« ` separated mother, to her 10-year-old son in alternating custody` - How was it with your father this week? - He's a jerk. -It's not said! - But it's true! Ask Alice. This is what Louise did as soon as Alice came back from college. How was the week? Nickel. If you get married only to get divorced, you don't have to, and if you make children to be as boring as she and her brothers, it's not worth it either. "At least you're lucid," said Louise `the mother`. "Isn't it?" replied Alice `the 14-year-old`, her tone slamming. Louise was discouraged. Her children looked so jaded. Would they believe in a new family life? (p. 145-146) »

« Since the day before, they were children-who-have-not-parents. Venice admitted it perfectly. People had no reason to lie to him. At the same time, it made no sense. Mum may have died, but she should lead her to the dance on Monday, because the lady in the dance class, she doesn't like to miss us. »

« This moment of theatre, blood and gold, emerging out of nowhere, crashed in the three of us like a shrapnel in the head of a hairy! But we didn't know about it at the time because we weren't talking. »