Quotes from Daniel Keyes

the words carved above the cathedral of my childhood

This is beauty, love, and truth, all rolled into one. This is joy. And now that I've found it, how can I give up? Life and work are the most wonderful things a man can have.

Whatever happens to me, I will have lived a thousand normal lives by what I might add to others not yet born. That's enough.

Algernon is a pleasant companion. At mealtimes, he takes his place at the small gateleg table. He likes pretzels, and today he took a sip of beer while we watched the ballgame on TV. I think he rooted for the Yankees.

Although we know the end of the maze holds death (and it is something I have not always known—not long ago the adolescent in me thought death could happen only to other people), I see now that the path I choose through that maze makes me what I am.

Rasa benci tidak mungkin sepenuhnya dibersihkan. Itulah hal yang harus kita terima, agar tetap punya sifat kuat dan agresif.

Then when you want free association, you could stretch your patient out the way the barber does to lather up his customer, and when the fifty minutes are up, you could tilt the chair forward again and hand him a mirror so he can see what he looks like on the outside after you've shaved his ego.

The current of my mind carried me swiftly into the open sea.

I just want to be smart like other pepul so I can have lots of frends who like me.

I wish this memory were a photograph so that I could tear it up and throw it back into her face.

People resent being shown that they don't approach the complexities of the problem—they don't know what exists beyond the surface ripples.

Somehow I've become separated emotionally from everyone and everything. And what I was really searching for out there in the dark streets—the last damned place I could ever find it—was a way to make myself a part of people again emotionally, while still retaining my freedom intellectually. I've got to grow up. For me it means everything. . . .

She tried to soothe me, to tell me it didn't matter, that there was no reason to blame myself. But ashamed, and no longer able to control my anguish, I began to sob. There in her arms I cried myself to sleep, and I dreamed of the courtier and the pink-cheeked maiden. But in my dream it was the maiden who held the sword.

Estava tudo bem enquanto eles pudessem rir de mim e parecer inteligentes à minha custa, mas agora eles se sentiam inferiores ao imbecil. Comecei a ver que, por meio do meu surpreendente crescimento, eu os fiz encolher e enfatizei suas inadequações. Eu os havia traído, e eles me odiavam por isso.

I was afraid it would come to this, but I have no patience with her now. I'm jealous of every moment away from the work - impatient with any one who tries to steal my time.

Antes, riam de mim, desprezando-me por minha ignorância e estupidez; agora, eles me odiavam por meu conhecimento e compreensão.

Cuando le dije que no sabia pensar me dijo intentalo. Mientras tenia las bendas en los ojos intente pensar. No paso nada. No se en que pensar. Alomejor si se lo pregunto me dira como tengo que pensar aora que tengo que volberme listo. Que piensan las personas que son listas. Seguro que cosas marabillosas. Me gustaria saber cosas marabillosas ya.

Ele me lembra de que a linguagem é muitas vezes usada como uma barreira em vez de uma ferramenta.

Agora, cada vez que nos vemos, depois que deixo você, vou para casa com um sentimento miserável de que sou lenta e estúpida sobre tudo. Repenso coisas que disse e arranjo respostas brilhantes e espirituosas que deveria ter dito e tenho vontade de me chutar porque não as mencionei quando estávamos juntos.

Eu me encontro querendo impressionar você de uma maneira que nunca pensei em fazer antes, mas estar com você debilitou minha autoconfiança. Eu questiono meus motivos agora, de tudo que faço.

I know I should have written some progress reports before this so they will know whats happening to me. But writing is harder. I have to look up even simple words in the dictionary now and it makes me angry with myself.

By shutting out the real world we can live peacefully in ours. We know that a world without pain is a world without feeling . . . but a world without feeling is a world without pain. Kevin

It is impossible to tell what proportion is memory and what exists here and now—so that a strange compound is formed of memory and reality; past and present; response to stimuli stored in my brain centers, and response to stimuli in this room. It's as if all the things I've learned have fused into a crystal universe spinning before me so that I can see all the facets of it reflected in gorgeous bursts of light. . . .

Como você sabe o que sinto? Você toma liberdades com a mente alheia. Não dá pra você saber como me sinto, o que sinto ou por que sinto.