Ch. 27 A new adventure
Three days later.
The farm had become a mad house. Dylan and Charlie have been busy packing everything in boxes and crates. Things she was going to need and others they have to sell.
Dylan was busy to clean out one of their father's cupboards. On a top shelf he found a file. He opened it, leafed through the papers and stared wide-eyed. "Well I'll be damned!"
"Charliiiiie!", he yelled.
She poked her head inside, "What's up buddy? A fire?"
He looked up at her and showed her the open file, "Look, were you aware of this?".
"Huh? What the...", she mumbled as she padded to him. Charlie took out one of the thick papers, looked at it and then at her brother, with a questioning look.
"No?! How? What?", she stammered.
"Come", he said motioning for her to join him at the door and both walked to the living room where they spread all the documents on the table.
"Bonds and shares, phew, that's a huge fortune!", she said baffled after they've counted the totality of it. "And are they all still valid?".
"Yep!", Dylan said while staring in disbelief at the fortune on the table.
It dawned to Charlotte, "No?! Oh my god! No! We could have paid all the debts with all this and we would still have had enough money in inheritance! And now we've sold the farm!", she concluded flabbergasted.
He looked dejected at his sister, "Exactly", he simply said.
She pressed her fists on her temples, "Aaargh! Nooooo! Fuck, fuck, fuuuuuuck!", she yelled and angrily kicked a chair.
"No, no, no!", she said in rage.
Charlotte calmed down and looked at her brother her eyes filled with tears, "What now?"
He shrugged slightly, "Sorry Charl, the sale is made. With the money of all this you can take over a new farm".
She nodded slightly, "Yeah, that's the only solution, with this amount I can buy an medium-sized farm. But why for God's sake did he keep such a package of securities in his wardrobe? Imagine, lightning, a fire and goodbye the fortune, vanished, gone up in smoke", she said widening her eyes.
"I know Charl, but old people can react strangely and you know how stubborn Dad was", he said.
she nodded, "Yeah, I know, his ideas, his rules, etc, etc". She looked up at him at once, "Dylan, do you want to become my business partner in the new farm?"
He smiled nicely at his sister and shook his head, "Sorry sis, but farming is not my thing and I think it's not Kate's either. "
She scowled, "But you'll have to do something! Playing bartender is not a job for you".
"I know, but it's to be with Kate. I'm not yet making up my mind what to do", he said.
"Ok, but don't wait too long!", she grumbled.
Two days later.
Charlie was looking for farms on the Internet while Dylan was getting a phone call.
Dylan frowned when he saw an unknown number. "Mullholland speaking", he said by answering the call.
"Dylan! You're speaking with Arthur McGregor. You probably remember me, the old man in the pub in Melbourne?", he heard.
"Ah! Arthur, yes of course! I didn't forget you! How you are doing?", Dylan answered by starting to pace the room.
"Well, better than average I should say and you? Your leg?", Arthur asked.
"Pretty good in fact. By continuing to go running and play sport, but sometimes it hurts when it's wet", he answered looking at the curious face of his sister.
"Do you already have a job?", McGregor asked.
"Not exactly. A pastime, but not a real job", Dylan answered while starting to fiddle with a statue.
"Keep off!", Charlie said out loud and he withdrew his hand immediately.
"Listen, I think I have something for you. Interested?"
"It depends. What is it?"
"Shipping! I need an assistant", Arthur said.
"Hmm, interesting and what exactly?", Dylan asked.
"Yes, I was hoping you'd still be free. If you can pop over to Melbourne, then I'll elaborate on it. The costs are at my expense. The Melbourne Parkview Hotel. When can you be here?"
Dylan rubbed his chin and looked at his sister.
"Don't worry about me. It's almost finished here. Try your chance!", she replied.
"I can be there tomorrow afternoon", he replied.
"Great! 16:00? Is it feasible for you?"
"Yep, I think so. If it's not, then I'll call you to postpone the meeting the evening or the next day".
"Right! See you there at 16:00 at the bar".
"Ok", Dylan replied and closed the call.
He looked at his sister.
"I don't know what it is, but I can read on your face that it looks promising. So, go for it mate. You can't be a bartender all your life!", she replied.
The next day, Dylan stood in front of the Melbourne Parkview Hotel and looked at the building.
"Pfew, that's not a shanty. I'm happy I don't have to pay my room here!", he mumbled before entering.
He checked in and after dropping off his luggage he went down to see Arthur McGregor at the bar. He was still lost in thought about his huge room while he was already standing inside. A white-haired man stood up and waved at him.
Dylan returned to reality.
"Ah!" and he padded to Arthur McGregor.
"Dylan, nice to see you again", he said as they shook hands.
"Fine, thanks! And you?", Dylan replied.
"Take a seat old chap. A drink?", Arthur invited him.
"Thanks, a beer".
Arthur stood up and walked to the bar. A bit later he was back with two beers.
"Here you go. Cheers!"
They both took a sip.
Dylan pushed for, "So Arthur, do you have something for me?"
"Exactly, if you want to do it, of course", Arthur said.
"Tell me".
"Do you remember that I told you to have a transport company?", he said and saw Dylan nodding. "I also told you that I was keeping a low profile and that I was watching what was happing around me. Well, I found the niche in the market, namely short sea traffic, but not the grocery things with a kind of landing crafts. But with small coastal vessels. Concerning the traffic on land, hmm, I didn't make up my mind yet. It's even more expensive and I'm a little bit Scottish, you know. So in the first instance coastal vessels."
"Vessels?", Dylan repeated pronouncing the plural of the word.
Arthur smiled, "That's future Dylan. One vessel, for starters. I already have one in mind. Even better, the deal is almost finalised", Arthur said deadpan.
Dylan wanted to drink but his hand hung in the air, "You're going to buy one?", he concluded baffled.
"Exactly and now we come to the point where I need you. You're a sailor and you've been a boatswain what means that you can work with a crew and you told me that you had the command of the ship when the officers were off duty or when they weren't there, no?", Arthur said.
"Uh, yeah, 's true", Dylan stammered.
"Well, if you can set up a crew, manage it and be one of the officers, then you'll be my partner", McGregor proposed.
"Ah, uh, well, uh, I didn't expect a proposal like that", Dylan replied confused.
"I would have been surprised if you hadn't been", Arthur said deadpan again.
Dylan looked at him for a second.
How's possible. Kate would have been said exactly the same!
"Yes, I can, but... when I'll become your partner then I'll have to make a financial contribution as well?", Dylan asked.
McGregor made a face, "Well, that's probably for you the less pleasant part. You must have money, but only a very small share is enough. It's just to be in order for being a private limited. If you haven't then you'll become an employee. So?", he said taking a sip from his beer.
"Arthur, I've money and I will! Damn yes! That's what I was looking for, for months!", Dylan said convinced.
Arthur seemed to get 10 year younger. His face was beaming, "Yes! I knew it. Ok, partner, we have a deal! And don't worry about how much or how less. It's the share that counts. Your major share will be you knowledge of sailing. I on shore and you at sea. It's going to be perfect."
Dylan emptied his glass and looked at his new business partner, "Right, another one?"
"Yes, to celebrate!", Arthur said.
When they got their beers, they discussed some more details until Arthur popped up with the following.
"Dylan, I have one requirement for the crew, they have to be our own people! No foreign cultures, religes, languages or something like that. That would make it even more difficult."
Dylan nodded, "Yeah, I understand, that would be easier for me as well".
"Precisely! Oh, one more thing, the costs that you make to recruit the sailors, of any kind, are on charge of the company", Arthur said.
"Understood".
"Ok, good old chap!"
To be continued