The Happy Atom Story 2

The beautiful green Alkali Metal family balloons sailed once again high up into the cloudless sky. It gave Sodium a few minutes to think over what he was doing. He was well beyond the halfway mark in his investigation; and he knew no more now than when he started, except that his family was not alone in being so sad. Now he was at 6th Street.
Sodium landed the green balloons behind Oxygen’s house. Sodium always enjoyed visiting Oxygen because the air around Oxygen’s home always smelled so fresh. Oxygen had an extra supply of that good fresh air that our lungs always appreciate. This time, Sodium was visiting Oxygen on a serious mission. He thought, “After this there will be little hope of finding a happy atom if I don’t find one here.”
Oxygen was out in front of his house. When he heard the balloons land, he ran around the house just in time to see Sodium sliding out of the bubble. Sodium gave Oxygen a friendly greeting and they sat down on the bench to talk.
“Oxygen,” said Sodium, “I’m here hoping that you might help me.”
Oxygen looked into Sodium’s troubled eyes and replied,” You look stressed Sodium. How can I help?”
Sodium confided, “It all began because my family has been sad for so long. My job is to scientifically search Periodic Table Land to hopefully find a Happy Atom. In addition, I hope to find out how we all can become Happy Atoms. Well, I haven’t found even one Happy Atom yet. I’m hoping your family might be happy and solve the whole problem.”
Oxygen hung his head and thought for a minute about how he could tell Sodium that his family was not happy either. “I am so sorry, Sodium. I would like to be the one to help your family. However, we are as sad as all the rest of the families you have visited.”
Sodium shared with Oxygen, “It’s the same story all over. Now I find out that your Oxygen Family members are as sad as all the other elements in the rest of Periodic Table Land. How will I ever find out how to be a Happy Atom?”
This made Sodium almost turn back. Seeing all the elements so sad, he knew he had to continue searching for a solution. He had promised to search all of Periodic Table Land. There were now too many families depending on him. Only two more streets to go, and he will have searched all of Periodic Table Land. Sodium made a pledge aloud. even though there was no one around him at the time. “I will do my very best. As much as I have no hope at all any more, I must not quit until I have accomplished my mission. I said I would search all of Periodic Table Land, and I will. I’m a man of my word.”
Sodium continued talking to himself out loud. “If I am going to behave as a true scientist, I must remain determined to go on in spite of the appearance of failure. I remember reading about Edison’s experiments trying to create a light bulb. His experiments kept failing. The newspapers called him a fool and were relentless in making fun of him. In spite of their criticism, he kept trying. Finally, he created the light bulb and look how wonderful it has made our life today. I have it much easier than Edison. No one is laughing at me. I will go on. There are only two streets left to search. I can make it! I will not turn back now.”
The green balloon rose high in the sky again, and before long he was at 7th Street, the home of the Halogens. Sodium met with Fluorine, Chlorine, Bromine, Iodine and Astatine in hope that one of them would be a Happy Atom, To his dismay, all the Halogens were trapped in the gloom that hung over all the other elements in Periodic Table Land. Again, tears were running down all their little atom faces. Before he left, he talked with his friend Chlorine one last time.
Chlorine admonished him to make sure he spoke to Astatine before leaving. Chlorine said,“Astatine was talking about something the other day. We weren’t paying him much attention. but I think it might be important to you.”
Sodium decided to see what Astatine had to say. Tears fell from Astatine’s eyes as he recounted what he had heard, “Once when the wind was blowing from the direction of 8th Street I think I heard the sound of laughter. It was only once, but maybe there is some happiness over there.”
Sodium was afraid to get his hopes up too high, but a ray of optimism crept into his spirit. Sodium thanked Astatine, got up, and left the Halogens. He headed back to where he had parked his green family balloons, slid into the bubble, and pointed his magic wand toward 8th Street. He dialed slow on the wand, wanting to delay the end of his investigation that seemed to be doomed to failure. 8th Street was his last chance for finding a Happy Atom in Periodic Table Land.
Astatine’s words kept playing over in his mind––“I thought I heard a sound of laughter.” These words kept his spirits up as he moved on to 8th Street. His family, and it appears, every other family in Periodic Table Land, depended on him. They deserved a chance to be happy. He had to keep trying.”
The green balloons floated Sodium in his bubble slower than ever. Finally as he got nearer to 8th Street. Sodium began to hear what he thought were happy sounds. “It’s probably my imagination,” said Sodium out loud, “I am so desperate to find a Happy Atom somewhere that these sounds appear to be real.” As the balloons moved Sodium even closer to 8th Street, these happy sounds became louder.