“I quite enjoy the banter actually. I mean, you don't meet many females who can come back at you as fast as you can throw it out at them. I prefer a more graphic dialogue as a forerunner to sex though: if they have the guts to spell it out for me in glorious Technicolor that always gets my interest.”

“When you remember me, it means you have carried something of who I am with you, that I have left some mark of who I am on who you are. It means that you can summon me back to your mind even though countless years and miles may stand between us. It means that if we meet again, you will know me. It means that even after I die, you can still see my face and hear my voice and speak to me in your heart.”

“All right, you got that out of your system. Can I get back in the boat without you striking me again? Or should I stay out here enjoying the marine life?""Why don't you swim around until you find a shark? Then you can discuss how much the two of you have in common”

“Men don't get knocked out, or I mean they can fight back against big things. What kills them is erosion; they get nudged into failure. They get slowly scared.[...]It's slow. It rots out your guts.”

“Tess," I say. "I'm going to head down to the water.I'll be back in a minute.""You sure you can make it by yourself?" she asks."I'll be fine." I smile. "If you see me floating unconscious out to sea,though-by all means,come and get me.”

“Don't be a sexist. They could find me a female instructor.""In that case you have my permission to make out with her, as long as I can watch.”