As always, Fethry was once again going to see his doctor, Dr. Wieland. He considered the doctor a good person, but he didn't always follows his advice - Fethry didn't want to stop being who he was, he didn't want to become one of the so called "normal" people. "Being crazy in a sick society is actually healthy", he once saw in a book.
He was taking his pills in day and working in Scrooge's newspaper - he was doing fine, wasn't he? There was no need to hurry.
Fethry sits in a chair in front of the doctor and says, still looking down;
"Good afternoon, doctor Wieland…"
Doctor Wieland: "Good afternoon, Mr. Duck. I am sorry to say this, but you do not look very fine. Are you sure you have taken your pills on the daily basis in the past few weeks? You know how important they are for you so you can stay normal." Then Dirk Wieland hears a phone rining. "Wait a second." He gets on the phone. "Hello? Ach du, Schätzsche. Sorry, isch hab grad echt net viel Zeit zu schwätze. Isch hab nämlich meinen wichtigsten Patienten, weißt scho, da Herr Duck. Na, net Dagobert oder Donald Duck, sondern Dussel Duck. Ja, weiß scho, dass des schwierig wird, brochst mir net sage. Der is halt so. Und ja, Schätze, klar machwer unser Picknick, des is doch kei Frag. Also, isch muss jetzt wirklich auflege, also, servus und Bussi." (Translation: "Oh, it's you honey. Listen, I don't go any time to talk due to my most important patient I have here, Mr. Duck. No, it's Fethry, not Scrooge or Donald. I know it's gonna be difficult, it's just the way it is, trust me. And yes, of course our picnic is gonna take place. Now I really gotta go, bye.") The phone conversation ends. "Sorry, it was just my wife reminding me of the weekend. Now back to the subject. Mr. Duck, do you keep taking your pills?"
"Yeah, yeah, I'm taking the pills, I'm sleeping and eating propery, everything's great. I'm also trying to leave Don alone but, you know how it is, he insists for me to have lunch there…"
He always tried to look at his best shape to the doctor. Fethry did not want to lose custody of Dugan again. He sighed.
"Can I go now?"
"Go where? To the restroom? Alright then, but promise me not to smoke. Have you given up smoking anyways? That would already do something very good to your health. Or you mean that you can go home? Well, sorry, but there are still a few things that have to be discussed. Are you doing some sports? And your cousin… you should really stay away from him. You know how bad stalking is. The most critical part is your nephew. I know how much you love him, he is almost like the son you never had for you. But children need someone that can really be there for them, and I am very unsure about you. I see you try his best to care for him, but…" The doctor didn't know what to say. "Kids can be stressful sometimes, and honestly, I have not always made good experiences. Especially my oldest son Max. He was 4 when he was hit by a car near our house in Geisa (German town in Thuringia). The ambulance sadly couldn't arrive in time and he…" The doctor broke down in tears. Understandable. Doctor Dirk Wieland, usually born in Fulda, Hesse, has three other kids, another son called Tim (who is 21 and was 2 when his brother passed away), a daughter called Jennifer (who is 18) and yet another son called Jonas (who is 12), but you can imagine that there's nothing worse than losing a child. Overall Doctor Dirk Wieland is a rather uptight and joyful man, but even he has his emotional sides.
"I don't smoke! Just because sometimes I use marijuana for medical purposes you can't talk like if I were an addict…"
"I'm trying to start running, but I don't want to run alone, and Don isn't helping me. And I'm not stalking him, I check if he's okay from time to time because he's my best friend and my cousin. I didn't break into his house once and I didn't even read his correspondence or anything this month…"
"I'm managing to take care of Dugan just fine! Sometimes he spends the weekend with Don, but Don really is okay with that, you know?"
Fethry looks sincerely worried when the doctor suddenly starts to cry talking about his son.
"I'm sorry … Do you think about this a lot, doctor? Do you want to talk about it? Maybe you should take the rest of the day off and rest, what do you think?"
Dirk Wieland starts thinking. "Alright Mr. Duck. Just promise me to stay away from Donald and care more for your nephew. To tell the truth, he reminds me a lot of Maxi. You remember I've met him when I visited you at home last week and even played a bit with him. He is kinda sweet, don't know why you keep calling him a horror all of the time. I am sorry, I think you have to spend more time with him if you don't wanna lose custody. I mean, right now you are unemployed, aren't you? And about marijuana: I used to smoke that too when I was at Tim's age but quickly got away from it. At this time I have had already started my medicine education. If I had not managed to get away, I wouldn't be in that position now. I am trying my best to help you, but it somehow doesn't work that good, huh? I'm afraid I need to find away to MAKE SURE that you take your pills every morning."
He hits one hand on the table, angrily;
"Of course I do not want to lose Dugan, and I spend most of my time with him! But he is… Complicated, everyone in the family thinks he is a difficult, destructive child! Yes, I'm unemployed, but sooner or later my uncle will hire me again - it's always like that.
He flinches in his chair, visibly annoyed.
"I'm very aware that I don't need to be hospitalized. And why do I have to avoid Don? I love him, he is my closest relative, and I want to see him everyday…"
"Yes, I know, but he just needs a break from you. He doesn't hate you at all, but overall Donald prefers to be alone as long as his girlfriend or his nephews aren't around. I have spoken to him one or two times and he tells me that he likes you but he doesn't want to see you all of the time. I also see my relatives in Germany - my brothers and sisters, my cousins, my parents, my Uncle Gerhard, my Aunt Trude, my brother-in-law and my parents-in-law - only a few times a year, but everytime we do, we spend much time with each other. Just avoid Donald for a couple of weeks, trust me, it will make you feel better. Also, do not yell at me or I will have to ask you to go. And I am afraid it looks like your custody for Dugan is in danger."
He crosses his arms, sulking.
"I'm not yelling ... And I'm sure Don doesn't think it's a problem I always show up at his house, it's not like a lot of people could handle how cranky he is... I still have a bruise in my arm of the last time he punched me..."
"And Dugan is great ... I swear it's true, he is happy living with me."
Fethry was cowered in the chair like a little kid, uncooperative, arms and legs crossed. He begins typing on his phone.
The doc wasn't that happy. "Mr. Duck! Please switch off your phone!" His face got serious. "Listen. This is a serious problem. Not that I cooperate with the police, but you know Donald can report you for permanent stalking. I don't mean to be mean, trust me. I am just doing my best for you. You still have a chance not get hospitalized. Maybe I also might wanna talk with your nephew. Do you allow me to do that?"
Fethry puts the phone down, frustrated.
"I'm not a danger to anybody, there's no way I can be sent to an asylum or something like that... Yeah, yeah, you can talk to Dugan - he'll confirm that he's okay, you want me to call him? He's with Don... Or is it also a problem now? Since I'm apparently forbidden of talking to my own cousin... Don will never report me, he loves me, he needs me as much as I need him..."
He snorts and murmurs to himself; "Kildare's right, doctors never solve anything..."
Dr. Wieland sighs. "Alright. I am sorry for all the drama Mr. Duck. I ain't mad, I am rather worried. Many of your family members were also worried you could get into touch with drugs - and when I say drugs, I mean drugs, not medicine. I think you can go now, I have other patients too. Do you have Donald's phone number?"
"Thank goodness..." Thinks Fethry.
He readily speaks the number for Donald's house, his job and his mobile.
He gets up in a jump and says a quick goodbye to the doctor. It was clear that he wanted to leave as soon as possible.
"...See you next week."
