STURGEON IS ALIVE AND WELL… a collection of short stories by THEODORE STURGEON Copyright © 1971 Theodore Sturgeon ACKNOWLEDGMENTS “To Here and the Easel,” copyright 1954 Ballantine Books, Inc. “Slow Sculpture,” copyright © 1970 Universal Publishing and Distributing Corp. “It’s You!” copyright © 1969 Knight Publishing Corp. “Take Care of Joey,” copyright © 1970 Sirkay Publishing Co. “Crate,” copyright © 1970 Sirkay Publishing Co. “The GIRL Who Knew What They Meant,” copyright © 1970 Sirkay Publishing Co. “Jorry’s Gap,” copyright © 1969 Knight Publishing Corp. “It Was Nothing—Really!” copyright © 1969 Sirkay Publishing Co. “Brownshoes,” copyright © 1969 Knight Publishing Corp. “Uncle Fremmis,” copyright © 1970 Knight Publishing Corp. “Uncle Fremmis,” copyright © 1970 Knight Publishing Corp. “The Patterns of Dorne,” copyright © 1970 Sirkay Publishing Co. “Suicide,” copyright © 1970 Knight Publishing Corp. “… Only the simplest go beyond lucidities in season, When hungry, eat, when tired, sleep, and love for no reason.” To JUDITH EISENSTEIN BAGAI who keeps the faith CONTENTS FOREWORD TO HERE AND THE EASEL SLOW SCULPTURE ITS YOU! TAKE CARE OF JOEY CRATE THE GIRL WHO KNEW WHAT THEY MEANT IT WAS NOTHING-REALLY!