First paycheck I get, I thought, I'm going to get myself a room near the downtown L.A. Public Library.

And yet women-good women--frightened me because they eventually wanted your soul, and what was left of mine, I wanted to keep.

With me, my main vision for life was to avoid as many people as possible. The less people I saw the better I felt.

One more drink and you're dead. This is no way to talk to a suicide head.

there is moss on the walls and the stain of thought and failure and waiting

Her violence frightened me. She always claimed that I was the jealous one, and I was often jealous, but when I saw things working against me I simply became disgusted and withdrew. Lydia was different. She reacted. She was the Head Cheerleader at the Game of Violence.

and love was lightning and remembrance