How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #7
I remember Applebaum's wife, Adele, a tall, vivacious woman with big teeth and a resounding laugh. She would grab my hair when I was a kid and say, "Oh, Hill, the girls are just going to go wild over this one!" [...] She started having strokes a few years ago. (12.21)
One of the saddest parts of death—or dying, really—is seeing the difference between what someone was and what they've become. Thinking about Adele, Judd even manages to muster up a little sympathy for Mr. Applebaum, who was just annoying to him before.
Quote #8
For some reason sitting here with my little brother, it suddenly occurs to me that we will never see our father again, and I feel a crushing desolation deep in my belly. (23.68)
Judd has been stuck in the "denial" stage of grief for a while now. It's not until he's faced with his own impending fatherhood that he finally understands the loss he's suffered and seems to move on to acceptance. (Not sure what happened to the other three steps; he must have rushed through them.)
Quote #9
"Why didn't I miss him more when he was alive? He was dying for two years, and I only visited him a handful of times. What could have been more important than spending time with your father?" (38.88)
We 100% guarantee that no one in the history of the world has ever said, "Yep, I sure did spend enough time with that person before they died. I have no regrets at all." We're always going to wish we'd done or said more—the hard part is acting on it now.