Another life Quote by Alice McDermott
““She turned back to her sandwich. And here, of all things, was desire again. (She could have put the palm of her hand to the front of his white shirt.) Here was her chicken sandwich and her tea and the waitress with a hard life in her eyes and a pretty face disappearing into pale flesh asking if there’s anything else for now, dear. Here was the boudoir air of respectable Schrafft’s with its marble counters and pretty lamps and lunchtime bustle (ten minutes until she should be back at her desk), perfume and smoke, with the war over and another life begun and mad April whipping through the streets again. And here she was at thirty, just out of church (a candle lit every lunch hour, still, although the war was over), and yearning now with every inch of herself to put her hand to the worn buckle at a stranger’s waist, a palm to his smooth belly. A man she’d never see again. Good luck.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Object of My Affection by Alice McDermott, 1998
A woman reflects on fleeting desire and ordinary life amidst post‑war normalcy, yearning for a brief, intimate connection.
In simple terms: She longs for a moment of intimacy in a mundane setting.
Key Takeaway
Acknowledge longing without acting on it.
Themes
longing
war
everyday life
desire
transience
Mood
melancholic
reflective
Type
literary
narrative
When to use this quote
- lunch break
- war‑time aftermath
- personal reflection
Key Concepts
post‑war society
human intimacy
mundane yearning
Questions to Reflect On
- What does this desire reveal about her unmet needs?
- How does the setting amplify her yearning?
A Different Perspective
She may be projecting fantasy onto a stranger, ignoring reality.
