My sweetheart's the Man in the MoonMarlowe, Stephen
Science
My sweetheart's the Man in the Moon
Marlowe, Stephen
Fiancées -- Fiction; Science fiction; Short stories; Space flight to the moon -- Fiction; Young women -- Fiction
"I don't understand."
"Jeanne, we can make a million bucks together. Quick, with hardly any
work. Want to?"
"It sounds crazy, Dan. You're not making any sense."
"No? Then listen." He turned on the radio, waited for the tubes to warm
up, dialed at random for a station. "... at this hour, we know only
that the Man in the Moon has landed on Earth's far satellite, that he
has signalled the success of his mission with a phosphorous flare,
and that he has as yet established no radio contact, although that is
expected momentarily. It is anticipated that the government will make
an announcement shortly. This much is certain, however. In order to
consolidate our position on the moon, we will have to send up another
spaceman to join fearless Captain Bentley on our bleak satellite,
eventually an entire crew of technicians--"
"Is that all?" Jeanne demanded. "Of course Tom is news. What's the
connection?"
"News is right. The biggest since we exploded the A-bomb. Listen."
Lubrano dialed for another station. "... dream of all centuries,
all generations. A spaceship to the moon. The implications are so
tremendous that man hasn't even considered all of them. American
know-how, scientific ability and determination has once again brought
a new era to mankind. Tonight before you retire, Mr. and Mrs. America,
give a silent prayer of thanks to our Maker for giving us the Man in
the Moon. This is--"
Lubrano flicked the dial again. "... presented by Crunchy Kernels, the
cereal with the truly sprightly crackle. And here he is, ladies and
gentlemen, in a direct interview from White Sands, New Mexico. Dr. Amos
T. Kedder, assistant supervisor of electronics for the final stages of
the spaceship's construction--"
"See what I mean?" Lubrano asked triumphantly, turning off the radio.
"Assistant supervisor in charge of electronics. Well, a pat on the
backside for him. Nobody yesterday, the feature attraction on the
Crunchy Kernel Guest of Honor Show today. Startling, isn't it?"
"What's all this got to do with me?" Jeanne asked.
"Every place you turn," said Lubrano. "Can't avoid it. Honey, who wants
to? Don't get me wrong. You won't just be my meal ticket. I'll have to
do most of the work, but together, watch our smoke. A million bucks,
honey! That's the goal. Want to get on the gravy train?"
"Maybe," said Jeanne. "But I still don't--"
"Look," Lubrano sneered. "I'm a newspaperman, struggling along at
fifteen bucks a week over the Guild minimum. But I got ideas, honey.
Public relations, that's the field. Public relations. There's millions
in it.
"Get the right start and you got it made. We can't have Bentley here
on Earth--tough. But we got his gal-friend. A red-hot item, if handled
properly. Man! Commercial endorsements as a starter, then maybe a
lecture tour, theater appearances, even cheesecake pictures for the
magazines. Get it, honey?"
"Why, yes. I'm beginning to under--"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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