The Dinosaur Feather

said, offering him a sweaty hand. Clive shook it. Tybjerg might be a walking encyclopaedia, his knowledge was truly impressive, but he was devoid of charm.
    ‘As a scientist you would have to rejoice, no matter what your views are, wouldn’t you say so?’ Dr Tybjerg stuttered. ‘You must admit that it’s hard to believe?’
    ‘What are you talking about?’ Clive said as calmly as he could manage, but he felt his voice tremble.
    Dr Tybjerg gave him a puzzled look.
    At that moment the host turned up and explained the format of the debate to the audience. Professor Clive Freeman and Dr Erik Tybjerg were introduced to each other by their full titles, to the audience and the viewers, after which the host handed over to the two duellists. Clive made a friendly gesture to Tybjerg, who opened the debate.
    ‘As you all know, the day before yesterday it was announcedthat the remains of a feathered Tyrannosaurus had been found in Makoshika State Park in the state of Montana, close to Hell Creek where the world’s first
Tyrannosaurus Rex
fossil was found in 1902.’
    Clive stared at Tybjerg. His jaw dropped.
    The duel lasted thirty minutes and throughout the whole ordeal Tybjerg was visibly nervous, but quick-thinking. He listened attentively, he never interrupted Clive and every time he demolished one of Clive’s arguments, he was thorough, meticulous, almost. When Clive declared that he wanted to examine the animal before forming an opinion, Tybjerg gave Clive a looked of genuine surprise and wonder, and said:
    ‘For how long are you going to use that argument? Until a feathered Apatosaurus turns up on your doorstep?’ It was an obvious moment to laugh, but no one did.
    When the spotlights faded, the audience started to disperse and Clive studied his hands. He didn’t dare look at Dr Tybjerg, who hadn’t stirred since the stage lights were dimmed. Afterwards he had no idea what provoked him. A faint cough? The quiet superiority? Whatever it was, he glanced up and the second he met Tybjerg’s eyes, he slapped him with the back of his hand. Dr Tybjerg leapt up, horrified, touching his eyebrow which had split open. Clive looked at his hand, at his wedding ring. It was stained with blood. When he looked up again, Tybjerg had left.
    Then he heard footsteps.
    ‘What happened?’ the confused young assistant shouted.
    ‘Eh,’ Clive began. He dusted off his clothes. The assistantlooked at him and then in the direction in which Tybjerg had disappeared.
    ‘Eh,’ Clive repeated and dusted his clothes again.
    Back in Vancouver, Clive felt strangely accepting of the news. He refused to talk to the press, didn’t reply to e-mails and telephone calls, and he informed the faculty press office that he had no plans to counter-attack.
    ‘I have resigned myself to the folly of this world,’ he told the press officer. Then he called a meeting with his department where they agreed to keep a low profile while optimising their workload. The next allocation of research funding would take place in three years and no one needed reminding that if they were unable to convince the world that birds were
not
descended from dinosaurs, they would never get another grant.
    They decided to start three major excavations and an expensive developmental study to observe the cartilage condensation in bird embryos. Clive’s junior researcher, Michael Kramer, would be heading the project.
    Once that was in place, Clive headed home.
    As Clive cycled through the forest, the sun shining through the trees, he thought about Jack. They hardly ever spoke these days. When Clive submitted a paper, Jack rarely acknowledged receipt, and when Clive rang with amendments, Jack’s secretary would deal with them. Clive had even called Jack at home and left a message, but Jack never called back.
    Whenever Clive opened
Scientific Today
looking for his contributions, his joy at seeing them was diminished. Clive appreciated the expensive layout, the graphs and the illustrations,but he felt no real pleasure. Jack and Clive had met in their passion for nature. Now he was alone.
    Clive reviewed the situation for a week, then he called Jack and invited him and Molly over for dinner. He practically pleaded with Jack to come.
    ‘Jack,’ he said. ‘Let’s put the past behind us. Let’s do the right thing, let’s not mix science and friendship.’ It was silent down the other end.
    ‘I can’t stand not seeing you,’ Clive suddenly burst out, and held his