Conman Quotes

“How can I help being a humbug," he said, "when all these people make me do things that everybody knows can't be done?”
― L. Frank Baum, The Wizard Of Oz

“When your partner/spouse shows you who they really are, you better believe it.”
― Christine Willson, The Screen Saver

“We'd better get out of here fast," Nadia says, "before anyone notices."
"Or before our conman friend wakes up," Autumn says.
"I doubt Mr. John Smith will be overjoyed when he wakes up and I, for one, would rather not be around to witness it. I also lifted his mobile phone and his wallet," I tell them with a certain amount of pride. "Hopefully, it means that he won't be able to contact you again, Chantal."
"Is his driver's license in his wallet?"
I flick through the pockets until I found it. "Yes. His real name is Felix Levare."
"Could be another alias." Chantal takes it from me. "But I'll keep that as a little extra insurance anyway," she says.
There's a wad of cash in the wallet which I help myself to. "This can all go to a deserving charity," I say, then throw the wallet and the mobile phone into the lake after his car. They also splash satisfyingly and then sink without trace. I press the money into Autumn's hands. "Take it and buy some chocolate for your druggie kids."
She takes the cash and pockets it. "Thanks.”
― Carole Matthews, The Chocolate Lovers' Club

“He glided to the podium with the effortlessness of a well-oiled machine and stood still for an interminable long moment. He eyed the congregation confidently. He only needed their attention for that split second because once he got it, he was going to wrap his voice around their souls and squeeze until they screamed to be relieved. They knew it was coming and waited expectantly, breathing in unison as one body. First he played with them and threw out fine silken threads that stroked their heart muscles ever so gently. They trem-bled ecstatically at the touch and invited more. The threads multiplied and entwined themselves solidly around the one pulsating organ they had become and tightened slightly, testing them for a reaction.

The "Amen, brothers" and "Yes, Jesus" were his permission to take that short hop from the heart to the soul and lay all pretense of gentleness aside. Now he would have to push and pound with clenched fists in order to be felt, and he dared not stop the fierce rhythm of his voice until their re-plies had reached that fevered pitch of satisfaction. Yes, Lord grind out the unheated tenements! Merciful Jesus-shove aside the low-paying boss man. Perfect Father-fill me, fill me till there's no room, no room for nothing else, not even that great big world out there that exacts such a strange penalty for my being born black.”
― Gloria Naylor, The Women of Brewster Place