She was calm and quiet now with knowing what she had always known, what neither her parents nor Aunt Claire nor Frank nor anyone else had ever had to teach her: that if you wanted something to do something absolutely honest, something true, it always turned out to be a thing that had to be done alone.
Richard Yatesif you donโt try at anything, you canโt failโฆ it takes back bone to lead the life you want
Richard Yates...you found you were saying yes when you meant no, and โWeโve got to be together in this thingโ when you meant the very opposite ... and then you were face to face, in total darkness, with the knowledge that you didnโt know who you were. And how could anyone else be blamed for that?
Richard YatesKnow what we did, Lucy? You and me? We spent our whole lives yearning. Isn't that the God damndest thing?
Richard YatesWhat a subtle, treacherous thing it was to let yourself go that way! Because once you've started it was terribly difficult to stop; soon you were saying "I'm sorry, of course you're right", and "Whatever you think is best", and "you're the most wonderful and valuable thing int he world", and the next thing you knew all honesty, all truth, was as far away and glimmering, as hopelessly unattainable as the world of the golden people.
Richard Yates