dennis scharnberg

yes to everything

—Have these people no sense of irony or self-awareness?

—If that were your self, would you want to be aware of it?

Philip Cavendish, Tilly’s Treasury of Colloquial Bits.

more or less

We do not present Roderick’s plea in its entirety, in all its miserable detail.  Instead—mercifully—we undertake to summarize it for our readers.  We provide the gist only.

Miles Everett Mander, Hard-Won Tales.

lying in wait

We set off on a path to disaster, as I see it, with the development of agriculture.  The internet?  Instantaneous annihilation.  No more, no less.

Roger Hedgecook, Stolen and Sold for Parts.

dull duller dullest

“OK, life is hard,” admitted Collins.  “But isn’t it the degeneracy that makes it so very hard?”

Rubina Malcolm, The Black Box.

pinching the pearls

“They don’t care about their grandchildren,” said Greta about the boomers.  “Even though their words say they do.”

Ruth Ledgerwood, Death by Logic.

our troubled slumber

“I believe that vice is sweet, sir, and good.  I intend pursuing it to the very end.  That is my philosophy.”

“No,” said my Uncle Toby.  “Having an intense headache is your philosophy.”

Thaddeus Crewes, The Seven Long Years.

no risk involved

“What lies hidden in words?”  Beware of those few who claim knowledge of this.

Alaric Vesta, The Nine Accidents.       (1633)

muddy and cold

The atheist can demonstrate only what he does believe.

Tyler Boots, Axios Means Worthy.

teacup and saucer

“What a psychologist believes,” mused Eleanor.  “Now, would that be a short list or a long list?”

Diana Moone, Living Well.

cheap passing thrill

“Be the first to stop applauding!”  Ronnie was being derisive again.  But he seemed uncertain about what, or whom, he was mocking.

Jason Starling, ed., Adventures in Narrative Parsimony.