--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: He was miles past middle age with a gut…" description: "\"“He was miles past middle age with a gut that housed ample good meals. A patch of silver hair formed a trail from his forehead to the crown of his head..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0b/brandi-l-bates-13302_blue-collar_he-was-miles-past-middle-age-with-a-gut_1167454.jpg" --- # He was miles past middle age with a gut that housed ample… ![“He was miles past middle age with a gut that housed ample good meals. A patch of silver hair formed a trail from his forehead to the crown of his head where it dead ended with male pattern baldness. A sea of family photos took up residence on his desk. He sat back in a high-back leather swivel…” quote by Brandi L. Bates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0b/brandi-l-bates-13302_blue-collar_he-was-miles-past-middle-age-with-a-gut_1167454.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0b/brandi-l-bates-13302_blue-collar_he-was-miles-past-middle-age-with-a-gut_1167454.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0b/brandi-l-bates-13302_blue-collar_he-was-miles-past-middle-age-with-a-gut_1167454.jpg) > ““He was miles past middle age with a gut that housed ample good meals. A patch of silver hair formed a trail from his forehead to the crown of his head where it dead ended with male pattern baldness. A sea of family photos took up residence on his desk. He sat back in a high-back leather swivel chair. Steepled hands. Robert Last Boots in Cognac Cordovan. Blue collar city worker with prestigious white collar dreams.”” [Brandi L. Bates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandi-l-bates/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A vivid portrait of an aging blue‑collar worker with lofty aspirations, highlighting the tension between humble reality and grand dreams. **In simple terms:** A worker dreams big despite age and modest life. Key Takeaway Embrace ambition while honoring your roots. Themes identity aspiration aging class dreams Mood reflective melancholic Type descriptive character sketch When to use this quote - office environment - career planning - midlife reflection - personal branding Key Concepts social status self‑image career ambition Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance realistic limits with big ambitions? - What parts of your identity fuel your dreams? A Different Perspective Dreams may clash with practical constraints and health limits. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Baldness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/baldness/) [Blue collar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blue-collar/) [Dead end](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dead-end/) [Family photo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family-photo/) [Middle age](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/middle-age/) [White collar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/white-collar/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [You can inherit male-pattern baldness from your mother's father, but not a tendency to fight in the First World War.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-hardy/you-can-inherit-male-pattern-baldness-from-your-mother-s-father-but/) [Jeremy Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-hardy/) > [“The high-waisted bodice had been cut quite low, much lower than anything she had ever worn before, and she had to resist the temptation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-quick/the-high-waisted-bodice-had-been-cut-quite-low-much-lower-than/) [Amanda Quick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-quick/) > [“Unfortunately, no one had been able to do much with her hair. It formed a very unfashionable, slightly frizzy halo around her head.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-quick/unfortunately-no-one-had-been-able-to-do-much-with-her-hair-it-formed/) [Amanda Quick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-quick/) > [They'll get it all from you sooner or later 'cause they own this f\*\*kin' place. It's a big club and you ain't in it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/they-ll-get-it-all-from-you-sooner-or-later-cause-they-own-this-f-kin/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [Part of the reason that women go to college is to get out of the food service, clerical, pink-collar ghetto and into a more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/part-of-the-reason-that-women-go-to-college-is-to-get-out-of-the-food/) [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) > [“You may look around, and see two groups here. White collar, blue collar. But I don’t see it that way. You know why not?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-may-look-around-and-see-two-groups-here-white-collar-blue-collar/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [This idea of 'New Collar' says for the jobs of the future here, there are many in technology that can be done without a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ginni-rometty/this-idea-of-new-collar-says-for-the-jobs-of-the-future-here-there/) [Ginni Rometty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ginni-rometty/) > [The irony is that, coming from a white-collar British background, I tend to play blue-collar Americans!