Chapter 3: Special Guest

Chapter 3: Special Guest

“Now for my special guest, Doctor Mark Landon!”

The audience, all two hundred of them, all women, applauded loudly and enthusiastically. More so than the usual actor or politician that appeared on that daytime show. As the curtain parted and the guest came out, the show’s host Stella Donner led the applause and smiled widely. It felt good to have a guest that the audience approved of. Helped the ratings. Waving her hand towards the chairs next to her desk, she invited the scientist to sit. The applause continued even after he was seated and still smiling at the audience.

“You have quite a fan club,” she joked when the noise level allowed. “Women seem to like you.”

Landon continued smiling but turned his attention to the hostess of ‘Afternoon Talk’. “I suspect it is the product my company sells that they like, not me.”

He was not a bad looking man, mid-forties, and reasonably in good shape, thanks to his enjoyment of tennis. At least he had avoided the usual middle age bulge around the waistline. His hair was gray at the temples but mostly black. He was clean shaven with no trace of a shadowy beard that so many men seemed to think was fashionable these days. Some had said that his features made him look more like a cop than an award winning scientist. The sharp lines of his chin and strong nose made him appear stern unless he was smiling.

“For anyone out there who doesn’t know what that product is,” Stella said, automatically facing the cameras, “Dr. Landon is the inventor of ‘Ecstasy’, about the most widely publicized drug on the market today. Doctor, could you please explain – in case there are those who do not know about your drug – exactly what it is and how it works?”

“First off,” he began, “Please do not confuse my company’s drug with the street drug that is commonly goes by the same name. Methylenedioxy-methamphetamine, to give that illegal drug its proper name – is a synthetic that alters mood and perception. It is chemically similar to both stimulants and hallucinogens, producing feelings of increased energy, pleasure, emotional warmth, and distorted sensory and time perception.

“While our ‘Ecstasy’ will also produce very positive feelings in a woman, it is not the same at all. They are normal sexual emotions, only enhanced considerably. No artificial emotions at all.”

“Oh, come on now, doctor, isn’t that rather an understatement? I’ve heard it does much more than that.”

Landon smiled humbly. “In more precise terms, Ecstasy will cause a woman to experience a sexual arousal that is far stronger than she normally would. But, again, it is only what her body would be doing anyway. I should emphasize that Ecstasy is not a stimulant. It only improves the body’s normal reactions when they occur.”

Before he could continue, Stella interjected, “Now that this drug is available over the counter, many women are proclaiming that it gives them the best sex they ever had.”

“Basically that is true,” he continued. “The original purpose of my research was into nerve stimulation with the intent of improving the condition of people with nerve damage. That research led into improving neural transmission in the human body. Particularly, the nerves involved in the female sexual response.”

“So it makes the sex stronger and more pleasurable?” Stella cut in again.

“Yes.”

Stella grinned, and added, “And what about the added benefit? I’m sure you know what I’m talking about.”

An almost bashful smile came to him. It had been practiced a great deal to make it seem this added benefit was not the original purpose. “Some women,” he said, “are able to have multiple orgasms. Ecstasy gives that ability to every woman.”

About half of the audience gasped aloud.

He continued the lecture. “We found, during clinical trials, that any woman will continue to have multiple orgasms so long as the sexual stimulus continues.”

Stella leaned forward with an eager look on her face. “You mean if the male partner continues to… engage in the sex act, a woman will continue to have orgasms?”

“That is correct. So long as stimulation sufficient to cause an orgasm in the first place continues, a female will experience repeated orgasms. And stay in a high state of arousal continuously. That full enjoyment of sex is not for a few lucky ones any more. Every woman can now have the pleasure sex was meant to be.”

Stella sat back in her chair and shook her head. “No wonder so many women like you!” she proclaimed. “What a gift you’ve given to womanhood!”

The audience laughed, then applauded in agreement with her statement.

“I was wondering why you chose to call your drug ‘Ecstasy’? I mean, what with there being a street drug with the same name.”

“At first we simply called it by its chemical name. But one of the first clinical trial volunteers described the experience as ‘pure ecstasy’. After that, the name stuck. Seemed appropriate.”

Landon was grinning but trying to look humble. The audience began to applaud. Stella had to wait until that reaction died down. When she could, she asked what was probably on most of the women’s minds. “Is Ecstasy safe?”

“We conducted extensive clinical trials of the drug, hundreds of them. In no case was there any negative reaction of any kind. I emphasize that there was not even one case of a negative reaction. And, as you probably know, the government agency that licenses drugs has given Ecstasy full approval. It is quite safe.”

Stella took on a slightly sinister smile. “Does Ecstasy have any effect on males?” she asked.

He smiled again and shook his head. “We included a few trials on males and found that Ecstasy apparently has no effect whatsoever on the male.”

“Too bad. I’m sure more than a few men would not mind having multiple orgasms.” That evoked a laugh from the audience. She continued, “So Viagra is still the male drug of choice?”

Landon laughed. “It has nothing to fear from Ecstasy.”

“Before we allow the audience to ask questions, I have one for them,” Stella said. “Have any of you tried Ecstasy?”

About a dozen arms went up, a few enthusiastically, a few hesitantly. Stella smiled. She loved an active audience.

She then invited those women to come down and tell of their experiences with Ecstasy on national television. The first few who came down couldn’t have done a better job of selling the product if Dr. Landon had coached them. There followed a question and answer period that lasted until the time ran out. Many of the women in the audience flatly stated that they would try Ecstasy as soon as possible.