private Map<Object, Object> lazyProperties() {
        if (properties == null) {
            properties = new HashMap<Object, Object>();
        }
        return properties;
    }
private Map < Object , Object > lazyProperties ( ) { if ( properties == null ) { properties = new HashMap < Object , Object > ( ) ; } return properties ; }
Lazy creation of properties hash.

@return    Returns in instance of the properties