Name of short story?

November 11, 2013 10:06 AM

When I was 12 or 13 my English teacher assigned a short story that is quite profound. From what I remember, it was scifi. In this society there was a new company that sold delicious milkshakes. They became incredibly popular, and their stores were everywhere. Unfortunately the people in the story got obese. So another company created a product that would help you lose weight. That became popular too. The people bought lots of milkshakes, and the people paid to lose weight. Round and round... Does anyone know the title of this short story?
posted by daniel.poynter to Media & Arts (8 answers total)

Does this story involve aliens? A similar story that I recall is also about delicious (fattening) milkshakes and some sort of instantaneous weight-loss booth at the mall. The story was told from the point of view of a teenage girl. I remember when she first tries the weight loss booth, she loses five pounds and can tell that her jeans feel loose, although her friends are skeptical. Eventually, you find out that the aliens were harvesting human "energy" (from the weight-loss booths) and that the milkshakes were also placed there by them, in order to encourage this weight gain/loss cycle. I believe that it is implied at the end that the aliens have harvested enough energy and now will blow up the earth or somehow doom is inevitable.

Sorry, don't know the title, but wanted to share extra details in case it rings a bell for anyone else.
posted by coupdefoudre at 10:18 AM on November 11, 2013

Best answer: According to a similar thread on Goodreads, it's Lose Now, Pay Later.
posted by shirobara at 10:27 AM on November 11, 2013 [3 favorites]

You can borrow an ebook that includes this story from Open Library (free account required). It nmight even be the text you used in school. The story starts on page 264.

I think my little brother is crazy. At least I hope he is. Because if his loony idea is right, then all of us are being used as a flock of sheep, and that's a pretty gruesome thought. Humans Just can't be that stupid. ...

posted by maudlin at 10:39 AM on November 11, 2013 [1 favorite]

I am so glad you asked this question - yes, it's Lose Now, Pay Later, but I'd never been able to track down a copy and now, thanks to maudlin, I can read it again!
posted by SeedStitch at 10:46 AM on November 11, 2013

Thanks to shirobara first, though: that GoodReads link was what led me to the Open Library listing.
posted by maudlin at 10:48 AM on November 11, 2013

Swoodies!
posted by Iridic at 11:45 AM on November 11, 2013

Response by poster: Wow, the MF is incredible. Thank you all so much. :D
posted by daniel.poynter at 11:46 AM on November 11, 2013

It's essentially the plot of The Sneeches, by Dr. Seuss, too.
posted by Wild_Eep at 4:50 PM on November 11, 2013