," said Daddy Balloon, " you promised that you would stay in your own bed, didn't you?"

"Yes, Daddy," said Baby Balloon in a small voice.

"And you didn't, did you?" said Daddy Balloon.

"No, Daddy," said Baby Balloon.

"You know what you've done, don't you?" asked Daddy Balloon.

"What, Daddy?" asked Baby Balloon.

"You've let me down. You've let your Mother down. And, worst of all, you've let yourself down."