The Animal Noises Continued Unabated
“There are balloons.”- thanks for starting me on my career path
- I’m in love. And speechless.
- sufficiently versed in the stranger’s system of stenography
- “Wash your face before you hug your mother,”
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The animal noises continued unabated until the band reached the chorus, which contained the song’s only lyrics, “There are balloons.” They repeated it a dozen or more times, and got the whole crowd to sing along. The song finally ended with a jubilant cry of “There! Are! Balloons!” as hundreds of golden balloons dropped from the ceiling.
John took up the microphone and gazed at my mother. “It’s my turn to give a toast. I’d like to say thanks for starting me on my career path. If you hadn’t paid my tuition at the Academy, my life would be so different.” He sounded choked up, and had trouble saying the next part. “I’m in love. And speechless.”
“Can you repeat that?” called a woman in the corner. I somehow hadn’t noticed her before. She was dressed like a prim secretary from the 1950s, and sat behind a small typewriter like a court reporter. I didn’t remember stenographers being a part of any Contrarian wedding ceremonies. Honeymoons, sure, but not the ceremony or the reception.
John cleared his throat and repeated his toast as I made my way to the corner. I wanted to see who she was and what she was up to, but I was insufficiently versed in the stranger’s system of stenography to read her notes immediately.
As I tried to puzzle it out, Fleur darted up and smashed a piece of wedding cake into my mouth. She kissed me with frosting-covered lips, then laughed. “Wash your face before you hug your mother,” she said, smearing icing around my mouth like clown makeup.
bonus points for using them in order