"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—"
"Of course you get it! 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. Get it, honey? Get it?"