The Black Balloon
A story once told to me some years ago about a man selling helium balloons on a street corner in the city. He would fill up a blue balloon with helium and let it go. This would attract some people who would then buy balloons. Then he would fill up a white balloon and let it go. Then it was a red balloon he filled and let go.He felt a tug at his shirt sleeve and saw that it was a little black boy who said: “Mr., Mr.”.
“Yes”, said the man.
“If you let go a black balloon, would it go up?”
And with the wisdom that belied his profession of selling balloons, the man said:
“Son, it’s not the color of the balloon that matters, it’s what’s inside the balloon that makes it go up.”
A Black Balloon
The Balloon Man
When Synapses Go Bad 