“Damn my fish,' the boy said and he started to cry again.”

“The fish is my friend too," he said aloud. "I have never seen or heard of such a fish. But I must kill him. I am glad we do not have to try to kill the stars.”

“Fish," he said softly, aloud, "I'll stay with you until I am dead.”

“Then there is the other secret. There isn't any symbolysm [sic]. The sea is the sea. The old man is an old man. The boy is a boy and the fish is a fish. The shark are all sharks no better and no worse. All the symbolism that people say is shit. What goes beyond is what you see beyond when you know.”

“Take a good rest, small bird," he said. "Then go in and take your chance like any man or bird or fish.”

“Brett was damned good-looking. She wore a slip-over jersey sweater and a tweed skirt, and her hair was brushed back like a boy's. She started all that. She was built with curves like the hull of a racing yacht, and you missed none of it with that wool jersey.”

“Fish," he said, "I love you and respect you very much. But I will kill you dead before this day ends.”