“Don't mess with me, Calvin. You'll only get hurt.”

“It seems to me that it don't hurt none to get yourself a dream and a plan. 'Cause if you don't, then you'll never go nowhere.”

“[Calvin, who has the chicken pox, calls Susie on the telephone.] Susie: Hello? Calvin: Hi, Susie! It's me, Calvin! I was wondering if you'd like to come over and play. Susie: Why, sure! Boy, I don't think you've ever invited me to... Calvin's Mom: Calvin, what are you doing? Calvin: Nothing, Mom. Go away. Calvin's Mom: You're contagious! You can't have anyone over to play! Calvin: Shhhh! Shhhh! You'll spoil the whole thing! I was going to trick Susie into catching... HEY! OW! LET GO! Susie: [Hanging up the phone] Any chance of getting transferred, Dad?”

“What if I mess up?""Oh, you will. You'll mess up, you'll make mistakes, you'll break things. Some you'll be able to piece together, and others you'll lose. That's all a given. But there's only one thing you have to do for me.""What's that?""Stay alive long enough to mess up again.”

“Believe in your own eyes and you'll get into a lot of trouble, hot water, a mess.”

“Mingling with people, hurting them, getting hurt by them…that's how you learn about others…and about yourself. If you don't you'll never be able to care about anyone but yourself. ”