--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You can speak, I said looking directly at…" description: "\"“You can speak, I said looking directly at him, I needed him to know I wasn’t afraid. I’d been dealing with wandering souls, which is what I like to th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb5/abbi-glines-421_matter-of-fact_you-can-speak-i-said-looking-directly-at_2036988.jpg" --- # You can speak, I said looking directly at him, I needed… ![“You can speak, I said looking directly at him, I needed him to know I wasn’t afraid. I’d been dealing with wandering souls, which is what I like to think of them as, all my life. They didn’t frighten me but I liked to ignore them so they would go away. If they ever thought I could see them, they…” quote by Abbi Glines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb5/abbi-glines-421_matter-of-fact_you-can-speak-i-said-looking-directly-at_2036988.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb5/abbi-glines-421_matter-of-fact_you-can-speak-i-said-looking-directly-at_2036988.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb5/abbi-glines-421_matter-of-fact_you-can-speak-i-said-looking-directly-at_2036988.jpg) > ““You can speak, I said looking directly at him, I needed him to know I wasn’t afraid. I’d been dealing with wandering souls, which is what I like to think of them as, all my life. They didn’t frighten me but I liked to ignore them so they would go away. If they ever thought I could see them, they followed me. He continued to watch me with an amused expression on his face. I noticed his crooked grin produced a single dimple. The dimple didn’t seem to fit with his cold, arrogant demeanor. As much as his presence annoyed me, I couldn’t help but admit this soul could only be labeled as ridiculously gorgeous. Yes, I speak. Were you expecting me to be mute? I leaned my hip against the desk. Yes, as a matter of fact, I was. You’re the first one who has ever spoken to me. A frown creased his forehead. The first one? He appeared genuinely surprised he wasn’t the first dead person I could see. He was definitely the most unique soul I’d ever seen. Ignoring a soul who could talk was going to be”” [Abbi Glines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbi-glines/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The narrator confronts a talking soul, balancing fear and fascination, and realizes even intimidating beings can possess unexpected beauty and vulnerability. **In simple terms:** Facing a talking soul reveals both fear and unexpected charm. Key Takeaway Embrace curiosity over fear. Themes fear beauty curiosity communication identity Mood intrigued reflective Type literary conversational When to use this quote - encountering the unknown - building trust with strangers - overcoming prejudice - recognizing humanity in the uncanny Key Concepts supernatural human connection perception Questions to Reflect On - What does the soul represent in your life? - How can you see beauty in intimidating people? A Different Perspective The soul’s ability to speak may be a metaphor, not literal, limiting practical relevance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [Just love the person who love you, not the person you love, give your self the chance to learn about them, search their heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-rambharack/just-love-the-person-who-love-you-not-the-person-you-love-give-your/) [Glen Rambharack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-rambharack/) > [“Much of the Soul they talk, but all awry; And in themselves seek virtue; and to themselves All glory arrogate, to God give none”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/much-of-the-soul-they-talk-but-all-awry-and-in-themselves-seek-virtue/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [“Your body and your soul talk to me in ways I’d never thought possible, and I…” He drew in a breath. “I want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bella-forrest/your-body-and-your-soul-talk-to-me-in-ways-i-d-never-thought-possible/) [Bella Forrest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bella-forrest/) > [I sometimes have a conversation with my soul, we talk about how much I love you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/londa-ntombela/i-sometimes-have-a-conversation-with-my-soul-we-talk-about-how-much-i/) [Londa Ntombela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/londa-ntombela/) > [i have never had anybody talk to me like this. this is not a flirty sixth-grade phone call or bantering with friends or words…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/i-have-never-had-anybody-talk-to-me-like-this-this-is-not-a-flirty/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [“i feel that if my soul could talk it would talk like this”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/i-feel-that-if-my-soul-could-talk-it-would-talk-like-this/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [What's female beauty, but an air divine, thro' which the mind's all gentle graces shine? 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In the seraphic smile of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/there-are-moments-when-the-elixir-of-life-rises-to-such-over-brimming/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [Every human soul has seen, perhaps before their birth pure forms such as justice, temperance, beauty and all the great moral qualities which we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-murdoch/every-human-soul-has-seen-perhaps-before-their-birth-pure-forms-such/) [Iris Murdoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-murdoch/) > [“The aura of his soul. She’d seen them before when she’d guided the dead. But she’d never seen one quite like this, darkness and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-silver/the-aura-of-his-soul-she-d-seen-them-before-when-she-d-guided-the/) Eve Silver ## More by Abbi Glines > [I dropped my phone on the floor and let the pain assail me. 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I noticed his crooked grin produced a single dimple. The dimple didn’t seem to fit with his cold, arrogant demeanor. As much as his presence annoyed me, I couldn’t help but admit this soul could only be labeled as ridiculously gorgeous. Yes, I speak. Were you expecting me to be mute? I leaned my hip against the desk. Yes, as a matter of fact, I was. You’re the first one who has ever spoken to me. A frown creased his forehead. The first one? He appeared genuinely surprised he wasn’t the first dead person I could see. He was definitely the most unique soul I’d ever seen. 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