Found Words – Matthew McIntosh

From the book I’m reading:

“Shelly didn’t like her friends much but she needed them. She didn’t like the idea of being alone and without these friends of hers she was afraid she wouldn’t be anyone.”

“One time I gave him a cigarette and I said, Where’d you learn to play like that? You mean with one arm? he said. That’s exactly what I meant, but I said, No, I mean where’d you learn to play pool so well, Harold? You have to find something, Harold Said. You know what I mean?” 

“‘America is not the place that it was!’ he said. ‘It is a dying mirage! All the men who made it great are dead! All our heroes are gone and now there’s nobody! What have you people ever had to survive?’ he said. ‘What have you ever had to suffer?” 

 - well