“It was easy to fool the three of us (tween boys), who were naked with innocence.”

“So could we please not mob the three-thousand-plus-year-old reaper like tweens at a boy-band concert?”

“A number of my fellow religious studies majors- muddled agnostics who didn't know which way was up, who were in the thrall of reason, that fools good for the bright- reminded me of the three toed sloth; and the three toed sloth, such a beautiful example of the miracle of life, reminded me of God.”

“I suppose it's more unnerving to be a boy than a girl,' she conceded.'It's the boys who have to make fools of themselves.”

“Guilt is easy, innocence is hard.”

“First time I think about the world.What the world got to do with anything, I think. Then I see myself sitting there quilting tween Shug Avery and Mr ——. Us three set together gainst Tobias and his fly speck box of chocolate. For the first time in my life, I feel just right.”