--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The time came to put Iris Duarte back on…" description: "\"“The time came to put Iris Duarte back on the plane. It was a morning flight which made it difficult. I was used to rising at noon; it was a fine cure ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/65a/charles-bukowski-73_character_the-time-came-to-put-iris-duarte-back-on_850899.jpg" --- # The time came to put Iris Duarte back on the plane. It was… ![“The time came to put Iris Duarte back on the plane. It was a morning flight which made it difficult. I was used to rising at noon; it was a fine cure for hangovers and would add 5 years to my life. I felt no sadness while driving her to L.A. International. The sex had been fine; there had been…” quote by Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/65a/charles-bukowski-73_character_the-time-came-to-put-iris-duarte-back-on_850899.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/65a/charles-bukowski-73_character_the-time-came-to-put-iris-duarte-back-on_850899.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/65a/charles-bukowski-73_character_the-time-came-to-put-iris-duarte-back-on_850899.jpg) > ““The time came to put Iris Duarte back on the plane. It was a morning flight which made it difficult. I was used to rising at noon; it was a fine cure for hangovers and would add 5 years to my life. I felt no sadness while driving her to L.A. International. The sex had been fine; there had been laughter. I could hardly remember a more civilized time, neither of us making any demands, yet there had been warmth, it had not been without feeling, dead meat coupled with dead meat. I detested that type of swinging, the Los Angeles, Hollywood, Bel Air, Malibu, Laguna Beach kind of sex. Strangers when you meet, strangers when you part—a gymnasium of bodies namelessly masturbating each other. People with no morals often considered themselves more free, but mostly they lacked the ability to feel or to love. So they became swingers. The dead fucking the dead. There was no gamble or humor in their game—it was corpse fucking corpse. Morals were restrictive, but they were grounded on human experience down through the centuries. Some morals tended to keep people slaves in factories, in churches and true to the State. Other morals simply made good sense. It was like a garden filled with poisoned fruit and good fruit. You had to know which to pick and eat, which to leave alone.”” [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. The passage critiques superficial, morally empty sexual culture, contrasting it with authentic feeling and moral choice. **In simple terms:** Empty sex lacks real connection. Key Takeaway Seek depth over emptiness. Themes morality sexuality authenticity societal critique Mood cynical introspective Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - nightlife - relationships - personal reflection - social observation Key Concepts ethical relativism human connection Questions to Reflect On - What values guide your intimate relationships? - How do you distinguish genuine connection from emptiness? A Different Perspective The narrative may romanticize nihilism, overlooking positive moral frameworks. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Human experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-experience/) [Los angeles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/los-angeles/) [Morality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/morality/) [Sex](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sex/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Women](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/women/) ## Related quotes > [“People with no morals often considered themselves more free, but mostly they lacked the ability to feel or to love. So they became swingers.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/people-with-no-morals-often-considered-themselves-more-free-but-2/) [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/) > [People with no morals often considered themselves more free, but mostly they lacked the ability to feel or love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/people-with-no-morals-often-considered-themselves-more-free-but/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [Find people whose morals and vision align with yours, and follow that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-abstract/find-people-whose-morals-and-vision-align-with-yours-and-follow-that/) [Kevin Abstract](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-abstract/) > [In L.A., every day, I see people taking other people's jobs, and they don't care whether that person is married and has two kids.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lexi-alexander/in-l-a-every-day-i-see-people-taking-other-people-s-jobs-and-they-don/) [Lexi Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lexi-alexander/) > [People have their morals, but morals aren't concrete. 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It's unforgivable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madonna-ciccone/people-have-no-morals-i-swear-to-god-the-things-that-people-do-for/) [Madonna Ciccone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madonna-ciccone/) > [“They took all the joy out of fucking by talking about it all the time. I liked to fuck too, but it wasn't my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/they-took-all-the-joy-out-of-fucking-by-talking-about-it-all-the-time/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [“You are a constant fucking delight. I don’t think anyone could ever doubt that.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kylie-scott/you-are-a-constant-fucking-delight-i-don-t-think-anyone-could-ever/) [Kylie Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kylie-scott/) > [“Aah, man. Forty-one was far too fucking old for love at first sight. He might as well throw himself at her feet and be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kylie-scott/aah-man-forty-one-was-far-too-fucking-old-for-love-at-first-sight-he/) [Kylie Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kylie-scott/) > [“You’re the fucking good guys,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-roux/you-re-the-fucking-good-guys/) [Abigail Roux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-roux/) > [“That shit was fucking foreplay to me. You know that.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avril-ashton/that-shit-was-fucking-foreplay-to-me-you-know-that/) [Avril Ashton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/avril-ashton/) > [“Fuck, baby. I can hear it. I hear all your beautiful secrets in my name. I want them. I want you. All of you.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucian-bane/fuck-baby-i-can-hear-it-i-hear-all-your-beautiful-secrets-in-my-name/) [Lucian Bane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucian-bane/) ## 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. 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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 Character quotes > [This may sound strange, but although I feel like I know everything about my characters, the brand of shampoo they use, how many cavities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/this-may-sound-strange-but-although-i-feel-like-i-know-everything/) [Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [Social responsibility above the level of family, or at most of tribe, requires imagination-- devotion, loyalty, all the higher virtues -- which a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/social-responsibility-above-the-level-of-family-or-at-most-of-tribe/) [Robert A. 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You better know what she would do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hudgins/when-you-re-on-a-daytime-drama-you-get-one-page-you-better-damn-well/) David Hudgins > [It can sometimes make people fold into themselves and kind of run away, but I think in this case these characters are being forced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-deschanel/it-can-sometimes-make-people-fold-into-themselves-and-kind-of-run/) [Emily Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-deschanel/) > [If you are well-mannered towards those whose views are similar to yours, you may be said to exhibit a fairly good character. 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It was a morning flight which made it difficult. I was used to rising at noon; it was a fine cure for hangovers and would add 5 years to my life. I felt no sadness while driving her to L.A. International. The sex had been fine; there had been laughter. I could hardly remember a more civilized time, neither of us making any demands, yet there had been warmth, it had not been without feeling, dead meat coupled with dead meat. I detested that type of swinging, the Los Angeles, Hollywood, Bel Air, Malibu, Laguna Beach kind of sex. Strangers when you meet, strangers when you part—a gymnasium of bodies namelessly masturbating each other. People with no morals often considered themselves more free, but mostly they lacked the ability to feel or to love. So they became swingers. The dead fucking the dead. There was no gamble or humor in their game—it was corpse fucking corpse. Morals were restrictive, but they were grounded on human experience down through the centuries. 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