--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I try to act cool. I’ve never had a hand…" description: "\"“I try to act cool. I’ve never had a hand on my thigh, under the table. Cathy—my brother’s wife—is telling a very funny story about the family’s trips ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ac/charlotte-stein-3450_quote_i-try-to-act-cool-i-ve-never-had-a-hand_1531945.jpg" --- # I try to act cool. I’ve never had a hand on my thigh… ![“I try to act cool. I’ve never had a hand on my thigh, under the table. Cathy—my brother’s wife—is telling a very funny story about the family’s trips to Bridlington, and her elderly Grandmother is doling out peas, which makes the experience even stranger.” quote by Charlotte Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ac/charlotte-stein-3450_quote_i-try-to-act-cool-i-ve-never-had-a-hand_1531945.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ac/charlotte-stein-3450_quote_i-try-to-act-cool-i-ve-never-had-a-hand_1531945.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ac/charlotte-stein-3450_quote_i-try-to-act-cool-i-ve-never-had-a-hand_1531945.jpg) > ““I try to act cool. I’ve never had a hand on my thigh, under the table. Cathy—my brother’s wife—is telling a very funny story about the family’s trips to Bridlington, and her elderly Grandmother is doling out peas, which makes the experience even stranger.”” [Charlotte Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-stein/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A person tries to appear relaxed but feels awkward in a social setting with family stories and odd food serving **In simple terms:** Feeling awkward while trying to seem cool in a family gathering Key Takeaway Accept discomfort and stay present Themes social anxiety family dynamics authenticity Mood uneasy reflective Type anecdotal conversational When to use this quote - family dinner - public speaking - first impressions Key Concepts self-presentation cultural quirks Questions to Reflect On - How does trying to act cool affect genuine connection? - What can you do to feel more at ease in awkward moments? A Different Perspective The humor may mask deeper insecurity ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Brother Wife](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brother-wife-1198333/) [Cathy Brother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cathy-brother-3864594/) [Grandmother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grandmother/) [Story Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/story-family-594864/) [Table Cathy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/table-cathy-5685424/) ## Related quotes > [“Oh.” Timmie gave Bones a shy peek. “Are you Cathy’s brother?” “Whatever would give you the idea that I’m her damn brother?” Bones snapped.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeaniene-frost/oh-timmie-gave-bones-a-shy-peek-are-you-cathy-s-brother-whatever/) [Jeaniene Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeaniene-frost/) > [“It’d been a standing joke that their brother’s wife ruled him like a small country.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kellie-coates-gilbert/it-d-been-a-standing-joke-that-their-brother-s-wife-ruled-him-like-a/) [Kellie Coates Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kellie-coates-gilbert/) > [“Before the truck had been pressed into its current role, it had been used by Ana Maria Soria’s brother’s wife’s sister’s family”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/before-the-truck-had-been-pressed-into-its-current-role-it-had-been/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [“My wife's name was Mala. The marriage had been arranged by my older brother and his wife. I regarded the proposition with neither objection…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jhumpa-lahiri/my-wife-s-name-was-mala-the-marriage-had-been-arranged-by-my-older/) [Jhumpa Lahiri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jhumpa-lahiri/) > [“Seated at the table, high in her firmament of gin, she looked critically at her brother and his wife, remembering some real or imagined…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cheever/seated-at-the-table-high-in-her-firmament-of-gin-she-looked/) [John Cheever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cheever/) > [I co-own the ranch with my brother, and he and his wife are really the backbone of the operation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-pullman/i-co-own-the-ranch-with-my-brother-and-he-and-his-wife-are-really-the/) [Bill Pullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-pullman/) > [My brother and his wife are such good parents. They work together as a team. They are doing really well. I'm really proud of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-frost/my-brother-and-his-wife-are-such-good-parents-they-work-together-as-a/) [Jo Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-frost/) > [“I had the most ridiculous dream.” I point at my brother. “You were there.” I point at Simon beside him. “And you.” Then Franny,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-chase/i-had-the-most-ridiculous-dream-i-point-at-my-brother-you-were-there/) [Emma Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-chase/) > [“He didn't look back but he knew his wife and his brother's wife, all the women of the house, would be flying, as if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-gavriel-kay/he-didn-t-look-back-but-he-knew-his-wife-and-his-brother-s-wife-all/) [Guy Gavriel Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-gavriel-kay/) > [My