Asad > Asad's Quotes

“We'd said we'd keep in touch. But touch is not something you can keep; as soon as it's gone, it's gone. We should have said we'd keep in words, because they are all we can string between us--words on a telephone line, words appearing on a screen.”
― David Levithan, How They Met, and Other Stories

“abstraction, n.

Love is one kind of abstraction. And then there are those nights when I sleep alone, when I curl into a pillow that isn't you, when I hear the tiptoe sounds that aren't yours. It's not as if I can conjure you up completely. I must embrace the idea of you instead.”
― David Levithan, The Lover's Dictionary

“Every great magic trick consists of three parts or acts. The first part is called "The Pledge". The magician shows you something ordinary: a deck of cards, a bird or a man. He shows you this object. Perhaps he asks you to inspect it to see if it is indeed real, unaltered, normal. But of course... it probably isn't. The second act is called "The Turn". The magician takes the ordinary something and makes it do something extraordinary. Now you're looking for the secret... but you won't find it, because of course you're not really looking. You don't really want to know. You want to be fooled. But you wouldn't clap yet. Because making something disappear isn't enough; you have to bring it back. That's why every magic trick has a third act, the hardest part, the part we call "The Prestige".”
― Christopher Priest, The Prestige

“The first thing I want to make clear is that this violence, this terrorism, is not cultural. It isn't 
integral either to Arab or Muslim culture. I've done too many briefings for senators and congressmen who think that all 'towelheads' carry a pistol and a grenade. If you can't see beyond this stereotype, then we might as well stop now.”
― Steven Gould

“What did you—" He swallowed. His voice was raspy. "What did you do to him?"
"Sightseeing. Your turn."
He shivered. "No, that's all right.”
― Steven Gould, Jumper

“I looked at Perston‐Smythe. "Are you going to let them do this?"
Cox did smile then. "Dr. Perston‐Smythe is a contracted employee of the agency. Who do 
you think notified us in the first place?"
I took a step toward the desk and had the small pleasure of seeing the smile drop from Cox's 
face. Five witnesses. Better make it good. I smiled then. "I have just one thing to say, then. 
And I hope you'll report it to your superiors, of whom there must be many."
Cox narrowed his eyes. "Yes?"
"We mean no harm to your planet," I said.
And jumped.”
― Steve Gould Jumper

“Feeling - what authentic human fun!”
― Jeff Lindsay, Dexter in the Dark

“I'm quite sure more people fake an awful lot of everyday human contact. I just fake all of it." --Dexter”
― Jeff Lindsay, Darkly Dreaming Dexter

“I am unlovable...I have tried to involve myself in other people, in relationships, and even - in my sillier moments - in love. But it doesn't work. Something in me is broken or missing and sooner or later the other person catches me Acting or one of Those Nights comes along.”
― Jeff Lindsay, Darkly Dreaming Dexter

“I did not like this feeling of having feelings.”
― Jeff Lindsay, Darkly Dreaming Dexter

“I enjoyed watching good-looking idiots looking at each other. A great spectator sport.”
― Jeff Lindsay, Darkly Dreaming Dexter

“She brought the tea into the living room on a lacquered tray. The pot and cups were Japanese with unglazed rims. She poured.
"Thanks," I said.
"Well?"
"Huh?"
"Your family," she reminded.
I sipped the tea. "This is really good. Really delicious."
She raised her eyebrows. "That's what I thought. You're a good listener, Davy, and you can change the subject on a dime. You've hardly talked about yourself at all."
"I talk... too much."
"You talk about books, you talk about plays, you talk about movies, you talk about places, you talk about food, you talk about current events. You don't talk about yourself."
I opened my mouth, then shut it again. I hadn't really thought about it. Sure, I didn't talk 
about the jumping, but the rest? "Well, there's not much to say. Not like those stories of growing up with four brothers."
She smiled. "It's not going to work. If you don't want to talk about it, that's fine. But I'm not going to be distracted again, nor fooled into talking about those idiots again."
She poured more tea into my cup.
I frowned. "Do I really do that?"
"What? Not talk about yourself? Yes."
"No, try and distract you."
She stared at me. "You are fucking amazing. I've never seen someone so good at changing the subject."
"I don't do it on purpose."
She laughed. ”
― Steven Gould

“Matar slowly approached the coffee and picked it up carefully, like it might bite him. He 
removed the lid and sniffed.
"It's not poisoned," I said.
"What are you? You conjure things from nowhere."
"Perhaps I'm an afrit, a genie. Perhaps I'm an angel."
Cox watched this exchange with interest. "Perhaps you are Shaitan," said Matar.
I raised my eyebrows and Cox obligingly said, "Satan."
I smiled a smile that didn't touch my eyes. The blood drained from Matar's face. "Perhaps," I 
said. "Welcome to hell.”
― Steven Gould

