I’m looking for a ship,” Pip said. “Did you check the docks?” she asked. “Maybe your other pants? Where did you see it last?

Sometimes you needed to be an outsider to really appreciate how things worked.

Intellectual understanding doesn’t obviate emotional pain,” I said.

She proceeded with a rather credible and sharply focused verbal flensing that included commentary on parentage, unlikely applications of bodily parts, and ended with imprecations of toxic levels of insectile infestation of certain body cavities.

Self-interest has derailed more societies than any natural disaster. Other than – perhaps – plague.

What I do know is that worrying about it keeps me from doing the things I can do. If I can compartmentalize that by saying ‘Trust Iris,’ that’s good enough for me.

I’ve seen you work. I don’t buy it. I’m not even gonna rent it for the weekend.

We can live in fear, or not.

You obviously have mistaken me for somebody with a clue. Unfortunately, I don’t even know where to buy a clue, and if I had one, I’m sure it would be to a different puzzle.

If experience taught me anything, it was that feeling like I had things under control was usually the first symptom of a complete and utter lack of understanding.