I mean-- no offense, Leonard, but you really don't like to climb ropes, and get into the Marine Corps, and kill your countriy's enemies, do you?" I said that it wasn't one of the big goals of my life. "Well, maybe you'd like me to get you into this c...
No one ever developed their character by arranging their experiences in such a way that only ‘good’ things are allowed to happen to them. Character is not purchased with a dance in the street. It is not cheap, and it’s hard to come by, owing pa...
[I] would argue that native-born blacks are so vastly less "African" than actual Africans that calling ourselves 'African American' is not only illogical but almost disrespectful to African immigrants. Here are people who were born in Africa, speak A...
The master in us all lives behind the masks and roles and wounds and beliefs. It calls us to live deep, full, radical lives. It asks us not to wait until we are told by anyone that we have arrived. It invites us forward, across the line of fear and u...
Saying that “life is short” is such a cliche. And it’s true. In fact, we only have five minutes to be here. In the really big scheme of things, not even that long. We humans don’t even have the lifespan of fruit flies if you look at the bigge...
Clark: Where do you think you're going? Nobody's leaving. Nobody's walking out on this fun, old-fashioned family Christmas. No, no. We're all in this together. This is a full-blown, four-alarm holiday emergency here. We're gonna press on, and we're g...
David Kleinfeld: [to the Italian dancing with Gail] Hey! Hey! Carlito: What are you doin'? David Kleinfeld: Hey! Carlito: Are you out of your fuckin' mind? David Kleinfeld: Hey, you! Italian at Copa: What's that? David Kleinfeld: Yeah, you! You wop! ...
Frodo: [after destroying the Ring] I can see the Shire. The Brandywine River. Bag End. The Lights in the Party Tree. Sam: Rosie Cotton dancing. She had ribbons in her hair. If ever I were to marry someone, it would have been her. It would have been h...
Wedding Guest: Look! The dead prince! Concorde: He's not quite dead. Prince Herbert: Oh, I feel much better. King of Swamp Castle: You fell out of the tall tower, you creep! Prince Herbert: I was saved at the last minute. King of Swamp Castle: How? P...
Mr. Bingley: [overheard by Charlotte and Elizabeth] But her sister Elizabeth is very agreeable. Mr. Darcy: Barely tolerable, I dare say. But not handsome enough to tempt me. You'd better return to your partner and enjoy her smiles. You're wasting you...
Walt Disney: Please sit down. P.L. Travers: I shall not sit in the seat of a trickster! A fraudster! A sneak! Walt Disney: Mrs. Travers, what in the world has upset you so? P.L. Travers: Penguins have very much upset me! Animated, dancing penguins! N...
Lindsey Brigman: I saw these things. I touched one of them. And... It wasn't some clunky steel can... like we would build. It glided. It was the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. Oh, God, I wish you'd been there. It was a machine. It was a machine...
D-Day: [enters with a bruised and bloodied Otter] I found him after he called me from a phone on the side of the road outside of town. Boon: [to Otter] Holy shit! What happened to you? You look grotesqe. Otter: Some of the Omegas jumped me and did a ...
Dr. Sayer: His gaze is from the passing of bars so exhausted, that it doesn't hold a thing anymore. For him, it's as if there were thousands of bars and behind the thousands of bars no world. The sure stride of lithe, powerful steps, that around the ...
Thomas Leroy: [yelling to Nina over rehearsal music] The final act. Your final dance! You've tasted your dream. Touched it! Only to have it crushed. Your heart is broken. Wounded! Your life force fading. The blood drips. The black swan stole your lov...
He came through the door howling, an axe arched high over his head. His eyes danced in madness, stuck fast on the two of them kissing, caught in their embrace and unaware of him. For a moment they went on, oblivious, untouched by the madman soon to c...
How remote we were too from the crazy musicians who arrived on a blustery fall day with the idea that, since this was a financial center, there would be a rain of coins from the tall buildings in response to their trumpet, guitar, and bass fiddle. Th...
WE two boys together clinging, One the other never leaving, Up and down the roads going, North and South excursions making, Power enjoying, elbows stretching, fingers clutching, Arm'd and fearless, eating, drinking, sleeping, loving. No law less than...
She was in big trouble now. "You stupid man," she said to the body on the floor. "Why did you have to lunge at me like that? Why couldn't you have left well enough alone? I told your father I wasn't going to marry you. I told him I wouldn't marry you...
Jeffrey woke up, tied to the high-backed chair in his bedroom, nude. He could hear his wife giggling in the hallway, the hardwood floors creaking with her footsteps with what must have been someone else too. He was gagged, a tight cloth wrapped aroun...
I should go," I said thickly. "Let me know when you want to start practice again. And thanks for...talking." I started to turn; then I heard him say abruptly, "No." I glanced back. "What?" He held my gaze, and something warm and wonderful and powerfu...