The Professional Quotes

“The best moments in my life,” I said, “have come because I loved somebody.” “Yeah,” he said. “And the worst,” I said.”
― Robert B. Parker, The Professional

“Belson came into the apartment with some crime-scene people and two homicide detectives.

“This guy,” Charlie said, and looked at his notebook, “Spenser. He was impersonating a police officer.”

Belson glanced at him. “We all thought that,” Belson said, “when he was a cop.”
― Robert B. Parker, The Professional

“I liked to look at her then, her eyes closed, her face perfectly still, calm in contrast to what we both were feeling and doing. The event was busy enough so I couldn’t look for very long, but when we were done and I was looking down at her, after a time she opened her eyes and looked at me and I could see her slowly refocusing, swimming back to the surface from wherever she had been. It was always a moment like no other. “You lookin’ at me,” Susan said in a surprisingly good De Niro impression. “Sex is a complicated thing,” I said. Susan widened her eyes. “Wow,” she said. “It enhances love,” I said. “But not as much as love enhances it.” “You’ve noticed that,” Susan said. “I have.”
― Robert B. Parker, The Professional

“Tony picked up his hat, put it on, stood, and buttoned up his coat. “You owe me,” he said. “But who keeps track,” I said. “Me,” Tony said. He nodded at Ty-Bop, who went out of the office first. Tony followed. They didn’t close the door behind them. But that was okay. It created sort of a welcoming image. I was a friendly guy. Might be good for business.”
― Robert B. Parker, The Professional

“BELSON AND I sat in Belson’s car outside a Dunkin’ Donuts on Gallivan Boulevard, drinking coffee and browsing a box of assorted donuts. I preferred the plain ones. Belson liked the ones with strawberry frosting and sprinkles. “What kind of sissy eats strawberry-frosted donuts?” I said. “With jimmies,” Belson said. “I had too much respect for you,” I said, “even to mention the jimmies.”
― Robert B. Parker, The Professional

“No witnesses,” I said. “Nope.” “No suspicious-looking people hanging around,” I said. “None reported.” “How come nobody ever sees a shooting?” I said. “Shooter might try to arrange it that way,” Belson said. “And it’s a godsend for us. Give us something to do so that we’re not in the bars drinking Jameson with a beer chaser by two in the afternoon.” “God is kind,” I said.”
― Robert B. Parker, The Professional

“Tony nodded. “Whaddya want?” he said. “Need a favor,” I said. “Oh, good,” Tony said. “Been hoping some wiseass snow cone would come in and ask for a favor.”
― Robert B. Parker, The Professional

“Tony was behind his desk. A little soft around the neck and jawline. But very dignified-looking, with a scatter of gray in his short hair, and none in his carefully trimmed mustache. As always, he was dressed up. Dark suit, white shirt, maroon silk tie and pocket hankie. He was smoking a long, thin cigar. “Tony,” I said. “Do you color your mustache?” Tony Marcus smiled. “Actually, motherfucker,” he said, “I color my whole body. In real life, I’m a honkie.” “Nope,” I said. “No white guy can say ‘motherfucker’ like you do.”
― Robert B. Parker, The Professional

“I think Oriental may be incorrect, too,” I said. “How about a big rug from somewhere east of Suez?”
― Robert B. Parker, The Professional

“Susan and I sat. The outer office was paneled in oak, with a big working pendulum clock on the wall and a wine-colored Persian rug on the floor. “You think it’s politically correct,” I said to Susan, “to call that a Persian rug?” “Iranian rug doesn’t sound right,” she said. “I know.” “How about Oriental?” Susan said. “More general.”
― Robert B. Parker, The Professional

“Parking in Hartland was not an issue. We left the car right across from the wrought-iron archway that led to the college campus. “Should we start at the college?” Susan said.”
― Robert B. Parker, The Professional

