Sullivan's Island Quotes

“The first indication of menopause is a broken thermostat. It's either that or your weight. In any case, if you don't do something, you could be dead by August.

God, middle age is an unending insult.”
― Dorothea Benton Frank, Sullivan's Island

“The people you love never leave you ...”
― Dorothea Benton Frank, Sullivan's Island

“Makes you grow up quick. Hard work makes you strong. I work hard every day; that's where I get my strength. That and knowing who I am.”
― Dorothea Benton Frank, Sullivan's Island

“Say your prayers, girl. Prayers work miracles; don't you see that much yet?”
― Dorothea Benton Frank, Sullivan's Island

“I want you to think. Gawd got his special purpose for you, just like He does for every one of us. He done give you a very good mind. The world you have when you grow up is gonna be the one you make. You use your mind and make it better.”
― Dorothea Benton Frank, Sullivan's Island

“Please. Don’t use the Lord’s name, unless you’re in prayer. It’s a hundred years in purgatory.”
― Dorothea Benton Frank, Sullivan's Island

“I took his aftershave and cologne out of the medicine cabinet. It occurred to me that he’d been wearing these for Karen. I peed in the bathroom glass, drained the Aramis and poured urine into two of his cologne bottles. “Up yours,” I said quietly. I dropped the bottles in his bag and zipped it closed.”
― Dorothea Benton Frank, Sullivan's Island

“Reaching for his toothbrush, I looked at it and realized he’d been brushing his teeth for somebody else for a long time. I don’t know what possessed me to do it but I dunked it in the toilet. That pleased me so much that I rubbed it around the inside rim. That seemed so pleasant I then scrubbed up under the rim, good and hard, where no toilet brush could’ve reached in weeks.”
― Dorothea Benton Frank, Sullivan's Island

“Look at that sky,” Livvie said. “Uh-huh,” I said. “Ain’t it marvelous?” “Yeah, it’s marvelous.” “No, chile o’ mine, you ain’t understanding what I’m telling you.” Her voice was so soft and loving, it was hard to keep my worries on my mind. “What do ya mean?” “See them stars starting to twinkle? They’s Gawd’s diamonds. You ’eah me? And the night sky turning so blue? That’s He sapphires for us. And see that streak of red across the horizon? They’s a field of rubies. Whenever you feel troubled and poor in the spirit, just go look at the sunset and all Gawd’s riches just be a-waiting for you.” “Yeah, sure, Livvie,” I said. “I ain’t lying to you, chile. I is telling you for true.”
― Dorothea Benton Frank, Sullivan's Island

“Father Michaels' sermon was mercifully short. He had a reputation for three-minute homilies, tightly written, provocative and insightful. His words centered on the true meaning of Christianity. That is was all about love. Love of God, love of self, love of family, love of community.

Love was a gift.”
― Dorothea Benton Frank, Sullivan's Island

“Beth.”
― Dorothea Benton Frank, Sullivan's Island

“.....If these walls started talking, the entire Island would be put under quarantine while the government moved in an army of psychiatrists.”
― Dorothea Benton Frank, Sullivan's Island

“up mimosas and croissants at Billy’s. No, no. In the Lowcountry it’s got gravy on it—the”
― Dorothea Benton Frank, Sullivan's Island

“Look at that sky,” Livvie said. “Uh-huh,” I said. “Ain’t it marvelous?” “Yeah, it’s marvelous.” “No, chile o’ mine, you ain’t understanding what I’m telling you.” Her voice was so soft and loving, it was hard to keep my worries on my mind. “What do ya mean?” “See them stars starting to twinkle? They’s Gawd’s diamonds. You ’eah me? And the night sky turning so blue? That’s He sapphires for us. And see that streak of red across the horizon? They’s a field of rubies. Whenever you feel troubled and poor in the spirit, just go look at the sunset and all Gawd’s riches just be a-waiting for you.” “Yeah, sure, Livvie,” I said. “I ain’t lying to you, chile. I is telling you for true.” I looked at the sky and it was full of riches,”
― Dorothea Benton Frank, Sullivan's Island

“Naturally, we shopped, we had lunch, we did homework and we cleaned closets together. But beyond those mundane amusements—and”
― Dorothea Benton Frank, Sullivan's Island

“devil trying to distract you from your purpose.” I just stared at her. “That’s right. Old Beelzebub himself. That’s how the devil works. He ain’t no fool with a red suit and a tail. No, he works on your mind. When you let your mind dwell on trouble, you can’t be doing what you needs to be doing. Then he wins, you see? He can’t win unless you let him because he ain’t got no”
― Dorothea Benton Frank, Sullivan's Island

“thought that it must be hard for old people to know when they were being horrible and old-fashioned.”
― Dorothea Benton Frank, Sullivan's Island

“See them stars starting to twinkle? They’s Gawd’s diamonds. You ’eah me? And the night sky turning so blue? That’s He sapphires for us.”
― Dorothea Benton Frank, Sullivan's Island

“Eah. Great Gullah word, versatile like anything. It means here, yes, right now, do you hear me, isn’t it so, don’t you agree and just about anything you want it to.”
― Dorothea Benton Frank, Sullivan's Island

“inland waterway to the mysterious, dreamy and”
― Dorothea Benton Frank, Sullivan's Island

“Love. It mystically transcended death. It healed hearts. It changed thoughts. And when you met it head-on, it gave you courage in return.”
― Dorothea Benton Frank, Sullivan's Island

“at my age, if I were sexually harassed, I’d send the guy flowers,”
― Dorothea Benton Frank, Sullivan's Island

“Each one of us hugged her with all our might. The strength of her arms healed me on the spot. When she saw the fear in our faces transform from fright to calm, she released us, one by one.”
― Dorothea Benton Frank, Sullivan's Island

“Listen to Livvie, I tell you what’s on my mind, not to make you feel bad. I want you to think. Gawd got His special purpose for you, just like He does for every one of us. He done give you a very good mind. The world you have when you grow up is gonna be the one you make. You use your mind and make it better.”
― Dorothea Benton Frank, Sullivan's Island

“That’s right. Old Beelzebub himself. That’s how the devil works. He ain’t no fool with a red suit and a tail. No, he works on your mind. When you let your mind dwell on trouble, you can’t be doing what you needs to be doing. Then he wins, you see? He can’t win unless you let him because he ain’t got no power on his own.”
― Dorothea Benton Frank, Sullivan's Island

“When folks around you do crazy things, it’s the devil trying to distract you from your purpose.”
― Dorothea Benton Frank, Sullivan's Island

“But it was more than that and her fried chicken. Her passion for righteousness was stronger than our frenzy.”
― Dorothea Benton Frank, Sullivan's Island

“good manners are the moisturizer of life.”
― Dorothea Benton Frank, Sullivan's Island

“What possible difference did it make where somebody sat on a bus, or which water fountain somebody used? Most of all, I’d be thoroughly and permanently reviling my grandfather’s guts if he pitched a fit over the soon-to-be-built bathroom being used by our soon-to-start new housekeeper. I thought that it must be hard for old people to know when they were being horrible and old-fashioned.”
― Dorothea Benton Frank, Sullivan's Island

“She’d tell me, “Men ain’t what but old alley cats looking for to spray they scent.” She’d hold up three fingers to me and say, “Only have three things on they mind. One, they stomach. Gotta fill him up. Two, they talliwacker. Got to let him have he way. Three, they money. Don’t want to give nothing ’less they’s getting something back. That’s all, chile, that’s all. Don’t expect much and you ain’t gone be disappoint.”
― Dorothea Benton Frank, Sullivan's Island