It got to the point where the only answer, or comment, he would make about anything was a simple ‘Wheels within wheels.’ It’s a very fatalistic philosophy; they believe that everything works out in the end so they rarely take any decisive action. They figure the wheels will turn full circle without their help.” He paused.

“Did you notice the crack in the begging bowl, by the way?”

Junior nodded. “Looked like it had been broken and then glued back together.”

“That’s part of the religion, too. You see, that old philosopher went to a banquet once-this was in the ancient days when the Vanek were rather barbaric-and the chief of the tribe sought to question him on his philosophy. Of course the only answer he could get was ‘Wheels within wheels.’ This annoyed the chief but he contained his anger until they all sat down at the eating table. During the meal it is said that the old philosopher uttered his favorite phrase over two hundred fifty times. The chief finally flew off the handle and broke a heavy earthen salad bowl over the old man’s head, killing him. So now all the Vanek beggars carry an earthen salad bowl that they have broken and then repaired as a sign that the old man did not die in vain.”

Junior shook his head in wonder. “They must be strange folk. Do the local Terrans get along with them?”

“I guess ‘get along’ is about the only way you could put it,” Heber admitted. “There’s no open animosity between the two groups, but there’s no friendship either. The Vanek float in and out of town and have no effect on the Terrans. I guess there are cases where the Vanek are discriminated against by the Terrans, but it’s a passive thing. Most Terrans have little or no respect for the Vanek because the Vanek don’t seem to care about respect and do nothing to engender it.