Tim gasped. „Mi…Mister Duck? Are you OK?" He received no answer.
Tim decided to put Fethry in his car and drive him home. Did he know where he lived? Yes and no. Of course he hadn't known before, but he had taken a look in his telephone book.
/
When Fethry woke up the next morning, he was feeling extremely sick. He was lying in his bed, Tim Stanford had taken him home.
"Duck, I really feel like crap", Fethry moaned. "I feel like I need to throw up."
It felt pretty hard for him to get out of his bed. He could barely walk.
He trotted out of his room slowly and went to the bathroom. There he really threw up, but did not feel any better afterwards.
Dugan woke up too. He just entered the bathroom and saw his uncle who just threw up into the toilet.
"Is there something wrong, Unca Fethry?", he asked.
"To be honest, yes, I'm feeling really sick."
"So you can't go to work today?"
"Exactly. I'll just call Uncle Scrooge. He won't be happy, but he needs to understand."
After Fethry had informed his uncle (who was indeed anything but pleased, this time he at least showed more humanity than he usually does), he went back to his bed and started thinking. So yesterday he failed to inform Mr. Stanford.
Really now? He failed something like that? Unbelievable! Also, even if he did what he failed to do yesterday today, would it really help? Would Mr. Stanford really care? He didn't think that Mr. Stanford would care. „I mean, he's a businessman", he thought. „So would it change anything? Would he care? I think not. I mean, it's just about gaining money, isn't it? And a true businessman doesn't care where he has his money from. He just cares about one thing: ‚It's mine now!' I definitely will never be one of them. Of course, I would love to earn money without working for my Uncle. But a job I would really love is being an artist. Yup, I always loved drawing. But I would do it for fans, not for money. The love of money's the root of all evil. Ugh, I think I need to throw up again…"
/
Meanwhile Donald already was on his way to work in his 313. He was pretty nervous. What if Uncle Scrooge found out the truth?
OK, it wouldn't be the first time for him to face such a situation. But did that mean it really had to happen again? Certainly not.
Donald arrived earlier at work than usually.
„Unbelieve", his uncle said. „You're only late about 30 seconds."
Donald sighed. „Is Fethry already here too?"
Scrooge shook his head. „He's sick."
„Really? That would be the first time."
„Yeah, but today that's the case."
„So I have to work alone, huh?"
„I'm afraid the answer is yes. You will have to finish the report on your own, like it or not."
„OK..."
„Is something wrong with you too?", Scrooge asked.
„Wi-with me?", Donald replied. „No, certainly not! I was just asking. Can I get ready to work now?"
„I'm surprised you are asking me such things", Scrooge said. „Maybe there is really something wrong with you?"
„No, of course not", Donald said. „BTW, did Mr. Stanford still arrive yesterday?"
„No, he didn't", Scrooge replied. „It's strange. He could at least have informed me."
„Uh-oh", Donald whispered.
„What?", Scrooge asked.
„I said uh-oh", Donald replied.
„And why?", Scrooge said, scratching his „Is there something I need to know?"
„We-well", Donald stuttered. „I said ‚uh-oh' because it sounds to me like something happened to Mr. Stanford."
„I don't have the feeling like this was the case", Scrooge replied with a dry tone. „I believe he was just being unking and decided he would cancel this meeting. Well, I bet he'll regret this! This could have been the meeting of his life! And he threw it away!"
„Yeah, that's indeed dumb", Donald said. Deep inside he didn't have a feeling that Tim would regret this. Mr. Rockerduck may be a little less rich than Scrooge, however, he definitely pays more money to his partners. So Tim would definitely happier than he would have been with Scrooge. Donald hated to think that way, but it was true. But how could he explain that to his uncle? Well, he would find out anyway sooner or later. So should he keep throwing it under the rug?
Ugh, his head started too hurt! He decided to forget about it and start with his work. „I mean, what else could I do?", he thought. „I really don't want to imagine his reaction to the bad news. Not good at his age."
/
At the same time Tim already was at work too. Back at breakfast, while eating a Vegemite bread, he had been thinking of Mr. Fethry Duck. He did not find out what Mr. Duck was about to tell him.
"I mean, he didn't come here for no reason", he had been saying to his wife. "Gracie, did he tell you anything?"
"No, he didn't."
Now Tim was at work and and in a great mood. His company has already been popular on New Zealand's South Island for its coach busses and motorhomes. Many of his friends were disappointed when he told them that he would move to the USA. On the other hand however they also were extremely happy for him and his older brother Colin, a truck driver, had told him: "Now that it worked that great here, it must work even better there!"
"Thank you bro!", Tim though. "You nailed it!" He knew that his family and friends on the other side of the world already received the good news since he posted everything on his blog. OK, that should be obvious, shouldn't it? I mean, can news be even better? A deal with one of the richest men of the world! Awesome! Yesterday he had felt like he had climbed up the Mount Everest.
Then he heard his secretery's voice.
"Excuse me boss..."
"It's OK Miss Stewart. What is it?"
"Somebody wants to talk to you."
"Who? Where is he?"
"He is not here, but he wants to talk to you via phone. His name is Mr. Duck. Mr. Fethry Duck."
(To be continued...)