88
" But it must’ve happened!” snapped Vimes. “I told you, I can remember it! I was there yesterday!” “Nice try, but that doesn’t mean anything anymore,” said the monk. “Trust me. Yes, it’s happened to you, but even though it has, it might not. ’Cos of quantum. Right now, there isn’t a Commander Vimes–shaped hole in the future to drop you into. It’s officially Uncertain. But might not be, if you do it right. You owe it to yourself, Commander. Right now, out there, Sam Vimes is learning to be a very bad copper indeed. And he learns fast. "
― Terry Pratchett , Night Watch (Discworld, #29; City Watch, #6)
90
" Ave! Duci novo, similis duci seneci”,’ murmured Mr Slant, drily as only a zombie can manage. ‘Or, as we used to say at school, “Ave! Bossa nova, similis bossa seneca!”’ He gave a little schoolmasterly laugh. He felt at home with dead languages. ‘Of course, grammatically that is completely—’ ‘And that means . . . ?’ said Madam. ‘Here comes the new boss, same as the old boss,’ muttered Dr Follett. "
― Terry Pratchett , Night Watch (Discworld, #29; City Watch, #6)
91
" I mean, when a man reaches…a certain age,” he tried again, “he knows the world is never going to be perfect. He’s got used to it being a bit, a bit…” “Manky?” Nobby suggested. Tucked behind his ear, in the place usually reserved for his cigarette, was another wilting lilac flower. “Exactly,” said Colon. “Like, it’s never going to be perfect, so you just do the best you can, right? But when there’s a kid on the way, well, suddenly a man sees it different. He thinks: my kid’s going to have to grow up in this mess. Time to clean it up. Time to make it a Better World. He gets a bit…keen. Full of ginger. "
― Terry Pratchett , Night Watch (Discworld, #29; City Watch, #6)