Polly's Surprise

Polly’s Surprise

By Melissa Saari

Grace went out the door to check the mail. Her German Shepherd, Virgo, followed her outside, and when she pulled a package out of the mailbox, Virgo gave a surprised yelp when he saw that it wasn’t an envelope. Grace gave a sound of surprise too, the moment she saw the package was mailed from Aunt Polly.

“That’s impossible,” Grace told the dog. “She passed away last week.”

Virgo made some confused sounds that almost made words, sticking his nose high in the air, and Grace held the package out toward him.

“Smell all you want,” she said.

He sniffed the package all over before walking back to the house.

“It’s a good thing you’re still around, Virgo. I’d be lonely without you.”

The package was all wrapped up in linen, and the antiquated aroma on the cloth sparked her imagination. She took it back to her kitchen table before opening it to discover a little black notebook nested inside. She let Virgo take a good whiff of the notebook before she opened it, and he stepped away and scratched his ear while she studied it.

Dearest Grace,

Back when you were a child, I used to let you go on treasure hunts. What do you say, are you ready for one last great adventure? I’ve included more instructions in this notebook. Have another peek once you get to Marla Falls. Don’t forget your shovel, you’re going to need it.

“Virgo!” she called out. “Let’s go for a ride!”

Her dog was full of energy at once and leapt into the Honda’s slumping passenger seat as soon as she opened the door. Dropping her shovel into the trunk, she headed down the road.

A bright red “FOR SALE” sign greeted her outside a local retail space as she drove out of town. The door had several locks on it, and she knew the asking price for the lease was too much for her to afford. She was about to get frustrated, but it was hard for her to forget that a treasure lay in wait outside of town.

“Someday, Virgo, we’re going to be able to afford this place, and I’ll be able to bake all the snacks you can eat!” Virgo loved the word “snacks.” He always jumped to his feet when she said it. In the car, he had to slap his paws against the dashboard so he wouldn’t lose his balance.

The engine groaned as she urged the car uphill. The wide-leafed oak trees fell away, and tall pine trees took their place. By the time she got to the sign welcoming her to “Washington State Parks and Recreation Department: Marla Falls Hiking Area,” it was early afternoon.

A few hundred feet of hiking trail stood between the parking lot and the waterfall. Marla Falls was always a special sight, but in the heat of the afternoon, the plummeting waters sparkled in bright sunlight.

While Virgo swam in the pool below the falls, Grace read the notebook again.

Good, you made it to Marla Falls. Now head over to the willow trees where we used to have picnics. Start walking thirty feet from the middle of the yellow trees, away from the waterfall, and you will find what you seek.

She walked from the center of the willow grove for thirty feet, one foot in front of the other. She counted out loud, which made Virgo even more fixated. Once she hit thirty feet, she started digging.

Virgo tried to help with the digging, and his claws made fast work of the soil, but he was in the way of her shovel.

“Virgo! Get out of the way.” Her instructions had no effect, other than Virgo digging faster.

She moved to a different area. “There’s a lot to explore over here,” she said. Virgo went over to the new spot and sniffed the whole area before digging with all his might.

“Good boy,” she said. “You work over there.”

The shoveling took less time with Virgo out of the way, but her shoulders got sore before she expected them to.

“There’s nothing down here,” she said. “Maybe you’re in the right place.” She moved over to Virgo’s much smaller project and the dog got out of the way this time.

The yellow leaves faded away as more dirt was added. She felt sweat dripping down off her face from the exertion. She took a small cloth from her back pocket to wipe the sweat from her eyes and her face.

She could hardly see, even with the sweat wiped away, so she leaned forward and discovered a wooden box half exposed. Excitement burned off the soreness in her muscles. She cleared the dirt with her bare hands, making sure nothing would get damaged; the shovel had already left a dent in the timber.

“Virgo, you should be careful, I don’t know what this is yet.”

Virgo busied himself by sniffing the wood and blowing the dirt away with his nose, which was helpful. She realized she was unearthing a box. Once she had the edges cleared, it only took a little more digging to break it free.

She pried it open with the tip of her shovel. When it opened, she thought the box was empty at first. A single piece of paper rested inside.

Grace extracted one page from Polly’s notebook.

One more riddle to solve, but you’ll have to drive first. At the milepost 158 marker on Highway 2, you’ll notice a piece of redwood jutting out of a juniper. It’s not supposed to be there, and that’s why it’s your marker. You’ll miss the road otherwise, so turn right when you get there and head up the dirt road all the way to the end. When you get to the lake house, dig right under the rope swing hanging from the tree.

She put the paper away and walked back to the car with eager steps, and Virgo followed her. The drive up the highway brought a sense of calm that was deeper than the anticipation of visiting this last destination. Meandering hilltops surrounded her in the ideal landscape for a lake. When she saw the mile marker, she noticed the redwood almost at once because she was looking for it. She went up the dirt road and had no trouble finding the house with the big tree in the yard.

The rope swing still hung from the branch, and the heavy tire beneath it prevented the breeze from blowing the swing from side to side. The swing created a perfect marker, so she started digging as soon as she could. Virgo was getting tired of digging, so he laid down in the shade.

She found another wooden box under the soil and pulled it free. Inside she found a deed for the lake house, but also an envelope stuffed with money and one more page from the notebook. She tried to count it out and determined it was about twenty thousand dollars. She looked back and forth from the money to the deed several times before she read the last letter.

You’ve finished the treasure hunt now. That’s your inheritance: twenty thousand dollars. Now it’s yours to keep. The house, too, the best part is that now you get to accomplish your dreams. Or, at least, I hope and pray that you do. I’ll always be watching over you.

God bless you,

Aunt Polly

Grace was able to get a down payment on the storefront down in Entiat by her old apartment. She had to make a lot of things happen to get the store up and running, but they all worked out.

The Happy Paws Bakery that Grace created from her inheritance opened less than a year later, bringing new business to a dwindling town. On opening day, she took her time cleaning the glass countertops. Inside the cases were tray after tray of donuts, pastries, cakes, and more. It was a dog bakery, and even though it was not the first dog bakery in the world, it was still her pride and joy.

Virgo ran around in the aisles, trying to make a mess of the baskets filled with harnesses and other dog clothing. The baskets were four feet up the wall, so he could run around as much as he wanted to without touching them.

When he got up on the glass display case, Grace had enough.

“Get off the glass, Virgo! I just cleaned that!”

Her dog did not cooperate. He continued to stare at the biscuits, though his breath made the glass steam up.

“Go greet the first customers,” she said.

Virgo paid more attention to the pit bull walking through the door than his owners. He ran over, full of playful energy, wagging his tail and welcoming the new guest and his people.

“Now you can have a biscuit,” said Grace. “Good boy.”

Virgo thought his mission was accomplished. He accepted the fresh biscuit with admiration in his eyes.

“What a smart dog!” said the man walking the pit bull. “I’ll have a dozen of those biscuits.”