Bargain Day

Thursday is my favourite day. It is bargain day at the second hand store, they offer bags of toys for $2.00, bags of books for $1.00 and all the clothing you can fit in a bag, for $5.00.

I’m running later than usual today, my dog Lolly decided to run out the door as I was leaving. Of course she picks the rainiest day on record to decide on an outdoor adventure, so by the time I manage to catch her, I was soaked through and covered in mud. As I dry off and changed my clothes, I watch her defiantly jump on my bed with her muddy feet almost daring me to say something to her.

I throw one of her toys the opposite direction of the front door and make a run for it, grabbing my purse and keys from the hall table on the way past. I laugh at the sheer idiocy of my actions once outside and the door closed behind me.

At the second hand store, I manage to get a few bargains, a couple of bags of books, some cushions for the couch, a box of bric a brac and though she didn't deserve it after the earlier fiasco, I brought a stuffed toy for Lolly.

I arrive home, and stumble through the door with my hoard of treasure. I drop the bags of books just inside the door, place the box of bric a brac on the coffee table and let the cushions fall from under my arms onto the floor.

Lolly greets me, tail wagging and immediately starts sniffing the cushions, I quickly grab her toy and throw it to her, she grabs it happily and runs off with it.

I get the first bag of books and tip it out, eager to see the titles. I had picked this bag because I saw an Enid Blyton book at the top of the bag, it was one of my childhood favourites. I quickly scan the others, theres a few there I might read or pass onto friends, the rest I will donate back.

I grab the next bag and tip it out, I gasp as I spy a Moleskine box, fumbling in excitement I remove the lid. Nestled inside is a leather bound notebook, I pick it up and inhale the smell of the leather, before opening the cover.

It wouldn't open, the cover was stuck to the pages, almost like it was glued. Three quarters of the pages of the book were glued together… after a few curse words as to why anyone would ruin such a beautiful notebook, I go to the back where the pages are loose and flick back from there. To my surprise at the end of the loose pages, there is a rectangular area that has been cut out from the glued together pages. Wedged in there is a small black notebook wrapped in cling wrap. I ease it out and take it into the kitchen to cut the cling wrap from it with scissors, theres no way I'm wasting an hour of my life trying to find the where the cling wrap starts!

After removing the cling wrap, I quickly flick through the pages, and see there is numerous entries with different handwriting. I grab my reading glasses, make myself a coffee, sit at the kitchen table and begin.

Page 1 :

Twas a dreary night when it arrived,

Black and shiny quite contrived

It gently rapped and tapped

While he was trying to nap

What month this happened, you must decide!!!

As a lover of literature, I immediately knew the reference was to “The Raven”, and the answer was in the poem itself. The answer is December. I reach for the notepad and pen on the table and scribble down the answer, I laugh as Lolly runs past me into lounge room with her toy, happy that she loves it!

Page 2 :

Four seasons - Oh, What a Night.

I look at it, Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall….suddenly it hits me, and i start singing it…”oh what a night, late December back in sixty three….”

Was sixty three the answer? I go through the rest of the song in my head, then pull my phone from my pocket and look up the lyrics to make sure I’m singing the right words! (Wouldn’t be the first time I’ve sang along and the words have been wrong!)

Besides sixty three, there is the woman that is mentioned in the song, or maybe it’s alluding to a woman being involved… unsure I scribble 63 on my notepad and woman? next to it.

Now I'm thinking this really is a treasure map or at the very least a list of clues to something!

Page 3 :

In large print + 4

Seeing that, I now assume the earlier page was referencing 1963, this page with the + 4, does this mean December, 1967. Could it mean +4 bodies? Goodness, it really could mean anything.

I can hear Lolly running amok in the lounge room, sounds like she's found the newspaper.I sigh as I look at the next page, knowing the mess I’ll have to clean up as she shreds it to pieces.

Page 4 :

I could barely make out the writing on this page, it looked like it had tried to be erased.

39 56 5.39” S

146 04’ 31.20 E

I think they are co-ordinates. S for South, E for East, and thats the depth of my knowledge in that area!

Not knowing what else to do, I put them in google search to see what come up.

The red dot came up in Bass Strait. Soooo middle of the ocean, I immediately think of treasure, then scoff…1967 December, hardly an era for pirate ships.

I pick the little black book up to see how many more pages have scripture on them, there’s still a lot more. Could this be clues to a kidnapping and this is the kidnappers play book? My imagination is starting to run a little wild, all these theories when it may be just a prank.

Lolly trots out for a drink looking especially pleased with herself, putting the book aside I ask her ”Where’s your toy? Get your toy.”

She runs into the lounge room, runs back and drops it at my feet. I push my chair out from the table and reach down to get it. Next to the toy is a crumpled $100 note, complete with Lolly’s teeth marks. I pick it up, completely dumbfounded how it got there or where it come from. I threw her toy and got up and walked into the lounge room. As I rounded the corner I saw Lolly sliding on a river of $100 notes trying to pick up her toy.

My mouth is still gaping as Lolly drops her toy at my feet again, my brain trying to comprehend what my eyes are seeing. So many questions….all answered when my eyes came to rest upon the couch cushions I had purchased. Lolly had ripped them open and absolutely gutted them, amongst the pillow stuffing were $100 notes…and there were lots of them…all over my floor.

I got down on hands and knees, throwing Lolly’s toy for her well clear of the money river, and started picking up the money. There $20,000.00 in total!

Did I mention that Thursday is my favourite day. It is bargain day at the second hand store.

THE END