brother and his wife](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/my-brother-and-his-wife/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Because there was a ghost involved, you may call this a ghost story. But what family isn't a ghost story? Sharing tales of those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/because-there-was-a-ghost-involved-you-may-call-this-a-ghost-story/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > ['Farscape' is a story about family. It's a story about creating life in a harsh environment. That's what a lot of people relate to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-browder/farscape-is-a-story-about-family-it-s-a-story-about-creating-life-in/) [Ben Browder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-browder/) > ['The Story Of A Marriage' was initially a short story I wrote, and before that, it was a family story. It was a story…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-sean-greer/the-story-of-a-marriage-was-initially-a-short-story-i-wrote-and/) [Andrew Sean Greer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-sean-greer/) > [The story of my family. . .changes with the teller.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-haigh/the-story-of-my-family-changes-with-the-teller/) [Jennifer Haigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-haigh/) > [My greatest success story has been my family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-spanos/my-greatest-success-story-has-been-my-family/) [Alex Spanos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-spanos/) ## More by Charlotte Stein > [“Are you fucking kidding me? How do you get this wet? Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ. I don’t even…ohhhhh God. It’s all over your legs.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-stein/are-you-fucking-kidding-me-how-do-you-get-this-wet-jesus-christ-jesus/) [Charlotte Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-stein/) > [“Am I … not what you were expecting?” Of course, my immediate instinct is to say no. No, you’re not what I was expecting.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-stein/am-i-not-what-you-were-expecting-of-course-my-immediate-instinct-is/) [Charlotte Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-stein/) > [“No, baby,” he said. “I ain’t never satisfied when it comes to you. Even when I’m right there touching you, I want more of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-stein/no-baby-he-said-i-ain-t-never-satisfied-when-it-comes-to-you-even/) [Charlotte Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-stein/) > [“shakily. She tried not to grin, even though it was straining at her face. He wanted to play this seriously—to keep his rules while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-stein/shakily-she-tried-not-to-grin-even-though-it-was-straining-at-her/) [Charlotte Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-stein/) > [“God his voice sounded like pouring cream. All rich and thick and good, so good.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-stein/god-his-voice-sounded-like-pouring-cream-all-rich-and-thick-and-good/) [Charlotte Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-stein/) > [“I’d never leave you. God I’d never leave you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-stein/i-d-never-leave-you-god-i-d-never-leave-you/) [Charlotte Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-stein/) > [“Oh God – accountability . Is there anything sexier on a man? Actual apologies . I could drown in him, I could.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-stein/oh-god-accountability-is-there-anything-sexier-on-a-man-actual/) [Charlotte Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-stein/) > [“Their legs tangle together real easy. His hand goes over hers, fingers interlacing. So natural, too, as though they’d never said a harsh word…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-stein/their-legs-tangle-together-real-easy-his-hand-goes-over-hers-fingers/) [Charlotte Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-stein/) > [“You know it feels good. I can hardly geta…I don’t even…” There was something amusing about watching him trying to form a coherent sen-tence.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-stein/you-know-it-feels-good-i-can-hardly-geta-i-don-t-even-there-was/) [Charlotte Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-stein/) > [“You are a strange people. So loving, yet so lonely, inside. I would lie awake at night and gaze up at the dark blue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-stein/you-are-a-strange-people-so-loving-yet-so-lonely-inside-i-would-lie/) [Charlotte Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-stein/) > [“What can I give you? I--" "You give me everything.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-stein/what-can-i-give-you-i-you-give-me-everything/) [Charlotte Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-stein/) > [“She loved him for doing things like calling her such a goof. He said it with such warmth and affection, as though her being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-stein/she-loved-him-for-doing-things-like-calling-her-such-a-goof-he-said/) [Charlotte Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-stein/) > [“Just that one word—sound—sent a strong answering pulse through her body. His tongue curled around syllables that weren’t there, like a promise. This is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-stein/just-that-one-word-sound-sent-a-strong-answering-pulse-through-her/) [Charlotte Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-stein/) > [“There’s just the memory of that time he walked in on her while she was dressing, and afterward couldn’t string a sentence together. