“And I guess you judge how well you're doing by how well you sleep at night... and what your dreams are like.”

“Because guys like us, Red, we know there's a third choice. An alternative to staying simon-pure and bathing in the filth and the slime. It's the alternative that grown-ups all over the world pick. You balance off the walk through the hog-wallow against what it gains you. You choose the lesser of the two evils and try to keep your good intentions in front of you. And I guess you judge how well you are doing by how well you sleep at night...and what your dreams are like.”

“Well, I guess that in the computer magazines God is more often spelled Gates, but you know what I mean.”

“I guess Faulkner never would have written anything like this, huh? Oh, well.”

“Pray for rain all you like, but dig a well as you do it.”

“It's like many other things in life, Ellie. You keep on the path and all's well. You get off it and the next thing you know you're lost if you're not lucky.”

“Do I know what people say? Sure. I shrug it off. what else can you do? Stop people from talking? You might as well try to stop the wind from blowing.”