Fading Away Quotes

“things, and the Greek is out of order.” I considered this, but it just didn’t make any sense to me. The Greek had bought the neighborhood candy store last year.”
― Tom Upton, Fading Away

“I’m not sure I should say.” “Well, I’m not going to beg you,” I told him. “Cold, cold water,” came from the landing above. Ricky glanced up at the old man and seemed disgusted. “We were alone in the Greek’s apartment, right above the store while the Greek was working,” he said. “And, what,”
― Tom Upton, Fading Away

“the landing the old man started to murmur, “Cold, cold water,” but neither one of us took much notice. “You know I nearly got her,” Ricky said in a mischievous way. “Yeah?” “Yeah,” he swore. “What happened?” A look of disdain passed over his face. “I’m not sure I should say.”
― Tom Upton, Fading Away

“point where you see that some things just aren’t right and that something ought to be done about it. So, yeah, the Greek should die. He should die and his wife should get everything. That would restore order--” “Cold, cold water--” Ricky finally lost it. He jumped to his feet and bellowed”
― Tom Upton, Fading Away

“mother tried to dress up with annuals each year, still managed to appear sad and pitiful. “It’s just the way it has to be,” he said. “There’s an order to things, and the Greek is out of order.” I considered this, but it just didn’t make any sense to me. The Greek had bought the neighborhood candy store last year. It was true that he was not as likable as Mr. Bellini, the old owner who had dispensed candy to the kids and milk and bread to their parents for about a hundred years. He always seemed sullen, walking around in a dirty t-shirt. His black hair was receding and slicked back and his dark eyes were somewhat protuberant,”
― Tom Upton, Fading Away

“water,” he rasped softly whenever he was thirsty. It never sounded like a request, but an observation, as though he was seeing in his mind some mountain stream whose crystal clear water was babbling through a formation of rocks. He would repeat the words at almost exact intervals, never certain anybody was close enough to hear. I was”
― Tom Upton, Fading Away

“Ricky, decided to kill the Greek. I never for a moment believed he would actually do it. He had changed quite a bit in the last year; he had developed opinions--on just about everything, it seemed--started to pass judgment on everything and everybody. But he had not changed that much. So when he told me his plans, I was sure that it was all talk. We sat on out on the back stairs of our house.”
― Tom Upton, Fading Away

“was just a mass of wrinkles. His pale skin appeared paler under the early morning sun, and no matter how warm it was, a heavy afghan lay across his lap and over the arms of his”
― Tom Upton, Fading Away

“just stay away from her.” “Why?” “Just stay away from her--that’s all,” he said. He stared over the railing again. In the yard, birds were swooping down, landing on the lawn and pecking at the grass seed our mother had spread yesterday. It was no wonder why the lawn always had the scruffy look, with tiny bare spots here and there. You just couldn’t put down enough grass seed--there were just too many birds. On the landing the old man started to murmur,”
― Tom Upton, Fading Away

“with great disdain. “She had this-- I never saw anything like it. You know, it wasn’t anything like the girls you’d see in the Playboys dad keeps hidden from mom in the back of the closet.” He leaned down closer, and lowered his voice, as though afraid the old man on the landing might hear. “She had this bush-- it wasn’t a bush;”
― Tom Upton, Fading Away

“see on a cameo-- and her body wasn’t bad, either. For some reason, though, Ricky, lately, had lost interest in her. “Don’t give me ‘Oh, her daughter’ like you know everything,” he chided me. “She’s aside from the point.” “Oh?” “Yeah,” he said in a brooding tone. “You don’t like her anymore?” “I like her just fine,” he said, but the way he said it led me to believe that what he was saying wasn’t quite the truth. “But you’re not interested in her anymore,” I pointed out.”
― Tom Upton, Fading Away

“know I nearly got her,” Ricky said in a mischievous way. “Yeah?” “Yeah,” he swore. “What happened?” A look of disdain passed over his face. “I’m not sure I should say.” “Well, I’m not going to beg you,” I told him.”
― Tom Upton, Fading Away

“moment to answer. He looked over the railing at our small backyard, which, no matter how our mother tried to dress up with annuals each year, still managed to appear sad and pitiful. “It’s just the way it has to be,” he said. “There’s an order to things, and the Greek is out of order.” I considered this, but it just didn’t make any sense to me. The Greek had bought the neighborhood candy store last year.   It was true that he was not as likable as Mr. Bellini, the old owner who had dispensed candy to the kids and milk”
― Tom Upton, Fading Away