"Oh, Kaye!" chats about quotes

Who doesn't love quotes?

I have a friend who can pull quotes out of the air.  Is able to name who said it, when and where.  Quotes from movies seem to sit somewhere close by just waiting to be spoken and shared again.

I envy that so much.

The best I can do is know I've read, or heard words in a movie or a song, that resonated.  Then, usually, I have to research to remember the where and the when, and the by whom.

Sometimes I'll be reading and something will jump out at me.  Not necessarily something that I'd try to retrieve later as a quote, but a passage that speaks to me, and speaks so loudly it's one I want to share immediately.  To read aloud to anyone who happens to be close by.  Usually that would be Donald or Harley (Harley is surprisingly interested in almost anything I say to him.  Especially if I begin with the word "cookie.")  But I have been known to type a passage and share with a friend I think might also appreciate it.  This is especially true of poetry.


When Pat Conroy died I picked up my copy of his "My Reading Life."

I read and I cried.

To know that he'll never again write a single passage, not one single word, ever again, broke my heart.  Still breaks my heart.

But, my heart is happy that he wrote what he did and that I can, forever and always, read words he wrote that don't just speak to me, but sing.  

He is, I think, the most quotable person ever born, and this piece started out to be just a few quotes from him I wanted to share.

When I realized there was no way I could pick only a few I decided to change course.

Change course, but stick to quotes and passages that I've enjoyed over the years.

And again, I realized there was no way to choose just a few unless I set a limit.

The limit started with one.

Pfftt.

Sure.

Okay, move it up to two . . . 


Not gonna work.


So.  Finally . . . 

Finally, I decided to stop at three.

But.

Three from different sources.  From books, poetry, movies, music and the theater of politics.

See how easy it is to get around the limits one sets upon oneself?


So.


I've finally chosen a few words that have left their imprint on me in one manner or another.  They're not here, necessarily, because they're earth shattering, or brought forth an epiphany of some sort, but because at some time I found the words to be memorable - mostly this in the case of movies - just plain and simply memorable.

Some of these are quotes or passages which I feel sure many of you are also familiar with.

In return, Dear Reds, I'd like to hear some of your own favorites.

Books -

“Every book has a soul, the soul of the person who wrote it and the soul of those who read it and dream about it.”
― Carlos Ruiz Zafón, The Angel's Game

“Every time we start thinking we're the center of the universe, the universe turns around and says with a slightly distracted air, 'I'm sorry. What'd you say your name was again?”
― Margaret Maron, Bootlegger's Daughter

“I've been treating you with courtesy and respect because that's the way I choose to treat everyone. But never, ever mistake kindness with weakness.”
― Louise Penny, Still Life

Poetry -

“I believe in kindness. Also in mischief. ”
― Mary Oliver

“Today I am 65 years old. I still look good. I appreciate and enjoy my age. A lot of people resist transition and therefore never allow themselves to enjoy who they are. Embrace the change, no matter what it is; once you do, you can learn about the new world you're in and take advantage of it. You still bring to bear all your prior experience, but you are riding on another level. It's completely liberating.”
― Nikki Giovanni

“You can have the other words-chance, luck, coincidence, serendipity. I'll take grace. I don't know what it is exactly, but I'll take it. ”
― Mary Oliver

Political -

"Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity."
― Martin Luther King, Jr.

“We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.”
― Elie Wiesel

“Silence becomes cowardice when occasion demands speaking out the whole truth and acting accordingly.”
― Mahatma Gandhi

Music - 

"Freedom's just another word for nothing left to lose. Nothing ain't nothing, but it's free."
― Me And Bobby McGee, written by Kris Kristofferson

"The words of the prophets are written on the subway walls."
― The Sound Of Silence, written by Paul Simon

“And any time you feel the pain, hey Jude, refrain / Don’t carry the world upon your shoulders / For well, you know that it’s a fool who plays it cool / By making his world a little colder”

― Hey Jude, written by Paul McCartney

Movies -

"I'm as mad as hell, and I'm not going to take this anymore!"
Network, 1976

"Fasten your seatbelts. It's going to be a bumpy night."
All About Eve, 1950

"Nobody puts Baby in a corner."

Dirty Dancing, 1987

Now, even though I've done what I said I was going to do, I find I cannot end this without something from Pat Conroy after all.

