Finally, I’m in the large, fortified Wish basket, and although ready for travel, I am uncertain what direction the wind will blow. As I wait for all you travelers to come on board, my mind wanders, wondering what will come next.

I recall Dad handing over a map while driving to some vacation destination, asking me to find a route or point out what way we were headed. It was often the wrong way. But asking me to identify a direction from a map was ludicrous – I practically failed plane geometry! Thinking about usual, customary, and often expected directions, I chuckle, recalling the reliability of North, South, East, and West. That is IF you could read a map, which I never could. And now even my auto’s GPS system directs me to travel on circuitous routes, over twisting and unimagined roads, usually in the rain, snow, or fog, to some destination, supposedly fifteen minutes away, but which takes me forty-five. Thank G-d for the sun, still rising in the East and setting in the West.

While I’ve been mentally miles away, you travelers have boarded and are seated comfortably. I snap out of my reverie when someone yells …

TRAVELER #1: “Hey, when do we leave and where are we going?”

ME: “Don’t know, cuz I never navigated a hot air balloon before. Just isn’t my thing.”

TRAVELER #2: “Isn’t Wish kind of like Electra? Once you revealed your destination, she magically transported us in a nanosecond.”

ME: “This is true, but, like I already told you, Balloon travel isn’t my thing. I wasn’t any good at kite flying either. Do any of you travelers know how to make Wish start, stop, or move differently than however the wind is blowing?”

From a distance, outside the balloon we all heard a holler. “I DO! I KNOW HOW TO NAVIGATE WISH. YOU CAN’T LEAVE WITHOUT ME! WAIT UP!”

Looking out over the side of the balloon I saw an animal dashing towards us. As it got closer I noted that it was short, stocky, with a round face and wore a coat of quills. AH HA, a porcupine! And if a talking porcupine isn’t unusual enough, consider this. It had other human characteristics. Like its face, with changing expressions and  its clothes, like the hat it wore with an identifying press card in the brim.

TRAVELER #1: “Well Boss, are you gonna let this strange looking animal join us?”

ME: “You mean porcupine, that’s what it is. I don’t think I have a choice. After all, it claims to know how to catch the wind and we need help if Wish is to reach those magical destinations.”

TRAVELER #1: “Here it comes. Wadya gonna do?”

ME: “Well, not much choice so I’ll just reach out and grab its hand … I mean paw, and try to help.”

Stay tuned for more… and check out this new and exciting opportunity below!

Below is a form where you can send your thoughts and ideas. If/when I incorporate any of your written thoughts, I will list your name as a contributor to “The Tale of Quinn’s Quill” in the published book, with your permission.

Many thanks for continuing traveling with me as I navigate each blog.

THOUGHTS & IDEAS
Travelers: Please help describe the appearance of our new traveler, a porcupine named Quinn.

Helpful Hints:
1. According to Google, “Quinn is a gender-neutral name with Irish roots that means wise, sense or reason.”

2. “The Tale of Quinn’s Quill” is the third book in my “Skunk Tails Trilogy,” the other two books, both award winners, are “Norton’s Tale,” and “Sebastian’s Tale.”

3. Quinn is an investigative reporter.

Dylan Weiss