“Are you ready to release Millie Harrison?"
"We don't negotiate with terrorists."
"I'm not a terrorist." I said it tiredly. "Besides, that's bullshit. The U.S. has always negotiated 
with terrorists, no matter what it's said. Why do you think we sold arms to Iran?"
"Release Brian Cox. We'll think about it."
"Millie Harrison is being illegally held. Brian Cox kidnapped her. Who is the terrorist? Who is 
attacking the innocent? Release her and I'll give you back Cox."
I hung up.”
― Steven Gould

“It is our policy not to negotiate with terrorists."
I stared at the phone, my eyes wide. I was speechless and very, very angry.
"Are you still there?" The voice belonged to an unnamed official in the NSA. Perston‐Smythe introduced him as one of Cox's supervisors.
"What the fuck do you mean by that?"
"It is the policy of this government not to negotiate with terrorists."
"Do you mean to tell me that you consider me a terrorist?"
He sounded almost prim. "Certainly. You've taken a hostage."
"Terrorists," I said, gritting my teeth, "attack the innocent to achieve their goals. If you're about to tell me that you consider Cox an innocent bystander, then this conversation is over."
"Terrorists are—"
"Oh, fuck it! You want a terrorist action so you can consider me a terrorist? There's no way you can keep me out of your nuclear arsenals. Where do you want the first one to go off? The Pentagon? The White House? The Capitol building? How about Moscow or Kiev? Wouldn't that be interesting? Do you think they'd launch?"
His voice was a lot less prim. "You wouldn't do that."
"Well, as a matter of fact, I wouldn't. BECAUSE I'M NOT A TERRORIST!" I slammed the phone down on the hook and jumped.”
― Steven Gould

“I told her about my revenge on Topper the attempted rapist and the guy at the transient's hotel in 
Brooklyn, and, finally, I told her about stealing the money.
"You did what?" She sat straight up in her chair, her eyes wide, her mouth open.
"Shhh."
Other diners were staring at us, frozen in silent tableau, some with forks or spoons halfway 
to mouth.
Millie was blinking her eyes rapidly. Much quieter, she said, "You robbed a bank?"
"Shhh." My ears were burning. "Don't make a scene."
"Don't shush me! I didn't rob a bank." Fortunately she whispered it.
The waiter walked up then and took our drink order. Millie ordered a vodka martini. I asked 
for a glass of white wine. I didn't know if it would help, but I figured it couldn't hurt.
"A million dollars?" she said, after the waiter left.
"Well, almost."
"How much of it is left?"
"Why?"
She blushed. "Curiosity. I must look like a proper little gold digger."
"About eight hundred thousand."
"Dollars!" The man at the next table spilled his water.
"Christ, Millie. You want me to leave you here? You're fifteen hundred miles away from 
home you know.”
― Steven Gould

“I'd thought about this for a long time. "That bank loses that much money in bad loans every 
month. They make that much money in interest every day. They're a big bank. The money I 
took was small change to them. No depositor was hurt."
She shook her head. "I still can't approve of it. I don't think it's right."
I felt my face go remote, still. I crossed my arms and felt cold.
She spread her hands. "It doesn't change the fact that I still love you. I've missed you terribly. 
I've missed your phone calls, and I've missed your body in bed next to me. I don't know what 
to do about this. My loving you goes way beyond my disapproval of your theft."
I uncrossed my arms and reached across the table for her. She leaned forward and we kissed 
until the candle burned a hole in my shirt. Then we laughed and I held an ice cube to the 
burn and the food came and everything was all right.”
― Steven Gould

“It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.”
― J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

“If you want to know what a man's like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals.”
― J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

“Remember, if the time should come when you have to make a choice between what is right and what is easy, remember what happened to a boy who was good, and kind, and brave, because he strayed across the path of Lord Voldemort. Remember Cedric Diggory.”
― J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?”
― J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

“It matters not what someone is born, but what they grow to be.”
― J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

“Do you remember me telling you we are practicing non-verbal spells, Potter?"
"Yes," said Harry stiffly.
"Yes, sir."
"There's no need to call me "sir" Professor."
The words had escaped him before he knew what he was saying.”
― J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

“Just because you have the emotional range of a teaspoon doesn't mean we all have.”
― J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

“Numbing the pain for a while will make it worse when you finally feel it.”
― J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

“Death's got an Invisibility Cloak?" Harry interrupted again.
"So he can sneak up on people," said Ron. "Sometimes he gets bored of running at them, flapping his arms and shrieking...”
― J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

“We are only as strong as we are united, as weak as we are divided.”
― J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

“Dumbledore watched her fly away, and as her silvery glow faded he turned back to Snape, and his eyes were full of tears.
"After all this time?"
"Always," said Snape.”
― J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

“Well, you're expelling us aren't you?" said Ron.
"Not today, Mr. Weasley."
Snape looked as though Christmas had been canceled.”
― J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

“Look...at...me..." he whispered. The green eyes found the black, but after a second, something in the depths of the dark pair seemed to vanish, leaving them fixed, blank, and empty. The hand holding Harry thudded to the floor, and Snape moved no more.”
― J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows