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1 " We didn’t know it then,' Hooper said. 'We used to talk about how when we got back in the world we were going to do this and we were going to do that. Back in the world we were going to have it made. But ever since then it’s been nothing but confusion.' Hooper took the cigarette case from his pocket but didn’t open it. He leaned forward on the table. 'Everything was clear,' he said. 'You learned what you had to know and you forgot the rest. All this chickenshit. This clutter. You didn’t spend every living minute of the day thinking about your own sorry-ass little self. Am I getting laid enough. What’s wrong with my kid. Should I insulate the fucking house. That’s what does it to you, Porchoff. Thinking about yourself. That’s what kills you in the end. "
― Tobias Wolff , Back in the World
2 " We didn’t know it then,” Hooper said. “We used to talk about how when we got back in the world we were going to do this and we were going to do that. Back in the world we were going to have it made. But ever since then it’s been nothing but confusion.” Hooper took the cigarette case from his pocket but didn’t open it. He leaned forward on the table. “Everything was clear,” he said. “You learned what you had to know and you forgot the rest. All this chickenshit. This clutter. You didn’t spend every living minute of the day thinking about your own sorry-ass little self. Am I getting laid enough. What’s wrong with my kid. Should I insulate the fucking house. That’s what does it to you, Porchoff. Thinking about yourself. That’s what kills you in the end. "
3 " And Marty understood that there was never going to be anyone totell her these things. She had no idea why this should be so; it was justsomething she knew. "
4 " People left one another, and got left, every day. It was a terrible thing. Butit happened and people survived, as they survived worse things. "
5 " But if they couldlive without each other, and do better without each other, then this could not betrue and must never have been true.They did not need each other. There was no particular reason for them to betogether. Then what was it all about? They were dragging each other down liketwo people who couldn’t swim. If they were lucky, they might keep at it longenough to grow old in the same house. "
6 " The truth was that when you got married you had to give up one thingafter another. It never ended. You had to give up your life—the special one thatyou were meant to have—and lead some middle kind of life that went whereneither of you had ever thought of going, or wanted to go. And you never knewwhat was happening. You gave up your life and didn’t even know it. "
