Prankster

"What do you think she'll do this year - our Rose Marie?" they wondered aloud (down at the cafe). "Once a prankster, always a prankster," someone added. "True, but ... COVID," another was quick to comment. "That's put a damper on everything!" It was at that moment that Rose Marie released the 500 balloons she'd been inflating for the past several days from her storage unit, timing it just right for them to catch a strong breeze and swarm into town. "Here we go!" they said, delighted, looking up (as some of them popped on trees, raining veggie confetti down on the masses, along with fully biodegradable fortunes in tiny rolls). Driving to a service turn at the far side of the park, Rose Marie opened the side of her van and readied the rocket launcher, shooting clouds of face masks wrapped in delicate papers onto the lawn and surround streets. The masks were various smiling faces (monkeys, zombies, dogs, cats, superheroes, movie stars), and all had a speech bubble that said, "We're still alive and it's great to see you!" They laughed at the cafe, retrieving armfuls and picking a mask for themselves. "She's getting soft, though," someone chortled, delighted to find the lips and sturdy jawline of a Batman mask in his parcel. "This is more of a mercy mission." "I completely disagree," another responded, marveling at it all. "Hope, help, and gratitude are the things no one ever expects."