--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was sentimental about many things: a…" description: "\"“I was sentimental about many things: a woman’s shoes under the bed; one hairpin left behind on the dresser; the way they said, 'I’m going to pee.' hai..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40c/charles-bukowski-73_eating-together_i-was-sentimental-about-many-things-a-wo_2357262.jpg" --- # I was sentimental about many things: a woman’s shoes under… ![“I was sentimental about many things: a woman’s shoes under the bed; one hairpin left behind on the dresser; the way they said, 'I’m going to pee.' hair ribbons; walking down the boulevard with them at 1:30 in the afternoon, just two people walking together; the long nights of drinking and smoking…” quote by Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40c/charles-bukowski-73_eating-together_i-was-sentimental-about-many-things-a-wo_2357262.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40c/charles-bukowski-73_eating-together_i-was-sentimental-about-many-things-a-wo_2357262.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40c/charles-bukowski-73_eating-together_i-was-sentimental-about-many-things-a-wo_2357262.jpg) > ““I was sentimental about many things: a woman’s shoes under the bed; one hairpin left behind on the dresser; the way they said, 'I’m going to pee.' hair ribbons; walking down the boulevard with them at 1:30 in the afternoon, just two people walking together; the long nights of drinking and smoking; talking; the arguments; thinking of suicide; eating together and feeling good; the jokes; the laughter out of nowhere; feeling miracles in the air; being in a parked car together; comparing past loves at 3am; being told you snore; hearing her snore; mothers, daughters, sons, cats, dogs; sometimes death and sometimes divorce; but always carring on, always seeing it through; reading a newspaper alone in a sandwich joint and feeling nausea because she’s now married to a dentist with an I.Q. of 95; racetracks, parks, park picnics; even jails; her dull friends; your dull friends; your drinking, her dancing; your flirting, her flirting; her pills, your fucking on the side and her doing the same; sleeping together”” [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He recounts a chaotic, intimate relationship filled with mundane and intense moments, reflecting on love, pain, and everyday absurdities. **In simple terms:** A messy love story with highs and lows. Key Takeaway Embrace the complexity of love, even its flaws. Themes love intimacy chaos memory humor Mood cynical raw nostalgic Type literary personal When to use this quote - relationship reflection - creative writing - therapy sessions Key Concepts Existentialism raw realism human connection Questions to Reflect On - What parts of love are worth preserving? - How do everyday moments shape our memories? A Different Perspective The narrative may romanticize unhealthy dynamics. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Eating together](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eating-together/) [Left behind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/left-behind/) [Long Night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-night/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Sentimental](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sentimental/) [Sleeping together](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sleeping-together/) [Walking together](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/walking-together/) ## Related quotes > [When we come to the table, we shouldn't negotiate right away. We should spend time walking together, eating together, making acquaintance, telling each other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nhat-hanh/when-we-come-to-the-table-we-shouldn-t-negotiate-right-away-we-should/) [Nhat Hanh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nhat-hanh/) > [I'm sentimental about many things: the lumpy feel of a baby's unused feet, the metallic smell of the air before the first snow, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/i-m-sentimental-about-many-things-the-lumpy-feel-of-a-baby-s-unused/) [Nancy Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/) > [When I'm driving past the place I used to work, or when I'm driving past the comedy studio where I used to take photos…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-marie-tran/when-i-m-driving-past-the-place-i-used-to-work-or-when-i-m-driving/) [Kelly Marie Tran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-marie-tran/) > [“Cheap, sentimental things”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-grossman/cheap-sentimental-things/) Edith Grossman > [Pretty mundane closet, but a lot of ties. And I tend not to throw anything out, so I have a lot of clothes from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-koons/pretty-mundane-closet-but-a-lot-of-ties-and-i-tend-not-to-throw/) [Jeff Koons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-koons/) > [“Why couldn't Sam really be a boy my age, with no more experience than I had? No past lives, past loves. Why couldn't he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-meadows/why-couldn-t-sam-really-be-a-boy-my-age-with-no-more-experience-than/) [Jodi Meadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-meadows/) > [“My apologies to past loves for treating the latest as the first.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/my-apologies-to-past-loves-for-treating-the-latest-as-the-first/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Out of the people that are in this world, I only want you. Out of all my past loves, you're the only one I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/out-of-the-people-that-are-in-this-world-i-only-want-you-out-of-all/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Why are you sitting here crying over past loves? One or two years from now, you won't even remember their last name.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/why-are-you-sitting-here-crying-over-past-loves-one-or-two-years-from/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's really good to be able to think about past loves without having a pit in my stomach, or cringing or feeling heart-broken, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winona-ryder/it-s-really-good-to-be-able-to-think-about-past-loves-without-having/) [Winona Ryder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winona-ryder/) > [I really love my bf he is the world to me he doesn't judge me for my past he loves me for being just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kitty-irland/i-really-love-my-bf-he-is-the-world-to-me-he-doesn-t-judge-me-for-my/) Kitty Irland > [Quit looking over your shoulder, those past loves are never getting closer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/quit-looking-over-your-shoulder-those-past-loves-are-never-getting/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [One of the most rebellious things a woman can do is allow people to think she’s mean.