The Deal of a Lifetime

by Fredrik Backman

But the vast majority of successful people don’t become bastards, we were bastards long before. That’s why we’ve been successful.

The suffocating expectation of being good, coping.

And the girl played along, reeled off the names of everyone she loved. It’s a long list when you’re five.

I failed with you. I tried to make you tough. You ended up kind.

“That we are who we are.”

We said very little, because there was too much I wanted to say. That’s always when we fall silent.

No one tells you humans that your sorrow feels like fear.”