„Please, come in! It will be a pleasure to show our products to you. Do you already have any experience with the Snapshot Technology at all?”

“No, I never…”

“That’s all right. There always has to be a first time. There is no point in getting nervous; it is not dangerous in any way. Please, lie down on the couch over there. I will explain to you how this works.”

“I am not sure yet whether this is the right thing for me, but a friend talked me into it. She is a very enthusiastic user of your products and she sounded really convinced. She was the one who gave me your card, by the way.”

“Yes, I see. Okay, so we will start out with something nice and easy. Have you ever been fishing?”

“Fishing? You mean, catching fish?”

“Yes, exactly”

“Well, as a little boy, together with my uncle. It was quite nice.”

“In that case you will like this one. It is called Fisherman from our product line ‘wild moments’. It is the exact instant when the fisherman notices the fish taking the bait and sets his hook. Pleasure, excitement and power over nature meshed together. You will feel it.”

“What do I have to do?”

“Nothing! Just lie back and relax. See, this is one of our samples. You just screw the applicator onto the ampoule like this.”

“But the ampoule looks empty to me.”

“In a way it is. Moments are not material. You cannot see them or touch them. But the moment is in there nevertheless.”

“You mean it is invisible, like a gas?”

“No, it is not a gas. Gas is a form of matter. This is pure essence. But if you feel better with it, then think of it as a gas. It is easier for the mind to grasp something concrete, isn’t it?”

“And this applicator? What do you do with it? It looks a bit scary with all those points on it.”

“ Don’t worry about it. It looks worse than it is. It hurts less than an ordinary medical shot. The needles are just there to get the moment under your skin. It can be applied anywhere on the body, but studies have shown that the experience is most intense when the applicator is set on the back of the neck. This is a purely psychological effect, of course. It is a spot where we feel very vulnerable. Do you want me to tie you up?”

“What? Will that be necessary?”

“No, not at all. Don’t worry. A moment is much too short to give the body time to react in an undesired way. It is just that some customers prefer it that way. It intensifies the feeling of surrendering to the moment completely.”

“That sounds a bit like a perversion to me.”

“Well, everyone ticks differently. And if you change your mind, you can try it out another time. Now relax. Are you ready?”

“Yes, I think so. No, wait. It is really not dangerous? There are no unwanted side-effects or complications?”

“No, rest assured. Our products are all tested thoroughly. As you might know, we have started out as a pharmaceutical company. All our moment snapshots are produced with the same care and high quality standards as our medical products and we run a great variety of tests on them before releasing them to the public, even though we are not forced to do so by law. A moment is not a medical substance after all. I can really assure you that you are quite safe with me.”

“Okay, then let’s get started”

“Please, move your head to the side, so that I can reach the back of your neck. And now…”

“Whoa…”

“That’s it.”

“That was … how can I put this? … it was … amazing. Exciting, just like you said it would be. I really felt like I was catching a fish. It was just in my head, though. Or was it in my gut? It is hard to explain …”

“You don’t have to explain it. The moment is just for you. Do you want to try another one?”

“Is that possible, so soon after the other?”

“That is no problem. Every moment stands for its own and is unique in its own way. What do you want this time? A sexual experience, maybe?”

“Something … sex? You mean, that is possible?”

“Yes, sure. That was our original area of application. The development of the snapshot technology used to be part of our impotence remedy research. It was meant as an additional measure to increase the power of our stamina boosters. Soon the technology developed so amazingly, though, that it became a field of business in its own right, and a rather successful one, at that. Sexual moments are still a big seller, though. We have several product lines out. I think we will take this one: ‘High Tide’ from ‘Erotic Moments’.

“I don’t know … well, why not?”

“That’s the spirit. Since you already know how it works now, do you want to apply it yourself this time?”

“Can I do this?”

“Certainly you can. It really is quite easy to handle. Most of our customers take our products home and apply them themselves. Just take the applicator in one hand, hold it in the right spot and then push it through your skin in a smooth movement. Don’t be afraid, it is not going to hurt. You can’t do anything wrong.”

“Well, if you say so. Here, like this?”

“Yes, and now push!”

“Oh … ooooohhhhh … aah …oh … that was … something …”

“Quite impressive, isn’t it?”

“Indeed very much so. What was it?”

“Well, an orgasm of course. A moment captured very brilliantly. I really love this sample myself.”

“I have to admit, this was really great. Can I try another one?”

“Sure. I am glad you find taste in our products. Here, you will like this one, I think. We call it ‘Deep Passion’. Try closing your eyes this time. Believe me it will make the experience even more intense.”

“Okay. Ooooooaaaaahhhhhhh …”

“So, how did you like that one?”

“Uh … that was very exciting as well, but different in a way: Greedier and devouring, somehow. What was it?”

“Also an orgasm, but this time that of a woman.”

“Oh, this is possible as well? I had not thought of that.”

“Yes, that is what makes the snapshot technology so exciting. You can feel things you normally would never be able to experience. And you are always in a safe and comfortable environment when doing so. Believe me this can turn even feelings which we normally resent as negative into an exciting and very precious moment.”

“Like what?”

“Fear, rage, stress, you name it. Normally we experience those feelings only in situations which are uncomfortable or even dangerous. But if you isolate them from that, they are very impressive. This is due to the adrenaline rush that comes with it, I suppose. Those are very intense and vivid moments. Do you want to try one?”

“I cannot really imagine this.”

“Of course you can’t. It is unimaginable. But with our products, you can still experience it. That is the truly magnificent thing about it. Here, I have one for you. We call it ‘Cliffhanger’ from the product line ‘Ultimate Moments’.

“What is it about?”

“I will tell you this later. You really can enjoy it more if you don’t know what’s coming. Here, take this! And don’t be startled when you are startled.”

“GAAAAAHHH….oh God …”

“Just breath deeply now and enjoy the feeling to be safe and well.”

“What was this for Christ’s sake?”

“A bungee jump. A first time bungee jump for the experimentee to be exact. Some things are just never as good again as the first time. It is exactly the moment when he allows himself to topple over the edge and knows that he is past the point of no return. It is fear of dying and the knowledge to have conquered that fear in the same instance.”

“I would never do bungee jumping”

“I thought so. But now you might understand why there are people who do.”

“Yes, it was a weird feeling. I am still trembling.”

“Well, I think you have felt enough for one day, haven’t you? If you want, we can set up another appointment and I will advise you on how you apply our products at home and of course you can also buy some of our moments then. How about next week?”

“Don’t you think we can find an earlier date? Maybe tomorrow?” “Wait, I have to check my schedule. Yes, you are lucky, I have a free slot tomorrow afternoon. Two o’clock? I will give you some brochures and our current price list so you can browse through it and see what interests you.”

“Yes, that would be wonderful. What do I owe you for today, then?”

“We do not take a fee for the first introduction. Just a very small thing, would you uncover your left arm for a second? Don’t be afraid, this will tickle a little. Okay. Now I need your signature here, please.”

“My signature? What for?”

“You grant us right of usage of the moment I just extracted from you.”

“Oh, is that what you did? But why? I mean, compared to sex or bungee jumping, who could want a moment like this?”

“The signature, please! Thank you. Do not underestimate your feelings. This Moment will become part of our most treasured and exclusive product line. We call it ‘Kick off – Lost Innocence’. You would not believe how many customers wish they could discover the magic of the snapshot technology a second time. Some things are just never as good as the first time. Believe me you will never again feel exactly as you do now. The moment is precious, invaluable. Have a nice day, I will see you tomorrow.”