Stephen Marlowe

“ Jeanne Peterson reads Cosmopolite to while away her lonely hours. Jeanne smokes Dromedaries, relaxes in her bathtub with Luroscent, dreams of her lover on the moon on a Softafoam pillow, writes him letters and saves them for his return by using Perma-blue ink, wears a Furform coat to keep her warm while gazing at the crescent moon on chill autumn nights. ”

“ Mom asked them all indignantly as she returned from the kitchen.
"Who was the young man, Jeanne?" Aunt Anna asked.
Jeanne grinned, brushed back a stray lock of her blonde hair. "Sorry to disappoint an old gossip like you, but—"
"Tom is a long way off!"
"That was just Mr. Lubrano, a reporter on the Times-Democrat. 'How does it feel to be the fiancee of the first man to reach the moon,' he said. Funny, I hadn't thought of it that way at all. How does it feel? Did he expect me to turn cartwheels? (But, I am proud of Tom, so why don't I admit it?) He'll be down to interview me this afternoon." ”

“ The agency director of photography, a small, round man with a thin voice, waved the photographer off his camera impatiently and scowled at Jeanne. "You're a nice girl, Miss Peterson. That's a nice nightgown, filmy, but not so filmy it won't get by the censors. You got a nice figure and the country will love you. So why don't you be a nice model too?
"That ain't just a mattress you're on, Miss Peterson. How many times I gotta tell you that's the mattress you're waiting for Tom on? 'I miss Tom so, I'd never sleep, thinking of him so helpless and far away, the first Man in the Moon. ”

“ The Pacific Ocean is a goldfish bowl compared to the empty space between us and the moon. But Cleopatra Soap, in conjunction with the Amalgamated Broadcasting Network and the United States Air Force, will attempt to reach the moon tonight—by radio. Here with us is the lovely Jeanne Peterson, who...."
On and on he rambled. There was so much she wanted to tell Tom—
"... and on the moon, on the unthinkably remote moon, Captain Tom Bentley, alone on a wild, utterly unexplored frontier. More alone than any man has ever been before him. ”

“ But what could she tell him? "Just imagine what it will be like when Tom gets back here and speaks to the Women's League," said Aunt Anna. That? "They're liable to keep Tom on the moon a long time," said Pop. "Hm-hmm," said Jeanne, "some guy trying to make time because Tom's too far away to protest." That? "I wouldn't prostitute my emotional relationship with Tom for all the Women's Leagues in the country," Jeanne said. Very funny. Tell him that? Tell him about Dan Lubrano? ”

“ If it's a matter of publicity, never hurt anyone's feelings. Straddle that fence. Walk that tight-rope.
"Well, I'll be damned," said Pate. "Show's got to go on. Is that final, Miss Peterson?"
"You can bet your bottom dollar on it, as the expression goes." Jeanne almost felt like smiling, despite the situation.
"Don't say anything unprintable, then. Tear up your speech. We've got to. See you in two hours." Muttering a brief word or two, Pate left, not bothering to say good-bye to the general.
The general grinned professionally at Jeanne. "Any time I can be of further assistance...." ”

“ Each week, Cleopatra Facial Soap extends a helping hand to men and women everywhere. Submit your story to us, and if it is judged a winner, you will speak with your loved one over-seas—wherever he is, whatever he's doing—courtesy of Cleopatra. ”

“ 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? ”