“I wish I was Dumbo the Octopus. Adapted to freezing deep-ocean temperatures, I’d flop around down there atpeace. The big concerns of my life would be what sort of bottom-coating slime to feed off of—that’s not so different from now—plus I wouldn’t haveany natural predators; then again, I don’t have any now, and that hasn’t done me a whole lot of good. But it suddenly makes sense: I’d like to beunder the sea, as an octopus.”

“I've got no problem with octopuses. It's bugs and spiders that I don't like. Octopuses are cute, in their own 'nature did a lot of drugs' sort of way.”

“I wouldn’t kill your pony. I’d like to believe it, anyway. I’d like to believe I wouldn’t drag you out in to the woods and leave you there, either. So far, it hasn’t come up.”

“The whole time, I’d never seen, all you had spread before me. The whole time, I’d never seen, all I need was inside me. Now, I feel so different.”

“If I had coal and fireAnd metal fine and trueI’d make an iron band An iron band for you I’d pick up all the pieces From where they fell that dayFit them back togetherAnd take the pain awayBut I don’t have the ironAnd I don’t have the steel To wrap around your broken heartAnd teach it how to healSomewhere in the fire Somewhere in the pain I’d find the magic that I need To make you whole againI’d make the iron band so strongI’d make it gleam so bright I’d fix the things I’ve broken I’d turn my wrongs to right But I don’t have the steel To wrap around your broken heart Wish I could make it heal Wish I could make it heal (Ch. 27)”

“I wonder if, in the dark night of the sea, the octopus dreams of me.”