the balloon song

i set a friend of mine up on a date, and i told him i'd watch his boy for the day, and we had a ball playin' games, eatin' dogs, riding rides at the county fair, i thought he was just being a kid, when we got back to my place, and he did what he did, on a balloon that he won, he wrote mama i had fun, i missed you and i wished you were there, i wasn't sure what he had in mind, 'til he jumped up and ran outside and, he let it go, he waved goodbye, or was it hello?, i don't know but i died inside, i can still see his excitement, him pointing and smilin', when it was gone as it could get, he turned and asked me, "you think it's in heaven yet?", well i struggled for something to say, i was too choked up and, lackin' the kind of faith he had in his heart, before i could start, he walked me back inside, he gave me his crayola pen, said, "i bet there's a message that you'd like to send", and no doubt he was right it's been locked, up inside since grandpa said goodbye, i took that yellow balloon and i wrote, "til ran out of room then, i let it go and we waved goodbye, that seven year old, lord he opened my eyes, i can still his excitement, him pointing and smilin', when it was gone as it could get, i turned and asked him, "you think it's in heaven yet?"