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damian-lewis/the-irony-is-that-coming-from-a-white-collar-british-background-i/) [Damian Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damian-lewis/) > [The flaw in our character is our insistence on separating blue-collar jobs from white-collar jobs, and encouraging one form of education over another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-rowe/the-flaw-in-our-character-is-our-insistence-on-separating-blue-collar/) [Mike Rowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-rowe/) > [The workplace revolution that transformed the lives of blue-collar workers in the 1970s and 1980s is finally reaching the offices and cubicles of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-peters/the-workplace-revolution-that-transformed-the-lives-of-blue-collar/) [Tom Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-peters/) > [“But there’s a reason. There’s a reason. There’s a reason for this, there’s a reason education sucks, and it’s the same reason that it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/but-there-s-a-reason-there-s-a-reason-there-s-a-reason-for-this-there/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [“Simple class-based bigotry that infected truth in the liberal media. And he knew the difference between those same propaganda dicks who distinguished between blue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-j-stedman/simple-class-based-bigotry-that-infected-truth-in-the-liberal-media/) Michael J. Stedman > [If blue collar jobs are leaving and white collar jobs are outsourced what color collar jobs are left?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-edwards/if-blue-collar-jobs-are-leaving-and-white-collar-jobs-are-outsourced/) [Bob Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-edwards/) > [I did a bunch of blue-collar jobs, because I knew I'd wind up with a white-collar job at some point, and I wanted to,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graydon-carter/i-did-a-bunch-of-blue-collar-jobs-because-i-knew-i-d-wind-up-with-a/) [Graydon Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graydon-carter/) > [Some people see writing as a white-collar career, but I've always approached it as a blue-collar writer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-r-lansdale/some-people-see-writing-as-a-white-collar-career-but-i-ve-always/) [Joe R. Lansdale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-r-lansdale/) ## More by Brandi L. Bates > [“Raw Living: Picking blackberries, beneath late afternoon sun; a sunset reminiscent of watermelon sangria, as the scent of honeysuckle accosts me and the ducks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandi-l-bates/raw-living-picking-blackberries-beneath-late-afternoon-sun-a-sunset/) [Brandi L. Bates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandi-l-bates/) > [“I don't want to be around people who accept me as is, in my unrefined state of becoming. I consistently want people around me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandi-l-bates/i-don-t-want-to-be-around-people-who-accept-me-as-is-in-my-unrefined/) [Brandi L. Bates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandi-l-bates/) > [“Drama does not just walk into our lives. Either we create it, invite it, or associate with it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandi-l-bates/drama-does-not-just-walk-into-our-lives-either-we-create-it-invite-it/) [Brandi L. Bates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandi-l-bates/) > [“Remember to remember: sometimes your adversary is your biggest asset. Where would David be without Goliath? Jesus without Judas?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandi-l-bates/remember-to-remember-sometimes-your-adversary-is-your-biggest-asset/) [Brandi L. Bates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandi-l-bates/) > [“All those other girls are cake...I'm Crème brûlée...Tiramisu, if you will. Just a few notches above.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandi-l-bates/all-those-other-girls-are-cake-i-m-cr-me-br-l-e-tiramisu-if-you-will/) [Brandi L. Bates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandi-l-bates/) > [“On Slavery: The saddest slap in the face is we have NO monument, no real statues or memorials, no special day of Atonement or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandi-l-bates/on-slavery-the-saddest-slap-in-the-face-is-we-have-no-monument-no/) [Brandi L. Bates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandi-l-bates/) > [“Whatever it is you want in this life, be it material things, a place you want to be, or an experience you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandi-l-bates/whatever-it-is-you-want-in-this-life-be-it-material-things-a-place/) [Brandi L. Bates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandi-l-bates/) > [“All things grow, flourish, die, and re-grow. Life and death are continuous and fluid. Like the Sun and the Moon which die and are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandi-l-bates/all-things-grow-flourish-die-and-re-grow-life-and-death-are/) [Brandi L. Bates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandi-l-bates/) > [“Be selective in your battles...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandi-l-bates/be-selective-in-your-battles/) [Brandi L. Bates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandi-l-bates/) > [“THE NEXT DAY WAS RAIN-SOAKED and smelled of thick sweet caramel, warm coconut and ginger. A nearby bakery fanned its daily offerings. A lapis…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandi-l-bates/the-next-day-was-rain-soaked-and-smelled-of-thick-sweet-caramel-warm/) [Brandi L. Bates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandi-l-bates/) > [“His ruby red rimmed moist eyes were two glasses of cranberry. He wore a cashmere sweater the color of Earl Grey tea...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandi-l-bates/his-ruby-red-rimmed-moist-eyes-were-two-glasses-of-cranberry-he-wore/) [Brandi L. Bates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandi-l-bates/) > [“Sometimes transitional periods in life leave you feeling like a great big jumble of loose, split ends.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandi-l-bates/sometimes-transitional-periods-in-life-leave-you-feeling-like-a-great/) [Brandi L. Bates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandi-l-bates/) > [“Understand: I don't ever want to be equal to any other being. I always want to be greater...in all things, in all circumstances.