The Mystery Gadget

 Sam, 33, skinnier than a drainpipe and with a long crooked nose, lived alone. He didn't choose to live that way. He'd tried hard to find a partner but the fact is, he was selfish, greedy. He was never prepared to share. All his money was his money and that was that. Sam was mean too, to the point of being cruel. Sometime back, a neighbour down on her luck, once asked Sam for help. She only needed to borrow a couple pounds, enough for milk an eggs to feed her child, but Sam was having none of it. He snarled at her and slammed the door in the poor womans face. Even worse, along the street was a long bearded, wizard looking old man without a home. Come wind or rain, he could be found sitting there on the pavement opposite the grocers. Despite his destitution he was polite, he respected people and he wished them all, a good day. Some stopped and chatted to him, they'd ask if he was okay. Replying always with a 'yes, mustn't grumble', he'd tell the children stories and do magic tricks, producing sweets from behind their ears. In return they might slip a few coins into his hat, for which he was forever grateful. Sam hated this man. He did his very best to ignore him. In his view he shouldn't be there, cluttering up his street. The old man foolishly once said hello to him and offered out his tattered orange hat. 

'I need just a few more pence sir,' he said, 'enough for a cup of tea.'

Not believing the audacity of the man, Sam's response was short. He kicked the hat, sending it flying and told him to go away. The few coins the man already had were sent spilling into the gutter and down the drain out of reach.

A while later, the incident long forgotten, Sam was on his computer. Whilst online shopping, up popped an ad. Without bothering to read it, he closed it down. Seconds later however, it popped up again. This time it flashed at him, wanting to tell him about a 'remarkable piece of new technology'. With an interest in gadgets, Sam was suddenly hooked. He read it and was intrigued to find it was about a metal detector, but not just any metal detector. This was a multi-function metal detector. It had a dial which could be set to find absolutely anything, anything at all. Although it looked too good to be true, Sam couldn't resist. He had to have it. Sacrificing £150, he arranged for next day delivery. 

Sam had just finished breakfast when the doorbell rang. His 'miracle of new technology, best metal detector ever made,' had arrived. Opening the box, taking it out, he couldn't believe the options on the dial. Not only could it find 'Iron' or 'Steel' or 'Gold', it could also be set to find 'Fossils' or 'Bank Notes' or 'Bones'. There were even options to find 'Keys' and 'Badges (Saxon or Roman)'. In Sam's view, the claims were simply impossible. He thought he been scammed and had lost money. Regardless, he had to give it a ago, to prove himself wrong.

Ten minutes driving took Sam to a car park on the edge of The Heath. Parked up, he took out his new toy, plus a hand trowel and made a beeline for a clump of trees close by. He hadn't quite got there before he stopped. He set the dial on the detector to 'Nail' and flicked the switch to 'On'. To Sam's amazement, the moment he pointed the machine towards the ground, a beeping sounded out. Still doubtful, he took the trowel and began to dig. Within seconds and just a few centimetres beneath the soil, Sam uncovered an old rusty metal nail, the sorts of which might secure a shoe to a horse. A few seconds later there came another beep and yet another nail. Getting excited, Sam turned the dial to 'Horse Shoe' and, lo and behold, not one but two, long lost shoes were found. Sam was incredulous at what was happening, he simply couldn't believe it. Wanting to challenge his new machine even further, he set the dial to 'Bone' and, moments later Sam had dug up the jaw bone of a sheep, maybe a goat. Next he tried the 'Bank Note' option and was very soon £20 better off. It was amazing. The machine, whatever option he selected found exactly that, and nothing else. It was almost as if the detector was manifesting the treasures just for him.

Throughout the day Sam found 'Keys', 'Buttons' (plastic as well as metal) 'Cans' and even a 'Fossil' of a dinosaur of some sort. It seemed that all around, just centimetres beneath his feet was a world of long lost treasures. With his heart beating harder than a jack hammer and still incredulous of his success, he took another look at the options on the dial. He was astounded he hadn't yet tried option for 'Gold' or the option next to it labelled 'Mine'. Selecting 'Gold' first, he immediately found a shiny coin, 24 carats pure. Putting it safely in his pocket, the detector then promptly found another, and another, and another. Soon, Sam's pockets bulged. The weight alone was making him tired, but he couldn't stop. He didn't dare stop. At this rate he'd be a multi-millionaire by tea time.

Much later, Sam could barely move. Every pocket was now jammed full of precious gold coins. His back ached, muscles burned. Reluctantly, he had to stop and rest. It was whilst catching his breath that Sam remembered the other option on his machine, the one next to 'Gold' called 'Mine'. Yes, he thought, if he could find a goldmine, he could let others dig for him. He'd just reap its rewards. Turning the dial once more, this time to 'Mine', he promptly set back to work, and again, his metal detector beeped loud and clear. Sam could hardly contain himself. His plan now was to make a hole just big enough to mark where to dig in future. He'd come back another time with a team workers. They would dig the goldmine just for him. Quickly, with his sturdy hand trowel, into the soil he plunged.

The old wizard looking man, the man with the long beard and orange cap was suddenly stirred from his sleep by an almighty bang. The copse of trees where he'd set up camp under a salvaged tarpaulin, shook wildly. Branches swayed to and fro causing birds to take flight in panic. He still had no idea what was happening, when even more unexpectedly, things, disk shaped shiny objects began falling from the heavens. They rained down all around him, making a chinking sound when they hit the ground. One of them fell directly into his upturned cap. It was a Roman coin made of solid gold.

A thorough investigation lasting weeks, was carried out as to what had created the giant crater on up The Heath. Nothing damning was ever found. It was eventually written into history as 'Unexplained'.