‘The film Up! has a lot to answer for.’
‘For the last time, you can’t use Disney told you to as your defence.’
The vein was back. Every time I tried to explain how I got into this it always started from the same place. Apparently, this is not something the judge will look too kindly on. But it seemed to make sense, I was inspired by those who try to inspire children, really Disney should be to blame. And besides, it was half term, and I got a bit bored. Plus, it is not my fault if you can so easily get things on the internet.
‘Before we make our way down to the court room, let’s just try to go through your plan again.’
It was always a good idea to pause when my lawyer collected his hands in front of him and sighed to his chest. I often wonder if he questions picking up the phone when my mum called him. She said she owed him a favour and that he was the one before your father turned up. But I never remember dad being a lawyer, so I have never understood what she meant.
‘Well I have just finished watching the film Up! Once again mum was working on the computer, and I didn’t know what to do. But I noticed that her tablet was around, and I wanted to know how many balloons it would take to move a house.’
‘Ok, I think we can skip the bit about you searching online for balloons, and how it would take… ah here it is, 1 million balloons to lift a house but I am only a child so I would need a lot less. The judge will have read this statement already, so I don’t think we need to go into the entire 12 pages you have signed.’
‘But I don’t want them to think that this was just some silly thing that I did one day. I planned this. I’m an idiot’.
‘The more you emphasise you planning this, the following things happen. Your mother cries and the judge will come down on you harder.’
‘But isn’t it always good to tell the truth?’
‘I am not telling you to lie. I am just wanting you to not be judged harshly.’
There was the sigh again. This box room was starting to get a bit boring. All I wanted to do was see how far I could travel. I was sensible. I did tests to check beforehand. All good scientists should plan ahead and see what might happen before putting anyone in any danger.
‘You remember when your father went, and how sad your mother got from that?’
‘YOU ARE NOT TO TALK ABOUT HIM!’
‘All I am trying to say is, if you are not sensible today, you will be making her sad all over again.’
‘I just tried to keep myself out of trouble. I just wanted to play some games and not let mum be distracted when she was trying to work. To be her good little bear.’
‘I know. But the problem is when you play like this you can cause problems for other people.’
‘If we could just talk about the news report. I think that showed a lot of people enjoyed what happened.’
‘That news report was made by your friends and was shown on YouTube. The only reason that has been such a big hit and made it on the national news is because of the trouble your experiment caused.’
‘Still made the news though. Also, those two on BBC Breakfast were laughing about it…’
‘And they had to apologise for that didn’t they…Didn’t they?’
‘…I guess.’
‘So, when the judge wants to find out what happened, what will you say?’
‘That I was just trying to have some fun and didn’t know what I was doing as I am only 10?’
‘Well that sounds a bit better than the planned experiment idea. Although it might be difficult to prove now that you have already given in your notebook with the quite impressive calculations.’
‘Isn’t it a good thing though that it shows I forgot multiple some of the numbers the right way?’
‘Sam, let me remind you of what happened.’
The palms were flat on the table this time. His left hand then collected the picture folder. In my defence, I didn’t realise that helium balloons would travel so far and as high. I thought my sums meant they would hover, and I could catch them. Possible use a catapult to send them to my friend’s house.’
‘Teddy bears attack… Hugs from above… oh and my favourite one, It’s raining bears. But that may just be me. These are the many headlines from around the county, and further, along with the pictures of your sister’s teddies from your act as they were caught and found.’
‘I did make sure they had my name on them so I could get them back for my sister.’
‘And that was a very thought-out detail. Which is why the judge can easily map out all 34 experiments you did that day before the police turned up to stop you moving on to phase 2 of you little experiment.’
‘What’s going to happen to me?’
‘We will have to see when we leave this room and go down the hall.’
‘Can we wait a moment. I don’t want my mum to see me scared.’
Sam sat there looking at the pictures. He had created a storm on social media that week, hashtags such as #bearsfromabove #whobearisthis helped to get lots of people entertained. He couldn’t wait till he went back to Cubs too, all of his knots had lasted the journey. He was sure to get the knot badge now!
Then came the knocks on the door. It was time.
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S J Lister. Author 