The Time Capsule

Although Newton and I were born fourteen months after Merlin popped into the world, for practical purposes we've always considered ourselves the same age.

Having seen the level of work that cousin Samantha and Denzel endure with their quads, I have gained a greater appreciation of my parents, Hansel and Dorothea. Having to cope with three active little bunnies, each with their individual quirks, must have been wearing at times.

Despite being brothers we've always been different. It wasn't too long before Newton wanted to know how things worked, and when he discovered a screwdriver he began to find out.

Taking things apart became less of a problem when he learned how to put them back together again. That didn't happen immediately, but it was still sooner than anyone might have suspected. Yes, even at that early age there were indications that he would evolve into the boffin Professor Butterglove.

When I found out that different pots and pans made different sounds by banging them, I arranged them in tonal order and tried to play simple tunes. I believe my parents were impressed despite the inconvenience. Nevertheless, the noise was a problem. To cut down on this but to encourage my musical leanings, my mum and dad bought me a tiny piano.

Merlin learned to read before he could walk, and there were tales that he could barely lift some of the books he tried to peruse. When he became mobile and a little stronger, he started organising all the books in the house. No one was surprised when he became a librarian.

I think my dad identified with Merlin because of his affinity for books. Hansel Butterglove was a dedicated local historian. When persuading me to write entries for "Life in Mellowdene", Darcy Fielding referred to my family's connection to local history. Dad's collection of historical documents numbered in the thousands, from small leaflets to hefty tomes - some of which only made passing mention to Mellowdene. All were considered significant. The trouble was, due to the number of books and papers, it was too great a task to locate  specific information.

There hadn't been any central documentation to keep everything organised. That is, until my father had created Hansel's Index. He had spent decades working on this set of notebooks, his small neat writing providing a comprehensive cross reference to all the historical documents in the collection. It was his pride and joy.

Note the past tense.

o 0 O 0 o

Despite the tender age we were back then, all three Butterglove brothers still recall the events from that day in May many years ago. This started from the point Merlin skipped into the room.

"Hi mummy! Hi daddy!" he piped. "You'll never guess what I've done."

My parents looked at each other and chuckled softly. My father put down his paper and my mother beckoned him over.

"Well, sweetness. You'd better tell us."

Merlin beamed. "I made a time capsule," he said, drawing a rectangle in the air. Newton abandoned the model he was examining and started to pay attention.

"A time capsule?" she smiled. "What's that, dear?"

"You put special stuff in a box. Not just any box. It's got to be strong and not let in water."

"Oh? Then what?"

"You bury it then you wait years and years and years then you dig it up again and go 'wow' when you see what stuff you put in there. That's good isn't it?" He looked at our dad. "It's a history thing."

Dad laughed. "It certainly is. And what sort of items are you going to put in your time capsule? Are you asking for suggestions?"

"No daddy," said Merlin, shaking his head vigorously. "I done that already."

"You have, have you? What did you choose?"

"Something from all of us. I put in your little pie dish, mummy..."

"Oh," said Mum, "I wish you'd asked, but I have others, I suppose."

"You've got to choose special things to do it proper, mummy. I even put in my teddy."

"You better not have put anything in of mine," said Newton.

"Only your old number-sliding puzzle," assured Merlin.

"Well, I suppose that's alright. I can make a better one."

"And Jackson's mouth organ..."

I wasn't too happy, but figured I could take it out and substitute something else.

Dad interrupted. "You shouldn't be taking things without permission, Merlin."

Merlin nodded repeatedly. "I know, I know, daddy. But this is for history."

"Hmm. Not really the point. You know some might consider this stealing. We don't do that, do we?"

Merlin's lip trembled. "No daddy. I'm sorry. I'll think next time."

Mum reached out and gave him a hug. "He didn't mean any harm, Hansel. We can get the things back and have a rethink."

We noticed Merlin was shuddering. Mum leaned back to look at his tear-streaked face.

"Don't cry, darling. We can fix things."

Merlin blubbered. "It's already buried. Mookie Dappledawn did it for me."

"Oh," said Mum. Even at my young age I could tell that she didn't hold out great hopes. You see, Mookie Dappledawn was an eccentric odd-job man whose memory wasn't that reliable.

"But he told you where he buried it?" prompted my dad, although his face didn't show much confidence.

Merlin brightened. "He did a map!" He delved into his sleeve and brought out a piece of discoloured paper, tried to straighten out the creases and presented it to our mum.

She began to read it silently, then broke off, looking at each of us. Beginning again, she read out the contents for our benefit, enunciating each word clearly.

"Half a dozen eggs, box of tomatoes, two green apples... It's a shopping list."

Newton began to laugh, and despite the loss of my harmonica, I felt the side of my mouth twitch.

Mum started to smile too. "Ah, can't be helped. Just one of those things."

I'm wasn't sure whether or not I should have asked the next question, but I suppose by not doing so it would only have delayed the inevitable.

"Merlin - what did you put in the time capsule for daddy?"

I'm sure you have guessed. I will always remember the incredulous look of horror on my father's face.

"My INDEX?"

o 0 O 0 o

It must have been a terrible effort for my father not to blame Merlin too much. My brother's intentions had been good, and we were very young. The fact remained that the invaluable notebooks had been lost. Recreating them would mean further long years of work.

My dad never managed to do this, especially as a few years later mum wasn't in the best of health. Looking after her and taking the greater part of raising his three boys didn't leave him much spare time. Although never mentioned, I knew Merlin retained an element of guilt. Maybe that was the inspiration that led him to become head librarian working alongside Mona Hazelnut. He'd even managed to have a room put aside for a small museum attached to the library. I suspect it was his intent to recreate Hansel's Index one day.

o 0 O 0 o

Five years ago, maybe influenced by Brendan and Beverley as two growing children, Merlin and Eliza decided to extend their side of Butterglove House to add a separate kitchen and bathroom. Part of this project necessitated the addition of piping to access the spring water that supplies our household. Another part meant laying additional clay sewer pipes to connect to our septic tank. This meant calling in the Mice & Clean team.

Eliza answered the door when a knock alerted her to visitors. Or rather, a fragrant Tumble Hazelwood bearing a metal box. In an offhand manner he gestured to his brothers elsewhere in the garden.

"Oh, hello Eliza. We were digging a trench to the tank and Scurry unearthed this box. There's the remains of a label. Says 'me Capsu' or something. What do you want us to do with it?"

o 0 O 0 o

My harmonica had seized up.  Cecile claimed the pie dish.

Newton recently gave his puzzle to his twin daughters for them to squabble over.

Eliza washed the teddy bear and it sleeps with Snorker to this day.

Merlin took over the dining room and rewarded the Hazelwood brothers with a homemade slap-up meal; he was so grateful for their assistance in finding the Index. The meal was such a success, Merlin periodically repeats the invitation, except now he can use his own kitchen. Last time, both Eliza and Orton were happy to help.

And thanks to the Index bringing everything together, there is a historical archive available for the public to view by appointment. It is kept in the Mellowdene Library within the annexe room, now renamed as the "Hansel Museum".

o 0 O 0 o