“Ernie's past friendship. Your debt is to the living.”

“Though debts are condemned in the financial world, the world of friendship and love may perversely depend on well-managed debts.”

“We can pay our debts to the past by putting the future in debt to ourselves.”

“A man without debts is a man without anything to live for. Debt is collateral for life. It provides you with obligations to others, gives you duty, gives you purpose: the purpose to protect those possessions which you would not otherwise have without your debt. Debt is the most responsible way to elevate your social position.”

“I am your brother. I was supposed to be your brother before either of us was born. Karmic debt. It appears I was Vlad the Impaler or Genghis Khan in a past life.”

“I hate Ernie," I reply, still searching. "Actually, I take that back. Hatred requires passion. Ernie isn't worth an ounce of my passion.”