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Tell him not to smoke in your apartment. Tell him to get…

“Tell him not to smoke in your apartment. Tell him to get out. At first he protests. But slowly, slowly, he leaves, pulling up the collar on his expensive beige raincoat, like an old and haggard Robert Culp. Slam the door like Bette Davis. Love drains from you, takes with it much of your blood…” quote by Lorrie Moore
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““Tell him not to smoke in your apartment. Tell him to get out. At first he protests. But slowly, slowly, he leaves, pulling up the collar on his expensive beige raincoat, like an old and haggard Robert Culp. Slam the door like Bette Davis. Love drains from you, takes with it much of your blood sugar and water weight. You are like a house slowly losing its electricity, the fans slowing, the lights dimming and flickering; the clocks stop and go and stop.””

Lorrie Moore

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

A lover’s frustration is likened to a house losing power, illustrating emotional depletion and gradual withdrawal.

In simple terms: Love drains you like a house losing electricity.

Key Takeaway

Recognize and address emotional exhaustion.

Themes

love frustration withdrawal energy

Mood

melancholic intense

Type

literary emotional

When to use this quote

  • romantic conflict
  • personal boundaries
  • self‑care routines

Key Concepts

emotional decay relationship dynamics

Questions to Reflect On

  • What signs show you’re losing emotional energy?
  • How can you recharge a draining relationship?
A Different Perspective

The metaphor may exaggerate; not all relationships follow this pattern.

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