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I spoke to the female tech； in Galacta： 〃What is your profes sional designation； ma'am？ The Senior wants to know。 He say~ that you have been behaving like a servant。〃
She answered quietly； 〃It is our pleasure to serve him in an~ way we can； sir〃…then hesitated and went on： 〃I am Admin istrator Master Chief' Rejuvenation Technician Ishtar Hardy Deputy Director for Rejuvenation Procedures； and my assistanl watch officer is AssociateTechnician Galahad Jones。〃
Having been rejuvenated twice and used to the idea all m~ life； it does not surprise me when cosmetic age does not matci calendar age。 But I admit to surprise at learning that this youn~ woman was not just a technician but boss of her department… probably number three in tjie entire Clinic。 Or possibly num ber ？wo while the Director was away sulking in her tent… damn her duty…struck stiff neck。 Or even Director Pro Ten with her deputy； or some department head； bucked into 〃mind ing the store。〃 〃So？〃 I answered。 〃May I ask your calenda age； Madam Administrator？〃
〃Mr。 Chairman Pro Tern may ask anything。 I am only ont hundred forty…seven years old…but I am qualified； this ha~ been my only career since first maturity。〃
〃I did not imply doubt of your qualifications； madam； bul I am astonished to see you standing a watch rather than sittin~ at a desk。 Although I confess I don't know how the Clinic i5 organized。〃
She smiled slightly。 〃Sir； I could express a similar feeling at your own personal interest in this case 。 。 were it not that I think I understand it。 I am here because I choose not to delega~e the responsibility； he is the Senior。 I have screened all watch officers assigned to him…the best we have to offer。〃
I shoi~ld have known it。 〃We understand each other。〃 I added； 〃I am pleased。 But may I make a suggestion？ Our Senior is independent by temperament and highly individualistic。 He wants a minimum of personal service…only that which he must have。〃
〃Have we beeii annoying him； sir？ Too solicitous？ I can watch and listen from outside the door and still be here instantly if he wants something。〃 …
… 〃Possibly too solicitous。 But stay in sight。 He does want human panionship。〃
〃What's all this yack…yack？〃 demanded Lazarus。
〃I had to ask questions； Grandfather； as I don't know the organization of the Clinic。 Jshtar is not a servant； she is a rejuvenator and a highly skilled one…and so is her assistant。 But they are happy to supply any service you want。〃
〃I don't need flunkies； I'm feeling pretty good today。 If I want anything； I'll shout； they don't need to hang over me； hand and foot。〃 Then he grinned。 〃But she's a cute little trick； in the large； economy size； it's a pleasure to have her around。 Moves like a cat…no bones； Just flows。 She does indeed remind me of Arid…did I tell you why Arid tried to kill me？〃
〃No。 I would like to hear if you want to tell me。〃
〃Mmm… Ask me when Ishtar isn't around…I think she knows more English than she lets on。 But I…did promise to talk if you showed up to listen。 What would you like to hear？〃
〃Anything； Lazarus。 Scheherazade picked her own subjects。〃
〃So she did。 But I don't have one on tap。〃
〃Well 。 。 you said as I came in that 'eariy rising ja a vice。' Did you mean that seriously？〃 …
〃Maybe。 Gramp Johnson claimed it was。 He used to …tell a story about a man who was condemned to be shot at sunrisebut overslept and missed it。 His sentence was muted that day； and he lived another forty； fifty years。 Said it proved his point。〃
〃Do you think that's a true story？〃
〃As true as any of Scheherazade's。 I took it to mean 'Sleep whenever you can； you may have to stay awake a long time。' Early rising may not be a vice； Ira； but it is certainly no virtue。 The old saw about the early bird just goes to show that the worm should have stayed in bed。 I can't stand people who are smug about how early they get up。〃
〃I didn't mean to sound smug； Grandfather。 I get u％~early
from long habit…the habit… of work。 But I don't say it's a virtue。〃
〃Which？ Work？ Or early rising？ Neither is …a virtue。 But getting up early do？not get more work done 。 。 any more than you can make a piece of string longer by cutting off one end and tying it onto the other。 You get less work done if you persist in getting up yawning and still tired。 You …aren't sharp and make mistakes and have to do it over。 That sort of busybusy is wastefuL As well as unpleasant。 And annoying to those who would sleep late if their neighbors weren't so noisily active at some ungodly cow…milking hour。 Ira； progress doesn't e from early risers…progress is made … by lazy men looking for easier ways to do things。〃
〃You make me feel that …I've wasted four centuries。〃
〃Perhaps you have； Son； if you've spent it …getting up early and） working…hard。 But it's not too late …to change your ways。 Don't fret about it； I've was？ed most of my long life…though perhaps more pleasantly。 Would you like to hear a story about a man who made laziness a …fine art？ His life exemplified the Principle of Least Effort。 A true story。〃
〃Certainly。 But I don't insist on its being true。〃
〃Oh； I won't let truth hamper me； Ira； I'm a solipsist at heart。 Hear then； 0 Mighty King； …
VARIATIONS ON A THEME
II
The Tale of the Man Who Was
…Too Lazy to Fail
… He was a schoolmate of mine in a school for training naval officers。 Not space navy； this was before the human race had even reached Earth's one satellite。 This was wet navy； ships that floated in water and attempted to sink each other； often with regrettable success。 I got mixed up in this through being too young to realize emotionally that； if my ship sank； I probably would … sink； too…but this is not my story； but David Lamb's。 * … …
To explain David I must go back to his childhood。 He was a hillbilly； which means he came from an area uncivilized even by the loose standards of those days…and Dave came from so far back in the hills that the hoot owls trod the chickens。
His education was in a one…room country school and ended at thirteen。 He enjoyed it； for every hour in school was a hour sitting down doing nothing harder than reading。 Before and after 'school he had to do chores on his family's farm； which he hated； as they were what was known as 〃honest work〃…meaning hard； dirty； inefficient； and ill…paid…and also involved getting up early； which be hated even worse。
Graduation was a grim day for him； it meant that he now did 〃honest work〃 all day long instead of spending a restful six or seven hours in school。 One hot day he spent fifteen
* There is no record that the Senior ever attended a school for militaro…naval officers； or any military school。 On the other hand； there is no proOf that he did not。 This story may be autobiographical to whatever extent it is true； 〃David Lamb〃 may be one more of the many names used by Woodrow Wilson Smith。
The details are consistent with Old Home's history so