The Elephant Salesman (Part X)

At the first sign of the storm, Bartle crawled under the basket’s folded tarp and felt comfort under its weight.

Then he heard his master’s voice.

“Where are you, Bartle?” said Terence. “Come here, boy!”

Bartle poked his nose out from under the tarp and sniffed the stormy air.

Nope, he said to himself. I’m not going to do it. Not for all the clams in the bay. This is the place I want to be right now.

“Why don’t you come here with me?” he barked.

“Bartle?” said Terence.

This time the dog poked the rest of his head out from under his comfort zone.

“Over here!” barked Bartle. “Are you blind? There’s only so many places that I could be in this over-sized laundry basket!”

“Hold on, Bartle,” said Terence. “I’m coming to get you!”

“No!” barked Bartle. “Don’t get me! I’m good!"

Terence, who never understood bark, unwrapped his arms from one of the balloon’s suspension rope and made his way to fetch his dog.

When the strange man in the blue coat saw this he made a grab at the boy’s leg.

“Get back here!” said the strange man. “This wind will whip you half way to Australia before you blink another eye!”

But his reach came up short and he fell flat on his face. When he lifted his head to check on the boy’s progress, he took notice of the sand bags.

“I’ve got an idea!" said the strange man. “If we sand bag the perimeter of this tarp, we can crawl in here with Bartle and at least have a chance at surviving!”

Fighting the force of the increasing winds, Terence and the strange man unfolded the tarp to make more room and together they tossed sand bags around its perimeter. Then they crawled in with the dog.

“Dear merciful God in heaven,” said the strange man. “I know this is the devil’s doing and not yours. But I’m begging you to double up on your almighty powers and throw a hurtin’ on Satan’s weatherman.”

“Satan’s weather man?” said Terence. “My uncle says there is no Satan. Or God. Only fools and their stories.”

“Now is not the time not the time for theological discourse!” said the strange man. “Now is the time to start believing in something! Because believing in something is our only hope! Otherwise we’re doomed!”

Terence closed his eyes real tight and thought of his parents. His parent’s had always told him that if you believed it, you could do it.

So Terence wrapped his heart around his loving family and believed everything was going to be alright.

At that moment, as the tornado was about to gobble them up and spit them out, a strange thing happened. A television news helicopter, that had been watching the balloon from a safe distance, moved in and attempted a rescue. The pilot instructed the newsman who was covering the storm to release the grappling hook that was under his seat.

“What the hell for?” said the newsman.

“We’re going in for a rescue,” said the pilot.

“Are you friggin’ nuts!” said the newsman. “I don’t make the damn news! I just report it!”

The pilot ignored the newsman and managed to release the grappling hook himself.

The winds picked up speed as the tornado drew near, causing the helicopter to flutter about like a disturbed yellow jacket trying to avoid the fly swatter.

After several failed attempts, and many curses thrown at the useless newsman, the pilot managed to hook onto one of the balloon’s suspension ropes and pull it to safety.

Using his field glasses, the pilot spotted movement under the tarp. He then reached for his bull horn and tried to make contact with the balloon.

“It’s all over!” said the pilot. “You can come out now!”

“Oh, gripes!” said the strange man. “We’re at the pearly gates! I’m not ready for this! So many things left undone! So many irons in the fire! I’m not fit to meet the savior! Not just yet!”

Terence poked his head out from under the tarp and laughed when he saw the helicopter pilot wave in his direction.

“What’s He look like?” said the strange man. “I’m afraid to take a peak.”

Terence stood up and waved back at the pilot. He was speechless.

“I mean, really!” said the strange man. “I’ve haven’t even written out my bucket list!”