02697cam a22003973u 450000100060000000300070000600500170001300600020003000700050003200800410003704000110007804100170008905000070010610000330011324500240014626400510017030000470022133600260026833700260029433800360032049000420035650000310039850800960042952014170052553400770194265300200201965300220203965300210206165300250208265300260210765300310213370000310216483000420219585600430223799900190228073704UtSlPG20260610134715.0mcr n260607r20241957utu|||||o|||||||||||||| d  aUtSlPG 7aen2iso639-1 4aPS1 aMarlowe, Stephen,d1928-200810aExcitement for sale 1aSalt Lake City, UT :bProject Gutenberg,c2024  a1 online resource :bmultiple file formats  atextbtxt2rdacontent  acomputerbc2rdamedia  aonline resourcebcr2rdacarrier1 aProduced from Fantastic January 1958.  aRelease date is 2024-05-26  aGreg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net  a"Excitement for Sale" by Stephen Marlowe is a short story that revolves around the themes of desire, transformation, and the nature of happiness. Written in the mid-20th century, the narrative captures a moment in the lives of suburban housewives, emphasizing their yearnings for adventure and excitement outside the bounds of their mundane domestic lives. The plot hinges on a peculiar salesman who claims to sell happiness tailored to the desires of women, presenting a fantastical twist on the conventional sales pitch.  In the story, Mary-Jean, a typical housewife feeling trapped in her routine, encounters a mysterious peddler who offers her the chance to experience the thrill and beauty she craves. After applying a "happiness balm" from the peddler’s suitcase, she undergoes a miraculous transformation into the alluring Jeanne-Marie. This new persona embarks on an adventurous night out, only to find herself entangled with a fugitive, leading to a high-stakes encounter and a self-revelation. Ultimately, Mary-Jean must confront the implications of her newfound identity and the bittersweet nature of change, culminating in her decision to return to her ordinary life, enriched by her extraordinary experience. The story serves as both a critique and an exploration of the desires that dwell within the hearts of those confined by societal expectations. (This is an automatically generated summary.)  pOriginally published:cNew York, NY: Ziff-Davis Publishing Company, 1957  aScience fiction  aAdventure stories  aWomen -- Fiction  aHappiness -- Fiction  aHousewives -- Fiction  aSales personnel -- Fiction1 aFinlay, Virgil,d1914-1971 0aProduced from Fantastic January 1958.40uhttps://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/73704  c114429d114429