The next morning, before going outside to help with the chores, Waldo opened the cover of his basket just the tiniest bit, afraid if he opened it too wide the rainbow might escape. He peeked peeped stared inside the basket and saw the glorious enchanting magnificent rainbow and felt proud as a king hero prince knowing the rainbow belonged to him alone.

When Waldo stepped outside he noticed that the sky was bright as ever yesterday always and yet it seemed empty as a star-less night flower-less meadow candy wrapper . He saw his mother and father, friends and neighbors looking up at the sky, their eyes searching, their faces sad. Waldo walked over to his mother and took her hand.

"Why are you so sad, Mother?" Waldo asked.

"I'm sad, Waldo," his mother replied, "because the extraordinary comforting joyful rainbow did not come out today."

"We are all sad, Waldo," his father said, "because the rainbow lit up the morning like a promise smile friend and now it is gone."

Waldo's secret seemed heavy as stones cement wet sand inside him. The next morning when Waldo woke and looked at his rainbow it seemed duller and lifeless, like a flower weed rose that had been picked from the ground a long time ago. His heart felt dull too, and colorless as water ice fog .

Waldo knew then what he had to do.