#0075: Fell Down, by M. E. Kerr

[orbitaldiamonds]

Fell Down
by M. E. Kerr

p.416 "I'm not in love...Do you know how pointless everything is when you're not in love?"

p.428 Poor little tyke was all alone in the world... almost... almost (Presque, as they say in Paris, and in Madrid they say casi. See how many languages you can say "almost" in.)

p.435 I couldn't really give either one of them a hard time. It was as though Central Casting had picked them to be The Nice Parents... He even smoked a pipe, which gave him a sort of philosophical air: the thoughtful type. A pharmacist by profession, you could imagine him ministering to people, wearing one of those short white coats people wear when they can't have the long one that means MD.

p.456 Algernon Charles Swinburne. (Never heard of him, right?)
     This twisted poet of yore (a lush, yes; none of them are ever happy) inspired Nels to underline so many passages!
     One afternoon Lenny took a good look at what it was that captured his pal's attention.
     I wished we were together today,
     Lost sight of, hidden way out of sight, Clasped
     and clothes in the clothes in the cloven clay,
     Out of the world's way, out of the light.
     Oh, yes, and how about this one?
     At the door of life, by the gate of breath,
     There are worse things waiting for men than death.
     Sick, sick sick... and he was all Lenny's.

p.458 "Jazzy, I know it's hard to get used to get used to, but Mommy has a right to go out. Daddy's in heaven."
     "Daddy's not. He's rolling over in his grave."
     "What?"
     "That's what Aunt Clara said. She said Daddy's probably rolling over in his grave."

( more under the cut )

#0076: The Long Season of Rain, by Helen Kim

[orbitaldiamonds]

The Long Season of Rain
by Helen Kim

changma -- long rainy season
komooshin -- traditional footwear made of rubber
Uhnni -- (written like another name, e.g.. Changhee Uhnni) -- used for older (than the speaker) unmarried woman
Opa -- (written like Uhnni) older male relative
chung -- deeper than and different from love. An attachment that that grows with time and sharing. Even if you don't like someone you can still have much chung for them
bulgoki -- marinated beef
han -- sorrow and grief
chul -- maturity and wisdom

( more under the cut )