“I felt that I was not only witnessing the history of the future but that I was a part of the history of the future. That we were the building blocks of a more just and enlightened society. Where did we all disappear to? Those of us who frowned on the jacket and tie society are now the achieving class, the leaders of industry and commerce, all else be damned. And I did say ‘we.’ I find it hard to separate myself from the rest of the dropouts. Yes, I did say dropouts. Not the guys that left ordinary conventions behind, but the guys that embraced ordinary conventions, and left everything they stood for behind.”

****

“I don’t even know who I’m crying for.”

“You’re crying for all of us,” Malley says as he pulls Miles closer. “Welcome back to the human race, brother.”

****

“You think you’ve got it all figured out. But Valerie dear, he gets pretty stirred up. Just you wait and see. Always settles to the bottom though.”

****

The life he aspired to was in his grasp, but perhaps it came too easy. He was so sure of himself and took it so for granted that he didn’t grasp it tightly enough.

****

“What’s his bitch?”

“It’s one big head trip. Most of you Americans came as bums and tried to build a life. Miles came with a life and left a bum.”

****

Ted brings a lot of passion to his work, so a drop-dead mountain parcel like this is a beautiful woman to a master-planning architect of Ted’s caliber. He’ll romance the hell out of her before he’s fully committed. He’ll head home with a schoolboy’s crush, only he isn’t a schoolboy. Infatuation is one thing; a three-year planning horizon before approvals are final is something else.

****

“How do I know what a NIMBY is? You’ve gotta be kidding me! I don’t live on Mars; I live in Woodstock. In this town, everyone above the age of twelve knows what a NIMBY is.” Alice almost cracks a smile.

****

When it comes to hypocrisy, nothing beats nimbyism. All of a sudden, sworn enemies are holding hands, spouting concern for the environment, concern for the rights of others, etc. etc., and every redneck is a New York liberal.

****

How about life? You ask yourself the why of it, how one person and one event can stick in your mind and influence your thinking forever. The answer is always the same—it’s never in the script.

****