--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When we were leaving London, Dad spent…" description: "\"“When we were leaving London, Dad spent about an hour trying to push his wardrobe through the bedroom door. He turned it on its side. He tried it upsid..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/802/annabel-pitcher-11123_speech_when-we-were-leaving-london-dad-spent-ab_1305357.jpg" --- # When we were leaving London, Dad spent about an hour… ![“When we were leaving London, Dad spent about an hour trying to push his wardrobe through the bedroom door. He turned it on its side. He tried it upside down. He tilted it one way and then the other but it just would not fit. Words like "Mum" and "Affair" and "Dad" and "Drinking" were just like…” quote by Annabel Pitcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/802/annabel-pitcher-11123_speech_when-we-were-leaving-london-dad-spent-ab_1305357.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/802/annabel-pitcher-11123_speech_when-we-were-leaving-london-dad-spent-ab_1305357.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/802/annabel-pitcher-11123_speech_when-we-were-leaving-london-dad-spent-ab_1305357.jpg) > ““When we were leaving London, Dad spent about an hour trying to push his wardrobe through the bedroom door. He turned it on its side. He tried it upside down. He tilted it one way and then the other but it just would not fit. Words like "Mum" and "Affair" and "Dad" and "Drinking" were just like that wardrobe--too big to get out. No matter what I did, I couldn't fit them through the space between my teeth.”” [Annabel Pitcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annabel-pitcher/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Attempting to force large, painful memories into speech feels impossible, like a bulky wardrobe that won’t fit through a narrow doorway. **In simple terms:** Hard memories don’t fit easily into words. Key Takeaway Accept that some things stay unsaid. Themes family memory communication pain Mood reflective melancholic Type narrative emotive When to use this quote - grieving - therapy sessions - family discussions - writing memoirs Key Concepts psychology trauma expression Questions to Reflect On - How do you decide which memories to share? - What helps you process unspoken pain? A Different Perspective Words may never fully capture the depth of experience. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Door Turned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/door-turned-3318729/) [Like Mum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-mum-378946/) [Like Wardrobe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-wardrobe-1264243/) [London Dad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/london-dad-282729/) [Speech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speech/) [Wardrobe Big](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wardrobe-big-4300869/) [Words](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/words/) ## Related quotes > [“He closed the door behind her and turned, blocking her view of the surprisingly neat room to crowd her against the door. “I’ve wanted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-j-fredrick/he-closed-the-door-behind-her-and-turned-blocking-her-view-of-the/) [M.J. Fredrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-j-fredrick/) > [“You're still running." "He's right, you know." Kat stopped at the sound of the voice. Her hand was on the doorknob, freedom just inches…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-carter/you-re-still-running-he-s-right-you-know-kat-stopped-at-the-sound-of/) [Ally Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-carter/) > [“He stopped at the door and turned to me. “I’ll be right back.” I nodded, and he disappeared out the door. I stood in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-ashley/he-stopped-at-the-door-and-turned-to-me-i-ll-be-right-back-i-nodded/) [Kristen Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-ashley/) > [I was born in London but, after my dad passed away, we moved to Kent for a fresh start.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-smalling/i-was-born-in-london-but-after-my-dad-passed-away-we-moved-to-kent/) [Chris Smalling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-smalling/) > [Yes, I was born in London because my dad was closing out the West End version of Miss Saigon' there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isa-briones/yes-i-was-born-in-london-because-my-dad-was-closing-out-the-west-end/) [Isa Briones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isa-briones/) > [I grew up on a council estate in south London; my dad was a bus driver and my mum sewed clothes to bring in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sadiq-khan/i-grew-up-on-a-council-estate-in-south-london-my-dad-was-a-bus-driver/) [Sadiq Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sadiq-khan/) > [I grew up in west London, but my dad wouldn't let me go to school there, so I went in south London.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-enninful/i-grew-up-in-west-london-but-my-dad-wouldn-t-let-me-go-to-school/) [Edward Enninful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-enninful/) > [“At the door he turned and looked back. She stood, facing away from him, the sunlight from the window enshrouding her in an unmerited…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-klassen/at-the-door-he-turned-and-looked-back-she-stood-facing-away-from-him/) [Julie Klassen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-klassen/) > [I'd be ashamed to see a woman walking around with my name-label on her, address and railway station, like a wardrobe trunk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-h-lawrence/i-d-be-ashamed-to-see-a-woman-walking-around-with-my-name-label-on/) [D. H. Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-h-lawrence/) > [My wardrobe is like a garden oh, I don't know how I've got the gall! My wardrobe is just like a wardrobe it's not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/attila-the-stockbroker/my-wardrobe-is-like-a-garden-oh-i-don-t-know-how-i-ve-got-the-gall-my/) [Attila the Stockbroker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/attila-the-stockbroker/) > [I always like to have a few wardrobe options to try to see what I feel best in on the day and so preparation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-willis/i-always-like-to-have-a-few-wardrobe-options-to-try-to-see-what-i/) [Emma Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-willis/) > [My life at the moment is a bit like my wardrobe. Organized chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-wenham/my-life-at-the-moment-is-a-bit-like-my-wardrobe-organized-chaos/) [David Wenham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-wenham/) > [My life at the moment is a bit like my wardrobe. Organised chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-wenham/my-life-at-the-moment-is-a-bit-like-my-wardrobe-organised-chaos/) [David Wenham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-wenham/) > [“Like Mum and that bastard.” “You mean Da?” “Call him what you like.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-a-aiken/like-mum-and-that-bastard-you-mean-da-call-him-what-you-like/) [G.A. Aiken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-a-aiken/) > [I sound like my mum and I like that. I like that I sound like where I'm from.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aimee-lou-wood/i-sound-like-my-mum-and-i-like-that-i-like-that-i-sound-like-where-i/) [Aimee Lou Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aimee-lou-wood/) ## More by Annabel Pitcher > [“I am not going to make small talk with the enemy, let's be clear about that.' - ppg 31”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annabel-pitcher/i-am-not-going-to-make-small-talk-with-the-enemy-let-s-be-clear-about/) [Annabel Pitcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annabel-pitcher/) > [Spread those strong wings of yours. Fly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annabel-pitcher/spread-those-strong-wings-of-yours-fly/) [Annabel Pitcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annabel-pitcher/) > [“My heart is your heart," she whispers, and wow that takes my breath away, this line from my childhood that she always used to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annabel-pitcher/my-heart-is-your-heart-she-whispers-and-wow-that-takes-my-breath-away/) [Annabel Pitcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annabel-pitcher/) > [“But my parents let me drift. My head was too easily turned by what else was out there. 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I looked from the little brown stone to the tiny brown freckle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annabel-pitcher/if-envy-is-red-and-doubt-is-black-then-happiness-is-brown-i-looked/) [Annabel Pitcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annabel-pitcher/) > [“I never realised there was so much of it,' Sandra muttered. 'Hours. I feel every minute.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annabel-pitcher/i-never-realised-there-was-so-much-of-it-sandra-muttered-hours-i-feel/) [Annabel Pitcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annabel-pitcher/) > [“I like winter and I like the dark and I like cats and I like the rain and I like walking up mountains and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annabel-pitcher/i-like-winter-and-i-like-the-dark-and-i-like-cats-and-i-like-the-rain/) [Annabel Pitcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annabel-pitcher/) > [“But lions aren't tame, Jack used to say. They're dangerous, Tess. They roar. But you wouldn't listen. You saw a car. Jack saw the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annabel-pitcher/but-lions-aren-t-tame-jack-used-to-say-they-re-dangerous-tess-they/) [Annabel Pitcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annabel-pitcher/) > [“That is love, making endless tea for someone who never drinks it, just in case this is the morning they might actually want a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annabel-pitcher/that-is-love-making-endless-tea-for-someone-who-never-drinks-it-just/) [Annabel Pitcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annabel-pitcher/) > [“My real dad would never be this rude, I just know it. Even if he was angry, he would hold up his hand to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annabel-pitcher/my-real-dad-would-never-be-this-rude-i-just-know-it-even-if-he-was/) [Annabel Pitcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annabel-pitcher/) > [“A leopard can't change its spots and a dog can't change its temperament and a planet can't change its position in the universe.' -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annabel-pitcher/a-leopard-can-t-change-its-spots-and-a-dog-can-t-change-its/) [Annabel Pitcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annabel-pitcher/) [Explore all 46 Annabel Pitcher quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annabel-pitcher/) ## More Speech quotes > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. 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