SpongeBob hurtles to meet Franz the Moonfish- an elderly German speaking music shop owner and part time teacher. "Guten abend SpongeBob!" He greets warmly, as the young poriferan skids to a halt by the counter. "You are here to get your ukulele repaired, ja?"
SpongeBob smiles at his friend, despite the thoughts racing in his mind. "Franz, I'm here to buy a clarinet for a friend of mine," He explains politely. "Please, could you help?"
"Ja- certainly, mein junger freund," Franz answers, smiling warmly at SpongeBob. He turns around and passes a beautifully made clarinet to SpongeBob. "You sure this what you want?"
"Yes, it's wonderful," Smiles SpongeBob. He fishes out the money jar, and hands it to him, blue eyes wide with hope. "Is this enough?"
"Let me see..." Franz accepts the jar and opens it, before counting the contents. SpongeBob fidgets nervously, hoping to high Neptune he had enough.
He doesn't want anything else going wrong...
...
"I'm so sorry, but you are twenty dollars short." Franz tells him sympathetically. SpongeBob's eyes widen.
"I can't be..." he searches his pockets, his pants, the jar, even his holes-but he found nothing. "I... I can't find twenty dollars. I'm sorry I wasted your time, Franz..." He whispers. Franz can hear the poor boy's heart break just by hearing his voice.
The moonfish watches the sponge walk away through squint eyes, and pity evokes in his heart. Franz remembered how he couldn't afford his first flute when he was a boy and how crushed he had been. He doesn't want to put one of his favourite customers through that same pain.
"SpongeBob, warte bitte!" He exclaims, and SpongeBob pauses "I'll give you twenty per cent off the clarinet. I...I don't want you to empty handed be left."
The old moonfish was not disappointed- SpongeBob's eyes light up and he beams at Franz. "You...you mean it? Oh Franz, thank you!" He says in delight, and the old fish chuckles.
"Bitte, mein freund," He answers warmly, and he puts the clarinet in a box. "I hope your friend enjoys it."
"I'm sure he'll love it!" SpongeBob tells him, waving goodbye before heading for home, and Franz chuckles to himself. He sure likes that kid, even if he is a bit energetic.
Though, why was he so pale, and...was it just him, or was the sponge not as bouncy as before?
...
The old moonfish is about to close for the night when a blue octopus comes running towards him, out of breath.
"Wait, wait! I need to buy a clarinet, pronto!" The octopus says, urgently.
Franz just shakes his head. "I am sorry Herr, but I just sold the last clarinet." He says gently. "Besides, I have to go home."
Squidward cannot believe it! His heart feels like it's been ripped out of his chest. After all he had been through...the insults and menial labour at the barber's, and the awful irregular hours of the deliveries...they had all been for nothing! He had wasted his time, as usual.
'The world doesn't want me to be happy,' he thought.
As the octopus trails sadly home, Franz wonders if this was the friend that SpongeBob had been so eager to gift the clarinet to.
...
On Monday, Squidward is in a fouler mood than ever. As much as he loves his driftwood clarinet he got from SpongeBob, he is reluctant to play it frequently, as it is an exquisite and valuable gift, and he only plays it on certain occasions- Christmas being one of them.
His teeth are permanently grinding, focusing on trying to get through the day without thinking how much of his life he wasted for naught.
Oh, why did he take Clarry to the park that fateful day? If high school with Squilliam had taught him anything, it was to always keep your valuables safe. And he let his guard down.
Squidward sighs, allowing a thick black cloud of depression to overcome him.
...
Meanwhile, in the kitchen, SpongeBob can see how unhappy his colleague is, and his heartstrings twist in sympathy.
"Poor Squid," he murmurs, and he decides to give Squidward his clarinet now, to cheer him up. Mr Krabs allowed him to keep it in his office for safekeeping- for a fee, of course. So he heads into his boss's office using the door between it and the kitchen.
At least one of them needs to be happy. He's struggling to even smile right now- no matter how much he wants to.
...
"When I find out who bought the last clarinet, I'm going to give them a piece of my mind! I'll stretch them! I'll wring their insides out! I'll rip them to pieces!" Squidward growls before slumping down on the boat in misery and defeat.
When the octopus realises his co-worker is standing by the boat, hands behind his back, he glowers at him "What is it, SpongeBob? If you're here to say something about how 'fantastic' Krabby Patties are, I'm not in the mood!"
"Squidward, I...I was the last one who bought the last clarinet," The poriferan confesses, tears filling his eyes. "Before you give me a piece of your mind, and stretch me, and wring my insides out, and rip me to pieces, I just want you to have this..." and he hands Squidward a wrapped package.
Rolling his eyes, the cashier unwraps and opens his gift- revealing a gorgeous new clarinet in his tentacles, and he gapes. Noticing a stray card on the floor, he picks it up and is about to scrunch it up when he glimpses scrawls on it.
...
'Dear Squidward, the best next door neighbour ever!
I hope you enjoy your new clarinet, and continue expressing your heart through your music.
Love, SpongeBob
...
Squidward remains silent as he looks at the clarinet, and reflecting on his neighbour's impulsive and well-meant deed.
Blinking, he decides there is only one course of action left to do...
...
"Okay, Squidward... I'm ready..." SpongeBob announces, his knees shaking. But Squidward doesn't give him a piece of his mind, stretch him, wring his insides out, or rip him to pieces.
Instead, he sweeps him up in a grateful hug.
SpongeBob is confused, but he manages a smile at the act of affection he receives from the normally aloof Squidward.
Once the cephalopod releases his hold, he coughs awkwardly. "Look, Sponge..." he begins, rubbing his arm awkwardly, "I'm going to say this once, okay? I'm not...great at this...Why? Why did you do it?"
The poriferan smiles up at his co-worker "I did it because no one deserves to have what they love the most taken away or destroyed." He explains. "I know I'd be upset if I couldn't make Krabby Patties, or be with my friends, or catch jellyfish, or blow bubbles, or"-
"I get it!" Squidward interrupts, fixing his gaze upon SpongeBob. "Look, I earned the money to replace it as well- but seeing as you beat me to it, take it." He finishes.
SpongeBob just shakes his head. "No, Squidward- I couldn't." He sighs. "I thank you, but your gratitude is more than enough."
"Well, I don't feel right accepting a brand new clarinet from you, SpongeBob, without doing something in return!" the cephalopod retorts. "Isn't there something you want? You...you don't even have to say it right now!" He adds, almost desperately.
SpongeBob is silent for a moment, looking up at Squidward. Squidward then sees something that he never hoped to see in the sponge's eyes- fear and terror.
"There is something you could do for me, Squidward..." he breathes. "But it's big- really big."