“The pouches under his eyes were like purses that contained the smuggled memories of a disappointing life.”

“Souls were webs of light that contained the essence of a human's life. Memories and loves, children and families. Every moment of life, pressing in”

“A dress is a weapon. It must dazzle his eye, raise his temperature . . . and empty his purse.”

“Any amount of theology can now be smuggled into people's minds under the cover of fiction without their knowing it.”

“People at work eyed me with varying degrees of suspicion or approbation, and a couple of them mistook me for the kind of guy who knew twelve different ways to tie a scarf and whether that scarf clashed with their purse. My helpful tip that most accessories were just needless expenses met with disappointment.”

“My father spoke with his hands. He was deaf. His voice was in his hands. And his hands contained his memories.”