“Well,I hope you like the ring." He held it out to me, he velvet lid still closed. "My mom hates it.""I'm sure I'll love it,then," I said, and he laughed.”

“I hope I'm never a mom. But if I am, I'll make damn sure my kids look up to me.”

“You're not just doing that to impress her, are you?""Everything I do is to impress her. It's my mission in life," he said with a completely serious face, while he squeezed my knee under the table. Mom burst out laughing. "I like him," she said."Me too. I think I'll keep him," I said, taking his hand and twisting my fingers with his. "Good," he said, giving my hand a squeeze.”

“I let myself think, I hope he loves me, and then I wonder if I've said it out loud. I try hard to remember if I'd formed the words with my lips. No. I didn't. I'm sure I didn't. I'm convinced of it, until he murmurs back, "Don't worry. He does.”

“Dad, he's different. He's not going to take advantage of me.""I hope not, 'cause I'd hate to go to prison for murder."I laughed and went to hug him but he wasn't amused."Dad, I'll be ok. Caleb is a nice guy and very responsible. I promise you I won't do anything stupid and neither will he. I'm sure he wants to stay alive and keep his limbs intact. Ok?""Ok," he conceded with a sigh.”

“I think I'll be a clown when I get grown,' said Dill.Jem and I stopped in our tracks.Yes sir, a clown,' he said. 'There ain't one thing in this world I can do about folks except laugh, so I'm gonna join the circus and laugh my head off.'You got it backwards, Dill,' said Jem. 'Clowns are sad, it's folks that laugh at them.'Well I'm gonna be a new kind of clown. I'm gonna stand in the middle of the ring and laugh at the folks.”