First mate's log:
August 12, 1970
Wow, we're officially at 1600 people on our little island now! One hundred times the number who landed here six years ago. (Well, seventeen counting the first Mrs. Brady.) A lot of things have changed since then, but we're all still friends, even if some of us aren't as close as we were then, and we've made some new friends. And, yeah, now there are all these new businesses and public buildings, including a library that Mrs. Howell paid for, although the librarian and books will be paid for by taxes. Oh, and now there are enough kids for each grade to have their own teacher, and there are actually separate little schools for elementary, junior high, and senior high. The Brady kids are real excited about that, especially Greg and Marcia, who will be at the junior high.
I like that we have the basics here, OK, not a movie theater, but I can always go over to Blenford for that. I do miss the days of wandering the jungle, knowing I could get away from everyone if I had to, although they usually went looking for me, especially if I left a note. On the other hand, I don't miss things like the giant spider. Nature is nice but it can get out of hand. We have a good balance now.
Carol Brady's diary:
August 14, 1970
Our island population is now at 1600, which seems enormous compared to what it was when the children were smaller, yet tiny compared to most of the other places I've lived. Mike's big project for Mr. Howell is drawing to a close, although I'm sure other work will come along, here and on Blenford.
Of all the recent changes, the biggest for us is probably that our children, who Mike and I once taught in a four-student class, will now be going to two separate schools, three next year when Greg starts high school for his sophomore year. For now, he and Marcia will be at the junior high.
With all these new faces on the island, solving a mystery about a gift for Jan is much more complicated than the time Mrs. Howell was receiving love letters, from her husband as it turned out. A package arrived yesterday with no return address, and no stamp. Mr. Engstrom, the postmaster, doesn't know anything about it, but he'll ask the mailmen tomorrow.
Unless someone came over, by ferry or other boat, it would have to be somebody from our island, and likely not a new arrival. The package contains a lovely little locket, with no inscription. Marcia teased Jan about it being a boy with a crush, but Jan is only ten, so surely it's too soon for jewelry, isn't it? I don't think it's expensive jewelry, but I am concerned, especially because the gift is anonymous.
There is our typed address, 4222 Clinton Way, and Jan's name, on the package, which is how Alice knew who it was for. (And, yes, there was a time when we didn't even have streets on our island.) Peter got out his magnifying glass and noticed that the typewriter drops its Y's. This is a good clue, although it also suggests that the gift-giver thought we might recognize his or her handwriting.
I wonder if it might be one of our fellow castaways, although I don't know why they would single out Jan of all the children, when it's not her birthday or even close to it. I can't see either of the sailors doing it, since they probably know Jan the least of the six kids. And Mary Ann seems more like she'd bake something for Jan. I could see Mrs. Howell doing it, thinking of the locket as just a little bauble, but I doubt Mr. Howell would. Then again, I can't see the Howells, or their secretary, using a defective typewriter. As for the Professor, I can easily rule him out, since he's over on Blenford and doesn't pay much attention to the children these days. Ginger might've got the locket I suppose, to balance out sending Desi Arnaz, Jr. over for Marcia, but I don't think she'd be anonymous about that, or much else.
And, yes, it's occurred to me that someone in this house sent it. I can probably rule out the other children, since it's an unlikely gift from a sibling, even if it were Jan's birthday, and even if they pooled their money together. I considered Alice, but I can't see her playing favorites like that. Mike, however, might've wanted to get Jan a special gift, since he knows that sometimes she gets a little overshadowed by Marcia and Cindy. But why wouldn't he just tell me?
Whoever it is must be a good actor or actress, which again suggests Ginger, although I haven't actually talked to her about it. I keep waiting for the giver to give him- or herself away, but so far everyone is acting as baffled as I am.
I've checked the typewriter in Mike's den, but it doesn't drop any letters. The only other one I know he uses is in the office that Mr. Howell had set up for him at the mansion. I don't think I can snoop over there without drawing suspicion, from Mike or the Howells, but I think I know someone who can.
August 16, 1970
I snooped over at the Howell mansion today, as a favor to Mrs. Brady. Jan received a locket from an anonymous person, and the only real clue is that her name and street address were on the unstamped package, with no return address, and the typewriter drops its Y's. Mrs. Brady has a theory that Mr. Brady sent the locket, as a surprise, to make Jan feel special without seeming to play favorites. And she thought maybe her husband used the typewriter he has in his office at the mansion. Another of her theories is that Mrs. Howell sent the locket. So Mrs. Brady wanted me to check every typewriter there is at the mansion!
Since it's a Saturday, I went over after our one ferry run. I told Mr. Howell that I'm thinking about buying a typewriter and I wanted to try out every brand in the building, before I go shopping on Blenford. (Yes, Blenford is big enough now to sell a bunch of brands of typewriters.) When Mr. Howell asked why I want a typewriter, I told him I'm thinking of writing a book about my time on our island. And maybe I will someday, even though I'm not much of a writer. I mean, I write a lot but I'm not that good at it. Still, he said to let Howell Publishing have first refusal on the finished manuscript.
He followed me around to every room with a typewriter in it, so I couldn't just type "Brady" and see if the Y dropped. So I did "The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog" over and over again, because I learned that in typing class in the Navy. (There was a point when they thought about putting me in the clerical department, but I was too scatter-brained.) When I mumbled, after the last time, "None of them drops any letters," Mr. Howell indignantly said, "Are you suggesting that a Howell would own a defective typewriter?" So then I had to apologize and claim that that I was looking for a brand without defects.
Mrs. Brady and I had agreed to meet at Sam's butcher shop later so I could give her my report. Since I hadn't found out anything, I just shook my head, especially since we didn't want Sam to tell Alice about the snooping, in case she's the one who sent the locket, or knows who is. Then Mrs. Brady told me that Jan's locket is missing, so now there's another mystery to solve. The Bradys, and Alice, are going to reenact the events of last night tonight to figure out how Jan could've lost her locket. She was wearing it to bed this week, but maybe somebody stole it while she was sleeping.
After Mrs. Brady left, I was the only customer in the shop and I was trying to figure out what to buy that would be easy to cook, since, like I've said, me and the Skipper mostly eat at Mary Ann's diner and other restaurants. Sam told me confidentially, "I think it was Alice. I know she's the middle of three sisters and she probably wanted to do something special for Jan without telling anyone." I wonder if he's right, but I'm not going to ask her, or tell Mrs. Brady. One thing I've learned on this island is that not every mystery has to be solved.
August 18, 1970
We had two mysteries about Jan's locket for a day or so, but now the more recent one is solved. Her locket went missing, so Saturday night we all tried to do what we were doing the night before. It turned out the locket fell off and onto the ivy outside the girls' bedroom while Jan was stargazing, and luckily it was still there. As for its origin, I guess we'll never know, since Gilligan didn't have any luck at the Howells'.
We did, however, receive a totem pole in the mail today. I'm serious! This one isn't anonymous though, and it's not just for Jan. The Professor found it on an archaeological dig he recently returned from and he thought we might like it for our yard. It belongs to an ancient tribe that no longer lives on the island he was exploring, and he doesn't have room for it in his apartment on Blenford. Gilligan was, as Greg put it, "really freaked out" about delivering it off the ferry, probably remembering the one with the top head that looked like him. This one is more generic and abstract, actually an interesting example of primitive art. Unfortunately, Tiger has already marked it, so we'll probably have to have Alice clean it and then Mike and some of the men, not including Gilligan, will carry it out to the jungle.
Jan joked about being the "middle girl on the totem pole," but I think she's feeling better about being a middle child than she used to, so I'm grateful to whoever sent the locket.