Sales Talk BY CON BLOMBERG Illustrated by MORROW [Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from Galaxy Science Fiction December 1959. Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.] To live different and exciting lives, all I had to do was sign here--and give up my own life! Looking out the window, I saw them crossing the court toward the building--two of them. One, the taller with yellow hair, was carrying a flat, expensive briefcase, and the other, of course, was carrying the large square box that contained the Sim. The buzzer sounded, announcing them at the door, and I opened it with mixed feelings. I wasn't sure myself how I would act and--well, you hear so many stories about EL, and this was really my first contact with them. They were standing out in front, looking just like a couple of door-to-door salesmen. And that's just what they were, even if they were called Electro Medical Consultants. Just a fancy name for salesmen. They were very neat in appearance, just as good salesmen should be. Their hats looked new and so did their shoes. "Ah, Mr. Gaines," said the yellow-haired one, sticking out his neatly manicured but definitely masculine hand, "I'm very happy to meet you, sir." His grin could only be described as sincerely boyish. "Come in," I said, feeling like smiling back, so effectively pleasant were their grins. "Come in and sit down, won't you?" So they came in, doffing their hats, and sat down in two chairs that I ordinarily didn't use. They seemed to know instinctively which was _my_ favorite chair. Oh, they were smooth! "Now, Mr. Gaines," said the light-haired man, "perhaps I should start off with a little introduction all around and a short explanation of what Electronic Living can mean to you." No one had mentioned EL up to that point, yet they knew without a doubt that I had correctly identified them. Talk about confidence--it was like a physical force in the room. "I'm Jake Long and this is Arnie Blik," said the light-haired one, rising and gripping my hand with a warm, dry, just right handshake. "Pleased to meet you," said Blik, gripping my hand in turn with an identical warm, dry, just right handshake. "I'm going to ask you for a bit of your time," said Long, "and I certainly hope you can grant us a few minutes without too much inconvenience." * * * * * I murmured something about having plenty of time. That was a laugh, and he and I both knew it. I had so little to do, I almost welcomed them just for sheer entertainment value. "Well, that's fine," said Long, "but rest assured we aren't going to try to waste any of your time. We intend to make it short and sweet, as they say." He did such a good job of keeping up the fiction of me being a busy man that I almost believed it myself.