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/one-of-the-most-rebellious-things-a-woman-can-do-is-allow-people-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I get on the floor, and I can do things a woman a fifth my age can't do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kitty-carlisle/i-get-on-the-floor-and-i-can-do-things-a-woman-a-fifth-my-age-can-t-do/) [Kitty Carlisle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kitty-carlisle/) > [Love, acceptance, respect, to be desired, security, passion, are all things a woman may want in her relationship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senoraroy/love-acceptance-respect-to-be-desired-security-passion-are-all-things/) Senoraroy ## More by Charles Bukowski > [“sometimes when everything seems at its worst when all conspires and gnaws and the hours, days, weeks years seem wasted – stretched there upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/sometimes-when-everything-seems-at-its-worst-when-all-conspires-and/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [well, death says, as he walks by, I'm going to get you anyhow no matter what you've been: writer, cab-driver, pimp, butcher, sky-diver, I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/well-death-says-as-he-walks-by-i-m-going-to-get-you-anyhow-no-matter/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [“There is only one place to write and that is alone at a typewriter. A writer who has to go into the streets is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/there-is-only-one-place-to-write-and-that-is-alone-at-a-typewriter-a/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [Even the stove and the refrigerator looked human, I mean good human - they seemed to have arms and voices and they said, hang…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/even-the-stove-and-the-refrigerator-looked-human-i-mean-good-human/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [“nerves twitching in the sheets -- to face the sunlight again, that's clearly trouble. I like the city better when the neon lights are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/nerves-twitching-in-the-sheets-to-face-the-sunlight-again-that-s/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [“Their Love Is Average, Seeks Average But There Is Genius In Their Hatred”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/their-love-is-average-seeks-average-but-there-is-genius-in-their/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [“I climbed the stairway (there was no elevator) and put the key in. The door swung open. Somebody had changed all the furniture around,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/i-climbed-the-stairway-there-was-no-elevator-and-put-the-key-in-the/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [“Strangers when you meet, strangers when you part -a gymnasium of bodies namelessly masturbating each other. People with no morals often considered themselves more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/strangers-when-you-meet-strangers-when-you-part-a-gymnasium-of-bodies/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [I like to change liquor stores frequently because the clerks got to know your habits if you went in night and day and bought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/i-like-to-change-liquor-stores-frequently-because-the-clerks-got-to/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [“I was like a turd that drew flies instead of like a flower that butterflies and bees desired. I wanted to live alone,I felt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/i-was-like-a-turd-that-drew-flies-instead-of-like-a-flower-that/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [It's 4:30 in the morning, it's always 4:30 in the morning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/it-s-4-30-in-the-morning-it-s-always-4-30-in-the-morning/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [I had no feeling for the things so many others needed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/i-had-no-feeling-for-the-things-so-many-others-needed/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [“I am sick with caring.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/i-am-sick-with-caring/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [I went home each night dizzy and sick. He was murdering me with the sound of his voice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/i-went-home-each-night-dizzy-and-sick-he-was-murdering-me-with-the/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [“the nights you fight best are when all the weapons are pointed at you, when all the voices hurl their insults while the dream…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/the-nights-you-fight-best-are-when-all-the-weapons-are-pointed-at-you/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) [Explore all 1,492 Charles Bukowski quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) ## More Eating together quotes > [Nothing beats cooking together, eating together and playing charades or Monopoly surrounded by my favorite people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-zarin/nothing-beats-cooking-together-eating-together-and-playing-charades/) [Jill Zarin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-zarin/) > [Eating together is the most intimate form of kinship. By scripting a work where we share the same kind of food with fish, I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-jeremijenko/eating-together-is-the-most-intimate-form-of-kinship-by-scripting-a/) [Natalie Jeremijenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-jeremijenko/) > [“In most cultures, eating together has far more symbolic value than simply “grabbing a bite to eat.” Sharing a meal together can often be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-livermore/in-most-cultures-eating-together-has-far-more-symbolic-value-than/) [David Livermore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-livermore/) > [I