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-stein/there-s-just-the-memory-of-that-time-he-walked-in-on-her-while-she/) [Charlotte Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-stein/) > [“And yet I feel I have to ask: if this is all the case, and you are so little and so weak … why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-stein/and-yet-i-feel-i-have-to-ask-if-this-is-all-the-case-and-you-are-so/) [Charlotte Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-stein/) [Explore all 130 Charlotte Stein quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-stein/) ## More Grandmother quotes > [“Did he kill Grandmother?” I whispered. “Don’t be ridiculous,” Erra’s voice said in my ear. “She is already dead. Besides, your grandmother was the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilona-andrews/did-he-kill-grandmother-i-whispered-don-t-be-ridiculous-erra-s-voice/) [Ilona Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilona-andrews/) > [She'd read once that if you ran into a bear in the woods you should avoid eye contact and you shouldn't run away, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-ursu/she-d-read-once-that-if-you-ran-into-a-bear-in-the-woods-you-should/) [Anne Ursu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-ursu/) > [Though my grandmother had picked up modern ideas in America, she still had some conflicting 19th-century Irish notions. She believed that daughters, educated though…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosemary-mahoney/though-my-grandmother-had-picked-up-modern-ideas-in-america-she-still/) [Rosemary Mahoney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosemary-mahoney/) > [“Because he doesn’t want me talking to my grandmother.” Barabas looked at Curran. Curran shrugged. “It’s a family thing. Sometimes your father puts your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilona-andrews/because-he-doesn-t-want-me-talking-to-my-grandmother-barabas-looked/) [Ilona Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilona-andrews/) > [My grandmother was a minister as well, which was not that common in the 1930s.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-firth/my-grandmother-was-a-minister-as-well-which-was-not-that-common-in/) [Colin Firth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-firth/) > [My grandmother made sure that I went to church every Sunday. And she'd come over and pick us boys up, and we would go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mellencamp/my-grandmother-made-sure-that-i-went-to-church-every-sunday-and-she-d/) [John Mellencamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mellencamp/) > [Honestly, and seriously, I know I have to do a Telugu film. 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It’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tucker-elliot/i-stood-with-my-mom-in-the-cemetery-she-felt-terrible-pain-my/) [Tucker Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tucker-elliot/) > [I guessed my mother figured if my father got right down to the task of eating he wouldn’t be so inclined to jump up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-evanovich/i-guessed-my-mother-figured-if-my-father-got-right-down-to-the-task/) [Janet Evanovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-evanovich/) > [I'm a grandmother, and a mighty proud one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-paretsky/i-m-a-grandmother-and-a-mighty-proud-one/) [Sara Paretsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-paretsky/) > [I grew up in Harlem. My grandmother was one of the best cooks around, but the first thing she did on Sunday mornings when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-carmona/i-grew-up-in-harlem-my-grandmother-was-one-of-the-best-cooks-around/) [Richard Carmona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-carmona/) > [I have a role now that I think becomes me. I am a grandmother.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-tierney/i-have-a-role-now-that-i-think-becomes-me-i-am-a-grandmother/) [Gene Tierney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-tierney/) > [My hero among heroes is my grandmother, she's the epitome of strength and I try to mock that strength all the time. She's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeriel-miranda/my-hero-among-heroes-is-my-grandmother-she-s-the-epitome-of-strength/) [Aeriel Miranda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeriel-miranda/) > [I use the phrase 'sibling society' to suggest a culture fundamentally without fathers, mothers, grandfathers, grandmothers, or ancestors. The thinking is horizontal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bly/i-use-the-phrase-sibling-society-to-suggest-a-culture-fundamentally/) [Robert Bly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bly/) > [I'm proud of my hands; they look like my grandma's.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/serinda-swan/i-m-proud-of-my-hands-they-look-like-my-grandma-s/) [Serinda Swan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/serinda-swan/) [Browse all 1,839 Grandmother quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grandmother/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I try to act cool. I’ve never had a hand on my thigh, under the table. 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