Sandra

“So what to do? . . . She shook her head impatiently. Choice is a largely delusional concept, her tutor used to say. Whether in politics, morals or shopping, we have far less than we imagine. In the end what we have to do often doesn't even figure on our list of pseudo-options.”
― Reginald Hill

“Gran, are you all right? Do you want one of your little red pills?” she asked. “Of course not. Don’t be ridiculous, girl,” snapped the old lady. “Red pills, white pills, blue pills. It’s all pills these days,” she grumbled. “And other pills too, for girls who should know better. What a world! I suppose you get a lot of that at Oxford, Dr Grant?” “Girls who should know better, do you mean? Oh, and young men too,” said Patrick. “After all, it takes two to make that sort of mistake, doesn’t it?”
― Margaret Yorke, Dead in the Morning

“It's no good pretending that any relationship has a future if your record collections disagree violently or if your favorite films wouldn't even speak to each other if they met at a party.”
― Nick Hornby

“Some people don't realize that a straight 'No' can be the kindest answer in the world.”
― Jonathan Coe, The Dwarves of Death