Thinner

by Richard Bachman

It had taken having a child to teach him just how tiring honesty could be.

Not our kind, dear, he thought again, and actually laughed in the silence. The sound made him afraid, because only loonies laughed in an empty room. Loonies did that all the time; it was what made them loony.

How we see reality depends a lot more on our conception of our physical bulk than we usually think.

it’s hard for a man to give up all his pleasures, even when they don’t pleasure him no more.”

The smile faded. “Well, there’s one more thing I believe in, William. I believe in what I see. That’s why I’m a relatively rich man. That’s also why I’m a living man. Most people, they don’t believe what they see.” “No?” “No. Not unless it goes along with what they already believe.

Some guys—a lot of guys—don’t believe what they are seeing, especially if it gets in the way of what they want to eat or drink or think or believe.

Things hurt more when you were alone, that was all.

My great-grandfather says there are no curses, only mirrors you hold up to the souls of men and women.”