--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: That was a funny thing about friends…" description: "\"“That was a funny thing about friends, Marylin thought. You could know a person practically your whole life and she could still surprise you.”\" — Franc..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/582/frances-o-roark-dowell-28597_friendship_that-was-a-funny-thing-about-friends-mar_804476.png" --- # That was a funny thing about friends, Marylin thought. You… ![“That was a funny thing about friends, Marylin thought. You could know a person practically your whole life and she could still surprise you.” quote by Frances O'Roark Dowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/582/frances-o-roark-dowell-28597_friendship_that-was-a-funny-thing-about-friends-mar_804476.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/582/frances-o-roark-dowell-28597_friendship_that-was-a-funny-thing-about-friends-mar_804476.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/582/frances-o-roark-dowell-28597_friendship_that-was-a-funny-thing-about-friends-mar_804476.png) > ““That was a funny thing about friends, Marylin thought. You could know a person practically your whole life and she could still surprise you.”” [Frances O'Roark Dowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-o-roark-dowell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Long‑standing friendships can still hold unexpected revelations despite deep familiarity. **In simple terms:** Friends can still surprise you. Key Takeaway Stay open to new aspects of close friends. Themes friendship surprise depth Mood reflective curious Type literary conversational When to use this quote - long‑term friendships - personal growth - conflict resolution Key Concepts human nature unexpected insight Questions to Reflect On - What hidden traits have you discovered in a close friend? - How does surprise affect trust? A Different Perspective Surprises may reveal hidden incompatibilities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Surprise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surprise/) ## Related quotes > [Expect the unexpected, because Life is full of surprise. Thing's that you can't explain and prevent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simpleman/expect-the-unexpected-because-life-is-full-of-surprise-thing-s-that/) Simpleman > [“Life is a surprise gift wrapped in a mystery... its up to you to open it either with enthusiasm and curiosity or with fear.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laxmi-hichkad/life-is-a-surprise-gift-wrapped-in-a-mystery-its-up-to-you-to-open-it/) [Laxmi Hichkad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laxmi-hichkad/) > [He that is neither one thing nor the other has no friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop/he-that-is-neither-one-thing-nor-the-other-has-no-friends/) [Aesop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop/) > [How can you give something to someone who has everything? If you think men are tough to shop for at Christmas, try God. God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/how-can-you-give-something-to-someone-who-has-everything-if-you-think/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [“It’s a good thing to have friends with more houses than they have bodies, especially if they’re happy to share.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/it-s-a-good-thing-to-have-friends-with-more-houses-than-they-have/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [There is no such thing as friends on the field.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dries-mertens/there-is-no-such-thing-as-friends-on-the-field/) [Dries Mertens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dries-mertens/) > [There's no such thing as friends once you've got fame and money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-s-no-such-thing-as-friends-once-you-ve-got-fame-and-money/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“here's the thing about friends, I mean REAL friends: You can't just put up a poster at school and advertise for somebody and then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-preble/here-s-the-thing-about-friends-i-mean-real-friends-you-can-t-just-put/) Laura Preble > [The most important thing to me is the friends that I've made.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-russell/the-most-important-thing-to-me-is-the-friends-that-i-ve-made/) [Bill Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-russell/) > [Aint no such thing as friends anymore , just a whole bunch of fakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/aint-no-such-thing-as-friends-anymore-just-a-whole-bunch-of-fakes/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There is no greater thing two friends can do for each other than simply to be each other's friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sir-david-baird-1st-baronet/there-is-no-greater-thing-two-friends-can-do-for-each-other-than/) [Sir David Baird, 1st Baronet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sir-david-baird-1st-baronet/) > [It's not a good thing to be friends with people you're covering. There's just no point in doing it. It's tempting, but they're not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-loder/it-s-not-a-good-thing-to-be-friends-with-people-you-re-covering-there/) [Kurt Loder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-loder/) > [When am alone looking at one thing my friends say I just have gonu madd bt oly iknow am in the past thinking of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/priya/when-am-alone-looking-at-one-thing-my-friends-say-i-just-have-gonu/) [Priya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/priya/) > [The weirdest thing with friends, the way you measure it is if you go without communicating for months at a time, you can sit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-weiner/the-weirdest-thing-with-friends-the-way-you-measure-it-is-if-you-go/) [Matthew Weiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-weiner/) > [Thing about being friends with your ex. They forget they don't have any say so in your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/thing-about-being-friends-with-your-ex-they-forget-they-don-t-have/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Frances O'Roark Dowell > [“Tobin, my man, you are going to learn about chickens. And when you to learn about chickens, you will learn about life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-o-roark-dowell/tobin-my-man-you-are-going-to-learn-about-chickens-and-when-you-to/) [Frances O'Roark Dowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-o-roark-dowell/) > [“When I think about everything that's happened since school started, well, I don't think the word 'normal' applies to any of it. Verbena is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-o-roark-dowell/when-i-think-about-everything-that-s-happened-since-school-started/) [Frances O'Roark Dowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-o-roark-dowell/) > [“I have to say, it felt good to be wanted, son. Felt real good.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-o-roark-dowell/i-have-to-say-it-felt-good-to-be-wanted-son-felt-real-good/) [Frances O'Roark Dowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-o-roark-dowell/) > [“What filled the rooms of Grete's cottage so decidedly were woven baskets and wooden boxes and clay pots glazed in red and blue, each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-o-roark-dowell/what-filled-the-rooms-of-grete-s-cottage-so-decidedly-were-woven/) [Frances O'Roark Dowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-o-roark-dowell/) > [“Dream girl? Ain't such a thing. You walk, you talk, you got mammary glands, well, that's gonna do it right there for most guys.