"

They were everything they ought to be and nothing else.

"

Patience and propriety. It was the only graceful thing to do.

"

The gesture was so tight with rage she feared she’d snap and crack the world in two.

"

It exhasperated her, but she knew better than to force the world to her desire.

"

She was not vain enough to work her will against the world. But she could use the things the world had given her.

"

Nothing was nothing else. Nothing was anything it shouldn’t be.

"

I love her more than just a little. I think it's because we're both somewhat broken, in our own odd ways. More importantly, we're both aware of it.

"

Oh yes. It was well worth it, doing things the proper way.

"

She shelled the nuts and toasted them, jiggling them about in the pan. She sprinkled them with salt and ate them each by each. Some were bitter. Some ...more

"

I shook again, tasted plum, and suddenly the words were pouring out of me."She said I sang before I spoke. She said when I was just a baby she had the...more

"

There's no clear water from a muddy well. All you can do is let the silt settle until the water clears otherwise it will taste sour. (paraphrased)