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When the bullets start flying, it’s only a matter of time before fear catches up with a soldier. There you are, steel death whizzing past in the air.
If there’s a heaven, it’s a cold place. A dark place. A lonely place.
Pain lets you know you’re not dead yet.
Good ideas don’t stand a chance against good bureaucracy.
At the end of the day, every man has to wipe his own ass. There’s no one to make your decisions for you, either. And whatever situation you’re in, that’s just another factor in your decision. Which isn’t to say everybody gets the same range of choices as everybody else. If there’s one guy out there with an ace in the hole, there’s sure to be another who’s been dealt a handful of shit. Sometimes you run into a dead end. But you walked each step of the road that led you there on your own. Even when they string you up on the gallows, you have the choice to meet your death with dignity or go
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“You ever hear the expression kiri-oboeru?” “What?” I asked, startled to hear the Japanese. “It’s an old samurai saying that means ‘Strike down your enemy, and learn.’
“You shouldn’t assume everything you don’t understand is a message,” Rita
What if someone who had the potential to discover a formula to unlock the mysteries of the universe wanted to become a pulp fiction writer? What if someone who had the potential to create unparalleled gastronomic delicacies had his heart set on civil engineering? There is what we desire to do, and what we are able to do. When those two things don’t coincide, which path should we pursue to find happiness?
“Your mother must have been disappointed when the abortion only killed your conscience,” Rita
“So you wanted to talk. What is it?” “Ah, right,” he said. “Well? Get on with it, soldier. I’m a patient girl, but there’s a battle tomorrow, and I have things to do.” “I, uh, have an answer to your question.” He hesitated like a high school drama student reading from a bad script. “Japanese restaurants don’t charge for green tea.” Rita Vrataski, the savior of humanity, the Valkyrie, the nineteen-year-old girl, let her mask slip. The Full Metal Bitch began to cry.
