The patient was obviously deranged, but Dr. Janishefsky had to make sure first. So he sat back in his chair and began to question-- The Man Who Made The World By Richard Matheson [Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from Imagination Stories of Science and Fantasy February 1954 Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.] _Doctor Janishefsky sat in his office. Leaning back in a great leather chair, hands folded. He had a reflective air and a well-trimmed goatee. He hummed a few bars of--"It Ain't Whatcha Do, It's The Way Thatcha Do It." He broke off and looked up with a kindly smile as the nurse entered. Her name was Mudde._ NURSE MUDDE. Doctor, there is a man in the waiting room who says he made the world. DOCTOR J. Oh? NURSE MUDDE. Shall I let him in? DOCTOR J. By all means, Nurse Mudde. Show the man in. _Nurse Mudde left. A small man entered. He was five foot five wearing a suit made for a man six foot five. His hands were near-hidden by the sleeve ends, his trouser leg bottoms creased sharply at the shoe tops, assuming the function of unattached spats. The shoes were virtually invisible. As was the gentleman's mouth lurking behind a mustache of mouselike proportions._ DOCTOR J. Won't you have a seat Mr.... SMITH. Smith. (_He sits_) DOCTOR J. Now. (_They regard each other_) DOCTOR J. My nurse tells me you made the world. SMITH. Yes. (_In a confessional tone_) I did. DOCTOR J. (_Settling back in his chair_) All of it? SMITH. Yes. DOCTOR J. And everything in it? SMITH. Take a little, give a little. DOCTOR J. You're sure of this? SMITH. (_With an expression that clearly says--I am telling the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help me._) Quite sure. DOCTOR J. (_Nods once_) When did you do this thing? SMITH. Five years ago. DOCTOR J. How old are you? SMITH. Forty-seven. DOCTOR J. Where were you the other forty-two years? SMITH. I wasn't. DOCTOR J. You mean you started out.... SMITH. Forty-two years old. That's correct. DOCTOR J. But the world is millions of years old. SMITH. (_Shaking his head_) No. It isn't. DOCTOR J. It's five years old. SMITH. That's correct. DOCTOR J. What about fossils? What about the age of rocks? Uranium into lead. What about diamonds? SMITH. (_Not to be bothered_) Illusions. DOCTOR J. You made them up. SMITH. That's.... DOCTOR J. (_Breaking in_) Why? SMITH. To see if I could. DOCTOR J. I don't.... SMITH. Anyone can make a world. It takes ingenuity to make one and then make the people on it think that it's existed for millions of years. DOCTOR J. How long did all this take you? SMITH. Three and a half months. World time. DOCTOR J. What do you mean by that? SMITH. Before I made the world I lived beyond time. DOCTOR J. Where's that? SMITH. No where.