“You are in good shape for a dead man.”
“You cannot do anything good for a dead man! Whatever goodness you want to do for him, do it when he is alive!”
“Who hears the wishes and goodbyes? The speaker does.... And you hope that what you say from the heart has power. Power to protect, power to reach the ears of the dead. A spoken thing or a whished-hard thing takes a shape within the heart, man. Takes shape. Becomes real.”
“I’m in good shape. That shape is round. ”
“It is good that a man's enemies want him dead, for it proves he has lived a life of worth.”
“Of course you know him. Everyone knows a pear-shaped man.”