He ain’t no cuckoo,” said George. “He’s dumb as hell, but he ain’t crazy. An’ I ain’t so bright neither, or I wouldn’t be buckin’ barley for my fifty and found.
The paintings on the wall were largely preoccupied with the amazing heroism of large dogs faced with imperiled children. Nor water nor fire nor earthquake could do in a child so long as a big dog was available.
Captain Loft believed that all women fall in love with a uniform and he did not see how it could be otherwise.
Things that happen are of no importance. But from everything that happens, there is a lesson to be learned.
I love people so much I’m fit to bust, sometimes.
No – the stars are close and dear and I have joined the brotherhood of the worlds. And everything’s holy – everything, even me.
When the radio was on, music has stimulated memory of times and places, complete with characters and stage sets, memories so exact that every word of dialogue is recreated. And I have projected future scenes, just as complete and convincing – scenes that will never take place. I’ve written short stories in my mind, chuckling at my own humor, saddened or stimulated by structure or content.
He was very rich; he bought eggs to throw at a Chinaman. And one of those eggs missed the Chinaman and hit a policeman. So, Danny was in jail.
The news came early to the beggars in front of the church, and it made them giggle a little with pleasure, for they knew that there is no Almsgiver in the world like a poor man who is suddenly lucky.
Aron’s training in worldliness was gained from a young man of no experience, which gave him the ability for generalization only the inexperienced can have.
I’m glad there’s love here. That’s all.
Men don’t get knocked out, or I mean they can fight back against big things. What kills them is erosion; they get nudged into failure.
Guys like us, that work on ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world. They got no family. They don’t belong no place. They come to a ranch an’ work up a stake and then they go inta town and blow their stake, and the first thing you know they’re pound-in’ their tail on some other ranch. They ain’t got nothing to look ahead to.
He hated old women. They frightened him. There was a smell about them that gave him the willies. They were fierce and they had no price. They never gave a damn about making a scene. They got what they wanted. Louie’s grandmother had been a tyrant. She had got whatever she wanted by being fierce.
It would be good to live in a perpetual state of leave-taking, never to go nor to stay, but to remain suspended in that golden emotion of love and longing; to be missed without being gone; to be loved without satiety. How beautiful one is and how desirable; for in a few moments one will have ceased to exist.
The gilded chairs covered with their worn tapestry were set about stiffly like too many servants with nothing to do.
Don’t roust your faith bird-high an’ you won’t do no crawlin’ with the worms.
The women watched the men, watched to see whether the break had come at last. The women stood silently and watched. And where a number of men gathered together, the fear went from their faces, and anger took its place. And the women sighed with relief, for they knew it was all right – the break had not come; and the break would never come as long as fear could turn to wrath.
Why did his mind pick its way as delicately as a cat through cactus?
It seems to me that man has engaged in a blind and fearful struggle out of a past he can’t remember, into a future he can’t foresee nor understand. And man has met and defeated every obstacle, every enemy except one. He cannot win over himself. How mankind hates himself.