Chips of Red Paint Quotes

“Stephanie took another puff from her candy cigarette, reached into her purse, brought out the rest of the pack, and said, "Want one of these damned cigarettes?”
― K. Martin Beckner, Chips of Red Paint

“I want you to learn that if you don't keep picking at old wounds, over time they will eventually heal. Oh sure, sometimes they will leave a nasty, jagged scar, but at least it won't hurt like it did anymore, and if you don't look at it, sometimes you can almost forget it's there.”
― K. Martin Beckner, Chips of Red Paint

“Some of the more superstitious townsfolk even believed she was a witch. The fact that she had four dead husbands lined up in a neat row at the local Promise Land Cemetery was not an argument in her defense.”
― K. Martin Beckner, Chips of Red Paint

“I guess we're all composed of a lot of mistakes; we just have to figure out how to take our mistakes and make something good out of them.”
― K. Martin Beckner, Chips of Red Paint

“I feel better now that we decided not to worry. I think most people spend too much time worrying about stuff that never happens.”
― K. Martin Beckner, Chips of Red Paint

“And if you ever find someone you really love, hold onto them with everything you got. Hold onto them until they're gone. And if they ever are gone, let them go. Don't forget them, but let them go.”
― K. Martin Beckner, Chips of Red Paint

“You'll never avoid every mistake. All you can do is try to do your best and live with the consequences.”
― K. Martin Beckner, Chips of Red Paint

“Anyway," continued Mr. Miller, "when I was a kid, people used to sit under the stars at night and look up into the sky and talk about things. They got to know each other. People Today is too busy staring at the television, what I call the idiot box, to talk about anything. That's why there are so many divorces these days. People don't talk”
― K. Martin Beckner, Chips of Red Paint

“Ain't no decent woman ever had that many husbands to die from natural causes.”
― K. Martin Beckner, Chips of Red Paint

“In those days, at least in my small town, parents didn't seem to worry so much about what their kids were doing as long as they made it home in time for dinner.”
― K. Martin Beckner, Chips of Red Paint

“Time can only rob us of the things we can touch; it can't rob us of the things we feel.”
― K. Martin Beckner, Chips of Red Paint

“I've tucked those negative thoughts in a drawer, and for the most part, though I know the drawer still exists, it never gets opened.”
― K. Martin Beckner, Chips of Red Paint

“As a very young person, I was ready and willing to explore and try new things, unhampered by the daily routines that adults so often feel obligated to adhere to.”
― K. Martin Beckner, Chips of Red Paint

“I can tell you kids grew up with a silver spoon in your mouth. When I was your age, we took a bath once a week on Saturday night, and all of us used the same bath water.”
― K. Martin Beckner, Chips of Red Paint

“Sometimes you may think you're doing the right thing, but it turns out to be the wrong thing. And you just have to live with it. If I'd known what I know now when I was young, I could have done a lot more right, but I didn't. That's the way life is: you figure it out right before you die.”
― K. Martin Beckner, Chips of Red Paint

“I guess I'm supposed to sit here in this oven like it's 1950, hoping I don't go to hell for stealing a church fan.”
― K. Martin Beckner, Chips of Red Paint

“That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard of. I think I would have more fun chopping thistles with a butter knife.”
― K. Martin Beckner, Chips of Red Paint

“Like a car that's old enough to be old but not old enough to be a classic, it would be years before people would again appreciate the old town square.”
― K. Martin Beckner, Chips of Red Paint

“It's a wonder Hell don't open up and swallow her as the highlight of the service.”
― K. Martin Beckner, Chips of Red Paint

“I could just hear my mom now, "You know those old candy cigarettes are bad for you. Next thing you know, you'll be drinking alcohol, and they'll find you dead in a ditch somewhere. I'll never be able to show my face in this town again.”
― K. Martin Beckner, Chips of Red Paint

“I wanted to go in and tell them that, but George thought it would just be stirring up some trouble, you know, stirring up the cow pile. A cow pile may looked dried up, but if you stir it up, it can start to stink again.”
― K. Martin Beckner, Chips of Red Paint

“There aren't many kids today as good as you are. Kids today are selfish; they don't think of others. They're too busy listening to devil music on their eight-track players to think of anyone else.”
― K. Martin Beckner, Chips of Red Paint

“don’t think he ever did feel right living on this earth without Sarah. Now he can be with Sarah in Heaven forever and ever. People don’t die in Heaven.”
― K. Martin Beckner, Chips of Red Paint

“I felt a pang of guilt at these words. I knew that it would probably be a long time before he got to go home. I also knew that unless the doctors were able to save his leg, he would never quite be the same again. I hoped desperately that he wouldn’t blame me for it.”
― K. Martin Beckner, Chips of Red Paint

“better shut up!” I said angrily. “You just better shut up. I told you not to say anything about that.” “I wasn’t trying to steal it. I was going to pay for it when I had the money.” “Well, I don’t want to wait until you get rich to get my money back. I just want you to promise me you won’t steal it.” “I told you not to say anything about that,” I said. “You stole that money from your mom, so you’re not any better than Stephanie.” “She’s my”
― K. Martin Beckner, Chips of Red Paint

“last week about this woman that was arrested for murder because she gave her diabetic husband too much insulin.” “What’s insulin?” asked Charlie. “It’s some kind of sugar, I think,” said Stephanie. “I’m not sure why it’s called insulin.”
― K. Martin Beckner, Chips of Red Paint

“She just works there to get extra spending money. She keeps most of her money in the bank.” “Whatever you say, I guess,” said Charlie. “So, where’s your mom at, anyway?” “Oh, she’s been gone quite a bit this week. When she’s not working, she likes to visit over at her new boyfriend’s house a lot. They’re all the time riding that big motorcycle of his. I don’t care much for her boyfriend. I’m glad he don’t come around here too much. “So, anyway, what kind of big trouble are you two in?” “It’s an awful mess,” I said. “I killed Miss Hazel by accident, and I’m afraid they’ll lock me up. I snuck her some cookies after my”
― K. Martin Beckner, Chips of Red Paint

“except maybe Farrah Fawcett.”
― K. Martin Beckner, Chips of Red Paint

“some things in this world just ain’t right.”
― K. Martin Beckner, Chips of Red Paint