The Driftway Quotes

“I've been like someone with a bad cold, all kind of shut up inside myself, not being able to hear other people. Just shouting out at them sometimes.”
― Penelope Lively, The Driftway

“Nobody was quite what the other people thought.'
'Stands to reason,' said Bill. 'Nobody is. That's what makes things interesting. Other people, that is.'
'I'm not sure. You get all muddled. Finding out. You don't know where you are.'
'Ah. But it's if you don't find out you've got something to worry about, son, you take my word for it. Soon as you're ready to believe another bloke might not be exactly what you think he is, you're halfway to being able to live with him. Or work with him, or whatever it is.”
― Penelope Lively, The Driftway

“When a thing's happened to you it's no good shoving it away and pretending it hasn't. You can go off your head that way.'
'Battles?'
'Not just battles,' said Bill with a snort. 'Most of us don't get mixed up with battles, do we? Anything. Everything.'
Everything?
'It's what you do about things that makes you the kind of bloke you are,' said Bill.”
― Penelope Lively, The Driftway