“Sometimes, you get told enough you are what you aren’t,it gets in your head and you make it a self-fulfillingprophesy even if you really aren’t that.”

“If you aren’t nurturing your self, what kind of mother can you be, anyway?”

“Happy people look young. You’re really afraid of getting older, aren’t you? You should only be afraid of getting less happy.”

“Use your safe word if you get scared, honey.”“I’m fine.” Her voice came out husky.“Yes, you are, aren’t you?”

“I didn’t tell her what I’d done; I told her he wasn’t who I thought he’d be. Mum stroked my hair and said, "Sometimes they aren’t. Sometimes they make you vomit.”

“You aren’t really a nigger-lover, then, are you?” “I certainly am. I do my best to love everybody… I’m hard put, sometimes—baby, it’s never an insult to be called what somebody thinks is a bad name. It just shows you how poor that person is, it doesn’t hurt you. So don’t let Mrs. Dubose get you down. She has enough troubles of her own.”