Abscond

by Abraham Verghese

He was depressed to think that summer was nearly over. It was like having to leave the theater halfway through a wonderful movie.

In her vocabulary, “passion,” 8especially in a child, was the grass fire that had to be stamped out before it destroyed everything the farmer planted. Ravi waited, but she was done.

Billy had offered Ravi the thing he most needed: his quiet, silent presence.

there’s an old Scottish saying my ma was fond of. What’s for you won’t go by you.

It was silly to worry about pleasing or displeasing others with his choices; life was hard enough without such meaningless concerns.