Time capsules were and are still a big fascination to me. Right from when I was younger, I consumed lots of movies and books that had so much historic effects to them. With history comes discoveries and time capsules were sometimes part of these discoveries.
"These time capsules are treasures of some sort" I always thought.
My interest peaked when I saw a movie where a time capsule helped the people in the future greatly. Motivated, I set out to replicate that setting. I did so much research on time capsules, how they should look, what they should contain and the likes. When I felt like I was stuffed to the brim with information, It was time to write the message. The treasure.
I tore out a piece of paper and with my favourite pen, I wrote for about twenty minutes. The satisfaction that accompanied an accomplishment filled my heart as I read through the letter I had just written.
The thought of writing something that would be discovered in the future just filled me with so much exhilaration. I felt like a mini Einstein, playing my part for the betterment of the future or not.
If I remember vividly, I put this letter in an envelope, sealed it and gently placed it in an azure coloured plastic bottle. Now I was faced with the decision of "where to keep the time capsule". My capsule was not for my family members to read so I had to toss it in a spot where none of them could reach. After so much deliberation, I found the right spot for it–deep inside my box, under the tons of clothes I had. This was my best hiding spot at the time.
The fact that I did all this in secrecy proved that I wrote down one of my most cherished secrets then in the capsule.
Few days went by and all I could think of was how a stranger was going to find the letter. On the fifth day or so, my play time was interrupted when my mom summoned me.
"Wongi!" She called
"Yes mommy" I responded as I ran swiftly to my room.
Immediately I opened the door, I found the azure coloured plastic bottle I had put my letter in laying on the floor beside my mom. I knew it was over. At that stage in my life, my mom still did my laundry. She must have found the letter while going through my box.
"Do you recognize this letter?" my mom asked.
I was lost, searching for the right response to the answer.
"Yes mommy" my nine year old self managed to answer.
"Do you know the meaning of what you wrote?" She asked again.
My answer would have been a yes but my mom gave me her signature look. That look was usually accompanied by a very fast paced slap if a wrong answer was given so, I said
"No mommy"
"Who is Segun?" My mom asked.
At this point, I knew she had read the letter thoroughly.
"Segun is.." I didn't get the chance to complete my statement. I knew my arse whooping was imminent so I just accepted my fate. My mom flogged the living daylight out of me that afternoon. After my flogging session, a scolding session followed. My mom handed me the letter and asked me to read.
"When I grow up, I want to marry Segun…" I read amidst tears and sobs.
"Hold up. I don't want to hear the rest of the letter again. What I want you to do now is shred this letter and burn it." My mom roared. She was so pissed.
Without blinking twice, I followed her instruction. After that day, my mom always kept close tabs on me like an eagle over an eaglet.
Segun was a human I happened to like as a kid and for reasons best known to my younger self, it was better for an archeologist in a future to find out rather than my parents.
I must confess that I had terrible handwriting as a kid. So, if archeologists or explorers eventually found the supposed time capsule, they may have thought the langues to be a different language and not English language.
In the end, "My Treasure" didn't make it to the future. The explorer that found it was my mom and No, I do not know where Segun is today. The irony of life.