“SPRINGFIELD IS A CITY of about 150,000 on the Connecticut River in Western Mass, near the Connecticut line. Hartland is a small town about fifteen miles upriver. We checked in to the William Pynchon Motel on Route 5, outside of Hartland, which made Susan look a little grim. “I’m not sure about the naked frolicking,” she said. “I agreed to Springfield.”
― Robert B. Parker, The Professional

“I am a nice Jewish girl from Swampscott,” she said. “I have a Ph.D. from Harvard. Do you seriously think I would wish to frolic naked in a motel room outside of Springfield?” “How about Chicopee?” I said. Susan looked at me in silence for a moment while she took another sip of her martini. The she nodded her head slowly and smiled. “Springfield it is,” she said. Her smile was like sunrise.”
― Robert B. Parker, The Professional

“I thought you and I could go out to Hartland and find out.” “You and I?” “Yeah.” “Will we visit the Basketball Hall of Fame?” Susan said. “Sure.” “How about the Springfield Armory?” Susan said. “Absolutely.” “Anything else?” “When we weren’t investigating, and sightseeing,” I said, “we could frolic naked in our motel room.” Susan stared at me for a while.”
― Robert B. Parker, The Professional

“Official male attitudes aside, is there such a thing as too much sex?” “Sure,” Hawk said. “Even at your tolerance level?” I said. “Even then,” Hawk said. “So what does that do for me?” I said. “You the sleuth,” Hawk said. “I just a simple negro man.” “Simple,” I said. Hawk was looking down the bar at a woman in a dark blue suit. “Attractive to women, though,” he said. “I thought she was looking at me,” I said. “She not,” Hawk said.”
― Robert B. Parker, The Professional

“Susan says there’s something wrong with Gary,” I said. “That he has as much sex as he does, with various women about whom he doesn’t care very much.” “Strange tail,” Hawk said. “I know,” I said. “I’m not sure Susan gets that, exactly.” “She gets most things,” Hawk said. “She does,” I said. “I been thinking ’bout cutting back myself,” Hawk said.”
― Robert B. Parker, The Professional

“seemed to glow with whiteness. His shaved head gleamed in the bar’s light. “Maybe I should shave my head,” I said. “White guys don’t look good with their heads shaved,” Hawk said. “Why is that?” I said. “Don’t know,” Hawk said. “Don’t look as good with hair, either.” “Are you making invidious racial comparisons?” I said. “Uh-huh,” Hawk said.”
― Robert B. Parker, The Professional

“wears clothes beautifully, and he’s very sexy, the sonovabitch.” “So far, except for sonovabitch,” I said, “we could be talking about me.” The women all looked at me without response. “So much for lighthearted,” I said. “Can you give me anything more substantive?”
― Robert B. Parker, The Professional

“me. All of the smiles displayed white, even teeth. They were all extremely well dressed. They all had very good haircuts. They all looked in shape. None looked older than thirty-five. It is easier to be good-looking when you’re thirty-five, and even easier if you’re rich. Though”
― Robert B. Parker, The Professional

“It enhances love,” I said. “But not as much as love enhances it.”
― Robert B. Parker, The Professional

“I sat and looked up at the blue sky and across at the blank windows for a long time. A woman I’d once cared about had worked in anadvertising agency over there. Sometimes, when the sun came at them from a different angle, I could see through the windows across the street and watch her moving about her office. Agency was gone now. Maybe the whole building was gone, replaced by a new one. It was hard to remember.”
― Robert B. Parker, The Professional

“You can be smart and not know much,” I said. He nodded and drank some Coke. “Smartest broad I ever fucked,” he said. And that in itself must be some kind of fame.”
― Robert B. Parker, The Professional

“You ever read Machiavelli?” I said. “I imagine somebody mentioned him to me at Harvard.” “He argued that it is better to be feared than loved,” I said.”
― Robert B. Parker, The Professional

“And rich older husbands,” I said. “And perhaps some evidence of promiscuity,” Susan said. “I mean, every young wife doesn’t cheat on her husband. Why”
― Robert B. Parker, The Professional