A few years ago, Authors 'Round the South contacted members of SIBA with a promotion idea for their upcoming convention.  The promotion was called "Parapalooza, Paragraphs Worth Spreading."  Several people read from their own novels, and/or a favorite novel written by someone else.  

Besides reading a passage from my "Whimsey," I also read a favorite passage from Pat Conroy's "Beach Music," which you can see here:

And - you can see more Parapalooza here:
http://www.authorsroundthesouth.com/read-this/parapalooza

"Oh, Kaye!" talks about Pat Conroy

I wrote the following on February 15th after reading Pat Conroy's announcement that he had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.


"my heart is broken.


No author has touched me in ways this man has.


Don Barley has never hesitated in saying yes whenever I've said "Pat Conroy is going to be (insert the name of any city you want), can we go?" 

And we would go.


Pat Conroy has influenced many with his writing, he meets and greets every person standing in a line to have a book signed as an old friend and has a laugh and/or a kind word for each and every one.


I have written about him often over the years at my Meanderings and Muses and have posted many pictures I've been lucky enough to have had taken standing by his side.


He's listened to me babble about how much I love him.


He's wished me happy birthday.


When I told him I had written a novel, he asked if I had brought him a copy. I had not, but found a copy in the bookstore we were in in Charlotte, NC. When I gave it to him he asked me to sign it.  Me.  Signing a novel I had written to give to Pat Conroy.  You kidding me?!  WHAT a rush.

I want lots more opportunities to have all these things happen again.


I hope you'll join me in sending Mr. Conroy prayers. If you don't pray, join me in sending good thoughts.


Like he says, he owes us a book and he wants to deliver.


I think he still owes us several, and I think he can deliver."



Well, seems I was wrong. 

This larger than life man, favored son of the south, cherished author and storyteller unparalleled, lost his battle with pancreatic cancer and left a hole in the world.

And I can't even imagine.


No more books from Pat Conroy?


No more poetic, emotionally lyrical words written as no other person could ever come close to writing them?


No more.



Richard Eder wrote of “The Prince of Tides” in The Los Angeles Times. “The characters do too much, feel too much, suffer too much, eat too much, signify too much and above all talk too much.”


Bless his heart. Mr. Eder missed the whole point of Pat Conroy. Those things he scoffed at? Those were the things Pat Conroy fans wanted, loved, needed more of. Waited years for. Those might have been things any other writer could never get away with, but those things kept this fan, along with so many others,  tapping her toe in constant impatient hope of the next Conroy book. Fiction or non-fiction. It didn't matter. Just feed my fix with Conroy words and style.


"Talk too much?!" Ha! Conroy dialogue is magic. No one will ever match his ease of dialogue. No one. There should be an art form named "Conroy-esque Dialogue." Except the only artist who would make it into that esteemed category would be Donald Patrick "Pat" Conroy.


I could go on like this forever. How his words about the lowcountry marshes transport you right there. Have you smelling the marsh, feeling the hot heavy southern air. I could point out a dozen passages from his books where he writes about food that would leave you tasting the briny sweet salty taste of the lowcountry south. Would have you wishing for the next bite.


But.  We'll have no more.  No more occasions of settling into my favorite red chair with my coffee or a glass of wine opening that brand new Pat Conroy book.


No more occasions of laughing out loud or weeping tears onto the pages.


And my heart is broken.


No more drives to wherever his next signing might be.


No more hugs, "How you been?"  Teasing, smiling joy of just being in the orbit of Pat Conroy and his zest for people, and for life.


My heart is broken.


I am grateful beyond words for the opportunities I had to say "Thank You" to Pat Conroy for what he gave me.  Gave all of us.


Oh, how I will grieve for the words he was unable to give us by being called home much too soon.



But - he left us this.  A testament of how very much he loved us.  His readers.  Enjoy this little snippet of Mr. Conroy talking to us with a grand unaffected  fullness from his heart - the only way he knew how to communicate.



Excerpt From Seltzer Panel from USCB on Vimeo.

Donald Patrick "Pat" Conroy

October 26, 1945 - March 4, 2016

“He was a coach, a teacher and a well-loved man. And it is enough, Lord. It is enough.” as said by Tom Wingo in Prince of Tides. 

So, Dear Reds.  Were you a fan?  Did you have a favorite Pat Conroy book - fiction or non-fiction?  A Pat Conroy story you'd care to share?