Zen and the Art of Minion Management

“I’m bored, Igor. What plaything can you offer me today?” The evil doctor asked his minion with undisguised malice.

Igor froze, his brain racing. “I don’t know sir,” he said. Let me think. Igor nervously rooted around in his valise. “What about this?” he asked his master, holding up a faintly glowing key.

"The Key of Alshabrath? How did you get this?" Igor shrugged. "No big deal, master. I only had to battle the Slug God Grshgrsh to the death under the lost city of T'watissiyuu buried within the Glaciers of Mu five miles beneath the surface of Antarctica during the last new moon."

“Well, since it wasn’t any trouble—“ He reached for the key. “But master,” Igor stammered. “I thought maybe this time I could be the one—“ The master cackled. “You thought wrong!” He snatched the key from Igor’s trembling hand and held it aloft before thrusting it into the lock.

His hands were trembling with excitement as he turned the key. He wasn't sure what they would find but he sensed his luck was about to change. The lock clicked and the door slowly swung open. "Is that..." Igor stammered. "It can't be" the master said dumbfounded.

The entry revealed a large empty room, in its center a rusty bucket. They entered the room. The bucket contained a note, which read “happiness is already found.” It was then that they realized the treasure was friendship, and they had discovered it together.