Chapter 3

Dennis snapped out of his trance.

Where was he? Oh right, he was in the train station, and a giant balloon with his name on it had risen out of the crowd on the other end of the station hall.

More puzzling however was that he was holding a leather-bound notebook. A pen was strapped to the inside cover the notebook, which was blank. Dennis also found a note that he could make no sense of, it read:

‘I wasn’t sure what you would like, as you are not mine, but I thought a notebook to write your ideas and observations in would be nice since you spend a lot of time alone. Hope you find your family soon – K.’

Maybe the matron’s ward had given it to him; that was sure nice of him, and the thought made Dennis feel even better about his day.

‘Coming through, coming through,’ a gruff voice called, and then a man in a blue uniform bearing the word ‘security’ emerged parting the crowd and marched past him, muttering, ‘Huh, another nutcase putting on a stunt in here, giant balloon, what could he be thinking!’

The security guard was moving towards the giant balloon, which had inflated to its full size. The words on the balloon could not be mistaken; they indeed said, 'Dennis Raveley, if you see this come over here! –From the Scholar Academy'. Dennis followed behind the security guard through the sea of people.

When they reached the balloon, the crowd had formed a circle around whoever had inflated it. There were many interested onlookers. Dennis, being slightly shorter than the average commuter could not see fully what was going on since he was not at the front. Then the security guard broke from the edge of the crowd and confronted the person who was now settling himself into a blue folding lawn chair beside the small air pump that was keeping the balloon afloat a few feet about the ground.

‘What in the world are you doing?!’ the security guard demanded.

‘I’m supposed to meet someone here,’ the young man in the lawn chair replied casually, I figure it’s better to let him find me than to look for him in all this crowd, so I figure I need an attraction.’ The young man was dressed in a blue blazer and matching pants; a school uniform.

‘Are you insane?’ the security guard barked, ‘this is a safety hazard!’ He indicated the balloon furiously. ‘What person are you waiting for?’

‘Read the balloon,’ the young man motioned with his thumb towards the words written across the balloon above him. He was a fine looking person with an athletic built and a merry-looking face; one that not just hints, but outright speaks of mischief.

‘That’s enough, I order you to deflate this thing right now or I’ll have to detain you.’ The security guard said, ‘This is the only warning I’m giving you, you hear? Deflate that balloon this instant.’

The young man shrugged nonchalantly, ‘But my person hasn’t arrived yet, I can’t take this down until he comes. It’s very important business I got with this person, you see.’

Dennis had not spoken a word throughout this confrontation. He was at the front of the crowd now, so he walked forward. Neither the security guard nor the young man noticed him until he tapped the guard lightly on the shoulder.

‘I’m Dennis Raveley, are you looking for me?’

The young man took out a wrinkled photo from his pocket. He examined Dennis and then the photo. His face lit up, ‘That’s right! I am looking for you. Nice to meet you Mr. Dennis Raveley, I welcome you on behalf of the Scholar Academy, and personally too.’ The young man got up from the lawn chair, extended his left hand and shook hands with Dennis.

‘Now wait a minute here!’ The security guard cut in indignantly, ‘I’m not done with you, you troublemaker!’

‘Yes, yes, of course, we’re just leaving.’ The young man said quickly. Swiftly, he unplugged the mouth of the giant balloon from the pump, and with a whoosh the balloon shot up towards the high station ceiling.

The security guard was aghast. He stood sort of dumbfounded, watching the balloon soar across the ceiling, letting out its air, and coming to rest handing from one of the enormous chandeliers.

In seemingly no time, the young man had gathered the lawn chair in one hand and Dennis’ hand in the other and whisked off into the crowd. The security guard hollered, ‘Hey! Come back here! You’re in big trouble, you hear! Stop, come back here!’ His shouts were soon lost in the crowd.

The young man streamed through the crowd quickly, dragging Dennis behind him. They came to a less crowded section of the station, descended some stairs and reached a sign that read ‘platform 10 – Northbound Line’. There were few others on the platform. A boxcar train was parked on the left-side tracks, being unloaded manually, and on the tracks to the right was their train; a plaque on each car read ‘long-distance’.

‘Well, I wasn’t expecting you’d arrive so soon. I barely set up my chair and there you were,’ the young man remarked and gave Dennis a nudge, ‘how timely, huh?’

Dennis nodded silently.

‘Here, I’ll carry your suitcase,’ the young man took Dennis’ suitcase from him, ‘wow, light traveler. Normally the kids I meet have a full trolley of stuff, plus the parents, now that’s baggage. But you, you’re making my job a lot easier. Good for you.’ The young man patted Dennis encouragingly. Dennis smiled to himself.

‘Anyway, with my help, you’re going to love it at the Academy, I’m telling you. That reminds me, I’m your senior mentor. I’ll be showing you around campus, getting you to classes and introducing you to some extra things that go on beneath the surface. Starting now, I’m your first best friend, okay?’

‘Okay.’ Dennis said.

‘Have I told you my name?’

‘You haven’t.’

‘Ah, right, I am the Right Honorable Raymond Harold Albert Frederick Timothy Wyatt, Esquire. You are to address me as said name in full while bowing on one knee, so go on, what are you waiting for?’

Dennis blinked, ‘Can you repeat that to me?’

Raymond laughed, ‘Just kidding, call me Raymond.’

‘Okay, that’s much simpler.’

‘You do have an odd way of responding to things, I must say? What should I call you?’

‘Just Dennis, I don’t have a right honorable name.’

Raymond laughed some more, ‘You are a natural comedic, you know that?’

‘Or maybe it’s because you like jokes more than other people.’ Dennis suggested.

‘Clever, clever you are. Ah, there’s the stationmaster, we better get on the train.’

Dennis followed Raymond onto the train as the whistle blew. After finding their seats, Raymond was off in a flash to the lunch compartment to get some early snack, leaving Dennis sitting alone watching the station platform roll past his window as the train pulled out of the station.