For the first time I could remember, I felt weak, woozy and stupid— like a human-being. Like a very small and helpless human-being.

Of course, having information to use is one thing. Knowing what it means and how to use it is a different story.

A man who discovers his pants are on fire tends to have very little time to worry about somebody else's box of matches

No big deal. We all have blood in us, the trick is keeping it inside.

And here I always thought morality was useless.

I let it ring. I wanted to breathe for a few minutes, and I could think of nothing that couldn't wait. Besides, I had paid almost $50 for an answering machine. Let it earn its keep.

I had killed our careful relationship by driving my tongue through its heart and pushing it off a cliff.