The Project Gutenberg EBook of New Hire, by David M. Dryfoos

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Title: New Hire

Author: David M. Dryfoos

Illustrator: John Balbalis

Release Date: September 23, 2010 [EBook #33969]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

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Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net

Transcriber's Note:

This etext was produced from the September 1953 issue of Galaxy
Science Fiction. Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that
the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.

NEW HIRE

By DAVE DRYFOOS

Illustrated by BALBALIS

_Very admirable rule: Never do tomorrow what you can put off
until after the age of forty!_

* * * * *

One thing about an electronic awakener: no matter how elaborate its
hookup, melodious its music, and important its announced reminders,
when it goes on in the morning you can always turn it off again.
Boswell W. Budge always did exactly that.

But there's no turning off one's kids, and thus, on the most important
morning of his life, February 30, 2054, Bozzy arose, much against his
will, promptly at 0800.

His Sophie, eight and ladylike, merely shook the bed with a disdainful
gesture. But Howard, six, masculine, and athletic, climbed right up
and sat on Bozzy's stomach. Baby Ralph, of the golden smile, gave
Bozzy a big kiss, and Bozzy thus shared the gold, which was egg.

"Did your mother send you in here?" Bozzy demanded, gazing
suspiciously around with one eye open.

"We came because we love you," Sophie answered.

That opened Bozzy's other eye. "Thank you, dear," he said. "You're
very sweet or very clever. Now if you'll coax Howard off my stomach--"

"I don't have to be coaxed," Howard announced, sliding to the floor
with all the covers. "From now on, you just order me, Daddy. Because
you'll be a Senior Citizen tomorrow."

Bozzy didn't want to think of that just then. "Tell your mother I'm
up,"