Hang the Moon

by Jeannette Walls

I know I have the body of a weak and feeble woman, but I have the heart and stomach of a king. Queen Elizabeth I,

I don’t understand why so many people walk when they could skip instead—but

Old Ida all the time says I think the Duke hung the moon and scattered the stars. Maybe I do. Right then, I sure did.

Sometimes it’s hard to talk about the things most on your mind.”

There are people like Eddie, with plenty of book smarts but no people smarts. Then there are ones like the Duke, plenty of people smarts but a little thin on the book smarts. Then there are those rare few with both, like Tom, and they have enough people smarts to know better than to show off their book smarts.

“Stay busy, you got that?” the Duke keeps on telling me. “That’s the secret. Stay busy. It doesn’t do to dwell on it.” Stay busy. On the move. Keep the wheels turning. It’s how the Duke gets out in front of his own grief.

teachers and parents can’t change children and shouldn’t try. What they can do is bring out children’s strengths.”

“I’m sure people have said all sorts of things about me. Some of it might even be true.” “Don’t you worry, sugar.” She squeezes my hand. “I want to be your friend.”

Because sometimes men don’t take care of the women. And that’s why we women need our jobs.

Get the Duke to think you’re exactly like him, except in a skirt. Because sometimes you are.”

Don’t argue, but don’t agree. Find the in-between.

So most things you can’t see in the dark, but other things—like stars—you can see only in the dark.

Why the heck would anyone ask you if you’re loyal? What fool would say no?

People who’ve never gone without find it easy to pass judgment on those who’ve struggled.

Listening to the four of us blaming ourselves, blaming each other, blaming Mattie, it dawns on me that this is what happens when you lose your center, the sun that everyone else circles around.

Some love too little, some too long, Some sell, and others buy; Some do the deed with many tears, And some without a sigh: For each man kills the thing he loves, Yet each man does not die.

Someone by my side. I never thought of marriage that way and I like the sound of it.

“When you can’t solve a problem and you can’t run from it and you can’t hide from it, you got to make it the other man’s problem.”

Could be I’m not good at seeing things I don’t want to see.