“What an astonishing thing, that her praise filled his heart.”

“Everything in his life had come down to the sensation of her fingers against his. The person he was, the history he carried within himself, every joy and grief he had ever experienced, slipped way like an irrelevant garment. He was nothing but skin, speaking to another skin, and between the skins there was no need to find any words.”

“It was a long time since whe's been young and it was unlikely that she'd ever been lovely. She stood like a man, square-on. Her breasts pushed out the old tee-shirt, but it was clear from the way she stood that she'd forgotten about breasts being sexy. Her breasts made bulges in her shirt, the same way her knees made bulges in her black track pants, that was all.”

“it crossed Farren's mind that although death seemed big, life was even bigger”

“Anyone can be lovely, but you are rare.”

“He felt his face grow smooth with thinking of her.”

“There are many fine things which you mean to do some day, under what you think will be more favorable circumstances. But the only time that is yours is the present.”