I didn't like parties.I didn't know how to dance and people frightened me, especially people at parties. They attempted to be sexy and gay and witty and although they hoped they were good at it, they weren 't. They were bad at it. Their trying so hard only made it worse.

Why did I come here? I thought. Why is it always only a matter of choosing between something bad and something worse?

My flesh looked like it wasn't trying. It looked like it hated being part of me.

Experience can dull. With most men experience is a series of mistakes; the more experience you have the less you know.

There's music in everything, even defeat

I often carry things to read so that I will not have to look at the people.

I guess for me Hemingway is a lot like it is for others: he goes down well when we are young.