“You have how many children in your family?" the teacher would ask. "I'm guessing you must be Catholic, am I right?”

“The difference between a beginning teacher and an experienced one is that the beginning teacher asks, "How am I doing?" and the experienced teacher asks, How are the children doing?”

“So I sit and endure the stares and the pangs and twinges of Catholic guilt, knowing that I am doing the right thing if I'm right, and the right thing even if I'm wrong. Being Catholic is hard. Being ex-Catholic is even harder.”

“Reach out, call your family members, if you have children, call them right now.”

“I am not a woman who would be practical in your life, Sam. You need a home and family...""I'm a soldier, Azami. That's who I am. What I am. My woman will be my home----my family...”

“Tm not a teach. I'm a teacher. And I have a name. How would you like it if I called you "Hey, pupe!"?"I'd like it fine.""Why?""It shows you're with it.”