Curosity Got The Best Of Me

At Christmas, I received a mysterious gift from the Wolf Clan. A molded plastic suitcase with two digital locks attached to it with instructions that it could not and would not be opened before the first gathering of the Clans. Typical of me, I cannot go two weeks before Christmas without shaking presents and trying to sneak a peek, I have always had a curious nature, especially when it comes to secrets. How could I ever resist waiting from Christmas Day to Memorial Day, five full months.

I must admit that I am weak. I did managed to wait until New Years Day, then my curiosity got the best of me. Two simple padlocks, four numbers each. I tried a combination of numbers, birth dates, birth months, and anniversary dates to no avail. However, only having eight numbers to guess, I started the long series of eliminating numbers starting with zero and working to nine. There are 33,656 combinations between zero and nine. Somewhere, I must have lost track as no combination of series of numbers worked. Then mysteriously in the mail, Clan members begin receiving mysterious letters and numbers in the mail. A2, B4, etc. Considering one lock was "A" and one lock was "B", I managed to get all of the numbers from each Clan. First I tried all the "A" combinations, then the "B" combinations, 18,775 combinations could be derived. Once again, I failed to open the case.

Over the weekend, I resorted to less than scientific approach to opening the secret case. Using a variety of hand tools and precision locksmith equipment, I found it very difficult to position the tools in the tight space between the handle and the locks. I am sure it is something that the Wolf Clan had considered when they installed two locks in close proximity.

After some serious consideration on Sunday evening, I decided to go see the "woodcutter" as he has a knowledge and a good supply of tools. Not having anything that may possibly work, his comment was "looks like a dynamite job to me". Fortunately, he had a few sticks of dynamite that he uses to clear tree stumps, however, he did not want to take any part in the setting of the charges in the event of an accidental discharge. He showed me where his stash was and turned his back, allowing me to help myself.

Returning home, I made my final attempt at opening the case by placing the case off the ground and securely tying the "sticks" directly over the locks. Not knowing how much to use, I determined that one good blast was better than several small blasts so I secured three sticks to the case. I did rig a long enough fuse that I could get some distance from the blast.

Perhaps, three hundred yards of fuse was a little to long, as it seemed the fuse was burning very slowly as I stood by with my camera and insured that the three dogs were also at a safe distance.

I waited, the dogs grew impatient and I continued to keep the camera focused on the object, waiting for the minute of discharge.


Finally, through my view finder, I saw the flame flickering at the base of the sticks, I manged to get a series of three shots before the "big blow" which is putting it very mildly. In retrospect, perhaps three sticks was a touch to much, most likely a quarter of a stick would have been a safe margin. The snow berm that I was hiding behind, no longer exists with the majority of it covering me along with a few tree branches and broken glass from the house windows. Digging myself out from beneath the debris of the blast, expecting to find the lid of the case popped open, I could see no case! However, little red pieces of plastic was spread over an area of a half acre with a series of smaller fires of molten plastic. Fortunately, not wanting to be discovered of "snooping" by Lady Eagle, I had waited for her to go to the post office so she was not home. I did find Goldie hiding under the snowplow truck, managed to call Dutch back as he was running a full speed across the HITW and I have yet to find Ruger, but I did hear he was seen running down the Beach Road.

These small fires and smaller pieces of red plastic is all that I have been able to locate from the case or it's contents. Fortunately, I had the all of the little fires put out before the fire department arrived and there was no physical evidence that anything occurred. When asked about the hole in my driveway, they accepted my explanation that I was installing a new septic tank. As for the broken windows, that to was explained away due to frost heaves and my house moving under the stress. Now, if I can convince my insurance carrier, I will be in the clear but I don't know if my dear wife is going to believe that six windows can be broken in the span of the few minutes she was on her errand. The troopers also stopped by after hearing that a loud explosion was heard, but when I asked them if they had seen that formation of Air Force F-16's going over and breaking the sound barrier, they also went away satisfied that nothing unusual happened except for the rattling of a few windows throughout Anchor Point.

I promised, I will never try to snoop at another Christmas present, well, at least not until next Christmas. I wonder what was in that case? However, using this as a learning experience. I think, I have figured out a way to enlarge the "septic" hole under the "Duck House", perhaps just one stick of this propellant dropped down through the seat will enlarge the hole enough that we will not have to worry about a "new hole" for several years. I might also be able to "hand dig" a well using the same method, if the "guys will just dig a hole for me that is four foot deep, a full charge dropped to that depth, should find some water several feet below the surface. I still have three sticks to practice with.