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-o-roark-dowell/dream-girl-ain-t-such-a-thing-you-walk-you-talk-you-got-mammary/) [Frances O'Roark Dowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-o-roark-dowell/) > [“Granny sat down on the step and stared off into the trees. "That girl right there, she was my only child. I have lost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-o-roark-dowell/granny-sat-down-on-the-step-and-stared-off-into-the-trees-that-girl/) [Frances O'Roark Dowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-o-roark-dowell/) > [A friend is someone whose face you can see in the dark.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-o-roark-dowell/a-friend-is-someone-whose-face-you-can-see-in-the-dark/) [Frances O'Roark Dowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-o-roark-dowell/) > [“Perhaps you'll apprentice to a healer when you're older," Grete suggested. "I'd say you have the gift for it." Hen reddened, then seemed suddenly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-o-roark-dowell/perhaps-you-ll-apprentice-to-a-healer-when-you-re-older-grete/) [Frances O'Roark Dowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-o-roark-dowell/) > [Stars. Trees breathe in starlight year after year, and it goes deep into their bones. So when you cut a tree open, you smell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-o-roark-dowell/stars-trees-breathe-in-starlight-year-after-year-and-it-goes-deep/) [Frances O'Roark Dowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-o-roark-dowell/) > [“My dad, who my mom always refers to as DH for Darling Husband, was protrayed as a 'let's look on the bright side of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-o-roark-dowell/my-dad-who-my-mom-always-refers-to-as-dh-for-darling-husband-was/) [Frances O'Roark Dowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-o-roark-dowell/) > [“I'm not done arguing with you, Mrs.Fletcher. I'm going to convince you yet." "Well I reckon I got ten or twenty more years in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-o-roark-dowell/i-m-not-done-arguing-with-you-mrs-fletcher-i-m-going-to-convince-you/) [Frances O'Roark Dowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-o-roark-dowell/) > [“You gonna stand in my backyard and ignore me to my face?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-o-roark-dowell/you-gonna-stand-in-my-backyard-and-ignore-me-to-my-face/) [Frances O'Roark Dowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-o-roark-dowell/) > [“4. If you do not give your chickens enough space, light, air, and walking-around room, they will eat one another.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-o-roark-dowell/4-if-you-do-not-give-your-chickens-enough-space-light-air-and-walking/) [Frances O'Roark Dowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-o-roark-dowell/) > [“You can't expect a person to love an animal they might see decapitated at any minute. It ain't realistic," I told Miss Blue, who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-o-roark-dowell/you-can-t-expect-a-person-to-love-an-animal-they-might-see/) [Frances O'Roark Dowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-o-roark-dowell/) > [“Everybody's broken, sweetie. God helps us get put back together. ~Rev. Mayes The Kind of Friends We Used to Be ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-o-roark-dowell/everybody-s-broken-sweetie-god-helps-us-get-put-back-together-rev/) [Frances O'Roark Dowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-o-roark-dowell/) [Explore all 19 Frances O'Roark Dowell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-o-roark-dowell/) ## More Friendship quotes > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I never believed in trying to do anything. Whatever I set out to do I found I had already accomplished.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/i-never-believed-in-trying-to-do-anything-whatever-i-set-out-to-do-i/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [“ever day Maureen is Selfish To her friend and Family One she get mad at her friend and family and She need to Grad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-andeson/ever-day-maureen-is-selfish-to-her-friend-and-family-one-she-get-mad/) Maureen Andeson > [I'm trying to write a film with my friend. I'd love to get the thrill of speaking actors making my work even funnier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/i-m-trying-to-write-a-film-with-my-friend-i-d-love-to-get-the-thrill/) [Russell Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/) > [I gave my archive to Emory University because there's a really dear friend who teaches there, Rudolph Byrd, and he's the editor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/i-gave-my-archive-to-emory-university-because-there-s-a-really-dear/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [Friends are like stars you can't always see them, but you know they're there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/unknwon/friends-are-like-stars-you-can-t-always-see-them-but-you-know-they-re/) Unknwon > [I've been writing songs since I was 10 years old and always had a penchant for rhyming. I started listening to hip hop through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hoodie-allen/i-ve-been-writing-songs-since-i-was-10-years-old-and-always-had-a/) [Hoodie Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hoodie-allen/) > [If you love some one for who they are not for there body or how many friend so when you say I love you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/unknow/if-you-love-some-one-for-who-they-are-not-for-there-body-or-how-many/) Unknow > [“But my best friend from college was silent for a long time. She, of all of my friends, had seen the parade of sad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-groff/but-my-best-friend-from-college-was-silent-for-a-long-time-she-of-all/) [Lauren Groff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-groff/) > [You smile upon your friend to-day, To-day his ills are over; You hearken to the lover's say, And happy is the lover. 'Tis late…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-smile-upon-your-friend-to-day-to-day-his-ills-are-over-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“way. A true friend isn't the one that agrees with everything you say or do. A true friend is someone that has your back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shameek-speight/way-a-true-friend-isn-t-the-one-that-agrees-with-everything-you-say/) [Shameek Speight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shameek-speight/) > [No one is completely unhappy at the failure of his best friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/no-one-is-completely-unhappy-at-the-failure-of-his-best-friend/) [Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/) > [“Kings don’t move mountains as a favor to a friend,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-whalen-turner/kings-don-t-move-mountains-as-a-favor-to-a-friend/) [Megan Whalen Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-whalen-turner/) > [I have friends and family that identify as LGBTQ.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-mace/i-have-friends-and-family-that-identify-as-lgbtq/) [Nancy Mace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-mace/) > [“The real purpose of friendship was to discover and exploit weakness in others.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-thompson/the-real-purpose-of-friendship-was-to-discover-and-exploit-weakness/) [Brian Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-thompson/) [Browse all 45,469 Friendship quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“That was a funny thing about friends, Marylin thought. 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