A Week In Quotes

Every once in a while I take some time to look back on my week and think about all of the interactions I’ve had and the words I have exchanged. More often then not I end up feeling a little sad at how ordinary and meaningless most of my exchanges have been. I got no shiver down my spine, for instance, when the cashier at the grocery store asked me if I wanted paper or plastic. I suppose my need for constant excitement and meaning is what has led me to be such an avid quote collector. Whenever I hear or read words spoken by a stranger that are somehow out of the ordinary and that cause me to feel something, I immediately scribble it down on whatever surface I have available. I have no special scrapbook or notebook for all these words, so I tend to have scribbled receipts and fliers stuffed into my purse, my book bag, inside my bed table and scattered on top of my dresser. This disorganization, however, allows me to rediscover many of my quotes quite unexpectedly, which is just that much more exciting. So, while searching for my keys today I came across a handful of quotes in my purse from throughout the week. Here are the highlights (and of course my thoughts on them):

Tuesday:

“You’re my buddy, Baby.” – Lady photographing squirrel on UC Berkeley campus.

I’m sorry, but anybody who will so publicly proclaim their affection for a squirrel (and a squirrel they have just met at that) is somebody that I can’t help but feel a huge amount of sympathy for. What could possibly be missing in this woman’s life that would cause her to desperately seek the companionship of this particular rodent? Whatever it was, I could have told her she would not have found it in him. Unlike her, I had been in the company of this squirrel for over two hours while studying in between classes. In that time I was able to conclude that he was self centered, aggressive and gluttonous. There is no way he would be able to provide her with the sensitivity and thoughtfulness that she is so obviously in need of. I feel I already know how relationship will end.

Thursday:

“I don’t like diagonals, I was brought up on perpendicularity.” – Man behind me commenting on our seating placement at Mark Morris dance performance

“I love Angela Lansbury! I want to BE Angela Lansbury. I should have bought Angela Lansbury’s face.” – Same man now commenting on his obvious love for Angela Lansbury.

“I was held hostage at a bank at the age of two.” – Same man, but not entirely sure what this was in reference to.

I love any person who causes me to break out my pen and paper (this time an old grocery list) as many times as this man did. The number of absurdities that flew out of his mouth in the span of ten minutes blew my mind. I can only hope that my brain will make so little sense one day.

Friday:

“…I should feel more attraction for, and should rather come in contact with, one who was ugly, or old, or poor, or in some way unhappy, but who through experience and sorrow had gained a mind and a soul.” – Vincent van Gogh

There is something endlessly comforting in reading your thoughts on a page. Especially if it is on a page within a book written by one of the people you admire and respect most in the world. Although his words were not written for me, every time I read (or reread) one of van Gogh’s letters to his brother I can’t help but feel the presence of a friend.