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandi-l-bates/understand-i-don-t-ever-want-to-be-equal-to-any-other-being-i-always/) [Brandi L. Bates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandi-l-bates/) > [“No one is born with equality. We all come here with varying degrees of opportunities, qualities, strengths, weaknesses, IQ, etc.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandi-l-bates/no-one-is-born-with-equality-we-all-come-here-with-varying-degrees-of/) [Brandi L. Bates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandi-l-bates/) > [“Wind as old as Rome outside my window, inky fleece clouds against charcoal crushed velvet skies, fall feels soulful, like a LaBelle octave.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandi-l-bates/wind-as-old-as-rome-outside-my-window-inky-fleece-clouds-against/) [Brandi L. Bates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandi-l-bates/) [Explore all 51 Brandi L. Bates quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandi-l-bates/) ## More Baldness quotes > [Don't tear your hair out over a woman; it'll be harder to attract the next one if you're bald.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-esar/don-t-tear-your-hair-out-over-a-woman-it-ll-be-harder-to-attract-the/) [Evan Esar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-esar/) > [“Frozen yogurt is tastier than ice cream; nobody is too old for cartoons; bald men are sexy; chocolate is the best medicine; BIG books…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/frozen-yogurt-is-tastier-than-ice-cream-nobody-is-too-old-for/) [Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/) > [It is foolish to pluck out one's hair for sorrow, as if grief could be assuaged by baldness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/it-is-foolish-to-pluck-out-one-s-hair-for-sorrow-as-if-grief-could-be/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [I'm not bald. I'm just taller than my hair.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-anderson/i-m-not-bald-i-m-just-taller-than-my-hair/) [Clive Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-anderson/) > [We all of us must come to terms with what and who we are, and recognize that this wisdom is not going to earn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-ndor-m-rai/we-all-of-us-must-come-to-terms-with-what-and-who-we-are-and/) [Sándor Márai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-ndor-m-rai/) > [According to the doctors, I'm only suffering from a light form of premature baldness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/federico-fellini/according-to-the-doctors-i-m-only-suffering-from-a-light-form-of/) [Federico Fellini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/federico-fellini/) > [Women's liberation will not be achieved until a woman can become paunchy and bald and still think she's attractive to the opposite sex.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-wilson/women-s-liberation-will-not-be-achieved-until-a-woman-can-become/) [Earl Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-wilson/) > [I know what baldness can do to a man. When you see guys with a toupee that should come with a chinstrap, or somebody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-buck/i-know-what-baldness-can-do-to-a-man-when-you-see-guys-with-a-toupee/) [Joe Buck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-buck/) > [“Have you tried this treatment for female baldness? I hear it’s life-changing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laini-taylor/have-you-tried-this-treatment-for-female-baldness-i-hear-it-s-life/) [Laini Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laini-taylor/) > [I bet the reason people are afraid of going bald is because it makes them think of the end of life. I mean, when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/i-bet-the-reason-people-are-afraid-of-going-bald-is-because-it-makes/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [“As far as I'm concerned, baldness is the male breast cancer, only much worse because almost everyone gets it. True, it's not life-threatening. Just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augusten-burroughs/as-far-as-i-m-concerned-baldness-is-the-male-breast-cancer-only-much/) [Augusten Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augusten-burroughs/) > [Bald as the bare mountain tops are bald, with a baldness full of grandeur.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-arnold/bald-as-the-bare-mountain-tops-are-bald-with-a-baldness-full-of/) [Matthew Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-arnold/) > [In foreign countries they fear baldness. They are so rich in foreign countries, they can afford to fear all kinds of silly things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rohinton-mistry/in-foreign-countries-they-fear-baldness-they-are-so-rich-in-foreign/) [Rohinton Mistry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rohinton-mistry/) > [This movie is a toupee made up to look like honest baldness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pauline-kael/this-movie-is-a-toupee-made-up-to-look-like-honest-baldness/) [Pauline Kael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pauline-kael/) > [I love bald men. Just because you've lost your fuzz don't mean you ain't a peach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/i-love-bald-men-just-because-you-ve-lost-your-fuzz-don-t-mean-you-ain/) [Dolly Parton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolly-parton/) [Browse all 31 Baldness quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/baldness/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“He was miles past middle age with a gut that housed ample good meals. A patch of silver hair formed a trail from his forehead to the crown of his head where it dead ended with male pattern baldness. A sea of family photos took up residence on his desk. He sat back in a high-back leather swivel chair. Steepled hands. Robert Last Boots in Cognac Cordovan. Blue collar city worker with prestigious white collar dreams.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Brandi L. 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