“The devil has made it his business to monopolize on three elements: noise, hurry, crowds. He will not allow quietness.”

“Yet Barkley drew back. Perhaps he, like Harry Truman, knew that the quiet power of incumbency easily overcomes the noise of crowds and bands.”

“One may not always know his purpose until his only option is to monopolize in what he truly excels at. He grows weary of hearing the answer 'no' time and time again, so he turns to and cultivates, monopolizes in his one talent which others cannot possibly subdue. Then, beyond the crowds of criticism and rejection, the right people recognize his talent - among them he finds his stage.”

“But what was the point of living so quietly you made no noise at all?”

“He was not oppressed by a crowd because in the midst of all the hullabaloo he always found a quiet place for his soul. ”

“Yesterday,” she began, speaking to his back, hurrying as though there was some element of him that was part hourglass.”