had a great childhood, a very close-knit family. We were all overweight, and we had good times eating together, I imagine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-furst/i-had-a-great-childhood-a-very-close-knit-family-we-were-all/) [Stephen Furst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-furst/) > [My problem is winding down rather than staying awake. Eating together and watching a bit of TV with the family helps, and twice a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy-newman/my-problem-is-winding-down-rather-than-staying-awake-eating-together/) [Cathy Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathy-newman/) > [“The trend in modern American culture is toward ever more individualized eating... and with every food added to the list of things one does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-kim-peterson/the-trend-in-modern-american-culture-is-toward-ever-more/) Margaret Kim Peterson > [I wonder if I love the communal act of eating so much because throughout my childhood, with four older brothers and a mom who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-keller/i-wonder-if-i-love-the-communal-act-of-eating-so-much-because/) [Thomas Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-keller/) > [“Loneliness is something that happens to us, but I think it is something we can move ourselves out of. I think a person who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/loneliness-is-something-that-happens-to-us-but-i-think-it-is/) [Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/) > [“FIVE SIGNS OF OIKOS Another pattern we’ve seen is that MCs that really become extended families on mission have several common elements. We call…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-breen/five-signs-of-oikos-another-pattern-we-ve-seen-is-that-mcs-that/) [Mike Breen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-breen/) > [My passion is about motivating as many families as possible to learn about vegetables and healthy eating together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennie-garth/my-passion-is-about-motivating-as-many-families-as-possible-to-learn/) [Jennie Garth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennie-garth/) > [When we come to the table, we shouldn't negotiate right away. We should spend time walking together, eating together, making acquaintance, telling each other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nhat-hanh/when-we-come-to-the-table-we-shouldn-t-negotiate-right-away-we-should/) [Nhat Hanh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nhat-hanh/) > [“I am at the hospital waiting for my friend with Noah. Which is a very couple-like thing to do. All you have to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-barnholdt/i-am-at-the-hospital-waiting-for-my-friend-with-noah-which-is-a-very/) [Lauren Barnholdt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-barnholdt/) > [“I have found this to be true in my own ministry. As a church we often put ourselves in the client position, offering to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-have-found-this-to-be-true-in-my-own-ministry-as-a-church-we-often/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The problem is, we don’t exercise that control. Under normal circumstances, our state of openness is left to psychological factors. Basically, we are programmed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-a-singer/the-problem-is-we-don-t-exercise-that-control-under-normal/) [Michael A. Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-a-singer/) > [“And nothing had happened—yet. Nothing had to happen either. It was just a dinner. He’d had many meals with other men in his thirty-four…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynda-aicher/and-nothing-had-happened-yet-nothing-had-to-happen-either-it-was-just/) [Lynda Aicher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynda-aicher/) [Browse all 29 Eating together quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eating-together/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I was sentimental about many things: a woman’s shoes under the bed; one hairpin left behind on the dresser; the way they said, 'I’m going to pee.' hair ribbons; walking down the boulevard with them at 1:30 in the afternoon, just two people walking together; the long nights of drinking and smoking; talking; the arguments; thinking of suicide; eating together and feeling good; the jokes; the laughter out of nowhere; feeling miracles in the air; being in a parked car together; comparing past loves at 3am; being told you snore; hearing her snore; mothers, daughters, sons, cats, dogs; sometimes death and sometimes divorce; but always carring on, always seeing it through; reading a newspaper alone in a sandwich joint and feeling nausea because she’s now married to a dentist with an I.Q. of 95; racetracks, parks, park picnics; even jails; her dull friends; your dull friends; your drinking, her dancing; your flirting, her flirting; her pills, your fucking on the side and her doing the same; sleeping together”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Charles Bukowski" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/i-was-sentimental-about-many-things-a-woman-s-shoes-under-the-bed-one/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Eating together" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/i-was-sentimental-about-many-things-a-woman-s-shoes-under-the-bed-one/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40c/charles-bukowski-73_eating-together_i-was-sentimental-about-many-things-a-wo_2357262.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40c/charles-bukowski-73_eating-together_i-was-sentimental-about-many-things-a-wo_2357262.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40c/charles-bukowski-73_eating-together_i-was-sentimental-about-many-things-a-wo_2357262.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I was sentimental about many things: a woman’s shoes under the bed; one hairpin left behind on the dresser…” — Charles Bukowski", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Charles Bukowski", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“I was sentimental about many things:...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/i-was-sentimental-about-many-things-a-woman-s-shoes-under-the-bed-one/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/i-was-sentimental-about-many-things-a-woman-s-shoes-under-the-bed-one/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```