Rosemary

“I like to do all the talking myself.  It saves time, and prevents arguments.” “But”
― Oscar Wilde, The Happy Prince and Other Tales

“Sometimes all it takes is a simple word, a mere nothing, a well-intentioned but over-protective gesture, like the gesture made, quite unwittingly, by the Mathematics teacher, for the pacific, docile, submissive person suddenly to vanish and be replaced, to the dismay and incomprehension of those who thought they knew all there was to know about the human soul, by the blind, devastating wrath of the meek. It doesn't usually last very long, but while it does, it inspires real fear.”
― José Saramago, The Double

“Both men accepted that the nature of the request, its intimacy and self-conscious reflection on their friendship, had created, for the moment, an uncomfortable emotional proximity which was best dealt with by their parting without another word.”
― Ian McEwan, Amsterdam

“Was it boredom or sadism that made the shirt service people do up every single button?”
― Ian McEwan, Amsterdam