Emmery

“Had I been born a man I would by now have made a deep impression of myself on the world - on some part of it. But I am a woman, and God, or the Devil, or Fate, or whosoever it was, has flayed me of the thick outer skin and thrown me out into the midst of Life - has left me a lonely damned thing filled with the red, red blood of ambition and desire, but afraid to be touched, for there is no thick skin between my sensitive flesh and the and world s fingers.
But I want to be touched.”
― Mary MacLane, I Await the Devil's Coming

“I’ve accepted it, Mom. I’ve accepted who I am. Okay? I’m not a kid who’s going to get picked to play kickball, or to be the lead in the school play. I’m not going to be invited to parties or be chosen class valedictorian. I’m not. And I’m okay with that.” It sounded convincing, though I wasn’t okay with it. It hurt like hell, rejection. And the pain lingered like an open wound that, just as it started healing, was ripped open again.”
― Robert Dugoni, The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell

“My death would be noted with nothing more than a headstone bearing the dates of my birth and my death to let the world know I had been here.”
― Robert Dugoni, The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell

“Now, as an adult with that healthy dose of perspective we call experience, I realize my mother was right, as she was so often when it came to my life.”
― Robert Dugoni, The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell