Research Grant

I was sitting down with a good book when the visitor came. My son brought him to see me; while I can't stand having servants, I see no reason not to have my son be useful. He is my youngest, going on 61, and a great help to me. The man he ushered in was short, dark haired and dressed like a salesman. If it weren't for the slightly rumpled appearance and the thick glasses, I would have sworn he worked for an insurance agency.

We had quite an interesting talk. It appeared that he was a scientist and dealt with molecular biology, like me. Then came the offer, he wanted to hire me. I had been trying to find work for the past decade, but no one would take on someone as old as I for a research position. Although I was delighted, my honesty compelled me to point out that I _was_ over 90 and would most likely be either dead or crippled within the next ten years. Surprisingly he waved off my concern, asking me instead to visit the facilities at my earliest convenience.

Not a week later I was standing inside the most modern and extravagant laboratory I had ever seen. There was none of the old equipment that populates so many universities, and everything shined as if newly polished.

"Welcome to BioForm's main facility Professor." he said, "As you can see we have the most complete and up to date equipment in the field. And we are trying to find the best men to handle these machines."

I was rendered speechless by the sight, in this building men could study the building blocks as life as easily as my great-grandchildren studied their building blocks. "I don't think I'm an ideal candidate," I stammered, "I wouldn't be alive long enough to make use of the potential that's here."

"Now that, my friend is where you're wrong." He said a grin coming to his face. "Do you remember that dog that passed us back near the offices?" I nodded, "That dog was is over one hundred years old. We've developed the ability to extend life, by giving a human the form of another creature. The transformed person retains their memories and personality, and thanks to some genetic modifications we can even retain the ability to speak."

"So you can extend life indefinitely?"

"Not yet, the new form can only have an average lifespan of approximately half that of the previous form. If you chose carefully, you could probably double your lifespan, but no more." He paused for a moment, "I guess now would be as good a time as any to explain our offer. We want you to help us work on solving the lifespan limit. In addition to you normal salary, BioForm will provide food, housing, medical care and when your human body deteriorates, we will give you a new form or your choice."

The offer was too good to pass up. I would have happily given up a year of my life just to work with this equipment, and they were offering me an addition lifetime to do so.

It's been thirty years since that visitor first made the offer to me. Now I am sitting here with a thick coat of gray fur, resembling a large wolf. A modified keyboard gives my access to hundreds of devices. BioForm has gone public recently, and my research is used before I finish proofreading my reports. Solutions to my initial problems are still far off, but I still have time to spare.