When Neil Floated Away

Neil floats skyward, meets a mole, and learns gravity will always bring him home.

Neil loved big dreams. He wished he could fly like a bird. Without wings or a jetpack, he believed a mighty jump might lift him clear off the ground.

He wore Grandma Lou's bright red cape, a helmet sprinkled with silver stars, and shiny golden shoes. Each night he leaped from his bed and imagined zooming into outer space.

In dreamland Neil zipped past birds, looped the moon, slid on Saturn's rings, sipped comet tea, and played tag with glittering shooting stars.

One windy Wednesday after dinner, Neil hurried outside. He bent his knees, counted, 'One, two, three!' and sprang upward with every bit of strength he had.

This time he didn't drop back down. He floated! First above the mailbox, then the roof, waving at a shocked treetop cat as he drifted higher and higher.

Neil flipped through clouds and laughed, but soon worry grew. Tiny houses below reminded him of home. 'Why won't I land?' he cried. 'I miss the ground!'

With a pop of smoke appeared a mole in a lab coat eating a jelly roll. 'Hello,' the mole said kindly. 'Looks like you forgot about gravity.'

'Gravity?' Neil asked. The mole smiled. 'It's an unseen rope that gently pulls everything toward Earth, keeping us from drifting away.'

'Think of it as a magic lasso,' the mole added. 'It tugs apples from trees and keeps your shoes on the sidewalk so you don't fly off like a balloon.'

'Raindrops, oceans, even mountains stay put because of gravity,' the mole said. Neil gasped, 'Without it we'd bob around like bubbles!'

'Exactly!' laughed the mole. 'Your cereal would swim from the bowl and socks would stick to the ceiling. What a silly, messy morning that would be!'

'Gravity works all day, even when you can't see it,' the mole said. 'But your excited jump pushed you past its gentle tug for a moment.'

'How do I get back?' Neil asked. The mole winked. 'Believe in gravity and ask politely. Respect helps its pull grow stronger.'

Neil shut his eyes. 'Gravity, please guide me home.' Slowly he drifted down past birds and roofs, landing softly beside his dog in the garden.

After that day Neil still dreamed of flight, yet he thanked gravity. It lets him jump, run, and land with sure feet.

Flying is grand, but landing feels even better. Each hop now ends with a grin, knowing gravity is Neil's quiet, helpful friend.