--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I still can’t talk about it,” he said…" description: "\"“I still can’t talk about it,” he said “Duck.” Dirk touched his cheek “I remember, later, my mom trying to run into the water and I’m trying to hold he..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a6/francesca-lia-block-1363_dirk_i-still-can-t-talk-about-it-he-said-duck_2835924.png" --- # I still can’t talk about it,” he said “Duck.” Dirk touched… ![“I still can’t talk about it,” he said “Duck.” Dirk touched his cheek “I remember, later, my mom trying to run into the water and I’m trying to hold her back and her hair and my tears are so bright that I’m blind. I knew she would have walked right into the ocean after him and kept going. In a way…” quote by Francesca Lia Block](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a6/francesca-lia-block-1363_dirk_i-still-can-t-talk-about-it-he-said-duck_2835924.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a6/francesca-lia-block-1363_dirk_i-still-can-t-talk-about-it-he-said-duck_2835924.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a6/francesca-lia-block-1363_dirk_i-still-can-t-talk-about-it-he-said-duck_2835924.png) > ““I still can’t talk about it,” he said “Duck.” Dirk touched his cheek “I remember, later, my mom trying to run into the water and I’m trying to hold her back and her hair and my tears are so bright that I’m blind. I knew she would have walked right into the ocean after him and kept going. In a way I wanted to go too.”” [Francesca Lia Block](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesca-lia-block/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A child recalls a traumatic memory of a mother’s struggle, feeling helpless yet compelled to follow despite danger. **In simple terms:** Child feels powerless yet drawn to danger. Key Takeaway Acknowledge grief and seek safe support. Themes trauma family loss memory resilience Mood melancholic reflective Type literary emotional When to use this quote - family counseling - grief support - personal reflection Key Concepts psychological coping attachment danger perception Questions to Reflect On - What memories keep you stuck? - How can you find safe ways to process them? A Different Perspective Healing can be painful and slow. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [“Dirk, this is Peace, Granola, Crystal, Chi, Aura, Tahini, and the twins, Yin and Yang," Duck said. ... "They had all of us one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesca-lia-block/dirk-this-is-peace-granola-crystal-chi-aura-tahini-and-the-twins-yin/) [Francesca Lia Block](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesca-lia-block/) > [“It's nice," said the mouse. "It's home," said the duck. "You live here?" "I live well! I may have been swallowed, but I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mac-barnett/it-s-nice-said-the-mouse-it-s-home-said-the-duck-you-live-here-i-live/) [Mac Barnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mac-barnett/) > [“I may have been swallowed, said the duck, but I have no intention of being eaten.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mac-barnett/i-may-have-been-swallowed-said-the-duck-but-i-have-no-intention-of/) [Mac Barnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mac-barnett/) > [“He walked back to the inn in just his underwear and socks. Ducks don't like socks, they said. It's a duck thing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/he-walked-back-to-the-inn-in-just-his-underwear-and-socks-ducks-don-t/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“I think I will sit on it a little while longer," said the duck, "as I have sat so long already, a few days…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-christian-andersen/i-think-i-will-sit-on-it-a-little-while-longer-said-the-duck-as-i/) [Hans Christian Andersen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-christian-andersen/) > [“I thought you did,' said the Mouse. '--I proceed. "Edwin and Morcar, the earls of Mercia and Northumbria, declared for him: and even Stigand,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-carroll/i-thought-you-did-said-the-mouse-i-proceed-edwin-and-morcar-the-earls/) [Lewis Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-carroll/) > [“He smirked. “Decision time, pretty lady... back to reality?” She touched his cheek. “Or down the rabbit hole?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-vander-ark-2/he-smirked-decision-time-pretty-lady-back-to-reality-she-touched-his/) [Jake Vander-Ark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-vander-ark-2/) > [“Give me your hand," Alice said, barely a whisper. Bones held out his hand tentatively. She took it and placed it on her heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherry-shahan/give-me-your-hand-alice-said-barely-a-whisper-bones-held-out-his-hand/) [Sherry Shahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherry-shahan/) > [“Mom. Mom, I... All I ever wanted was for you to smile at me. If you praised me just a little bit or touched…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sakura-tsukuba/mom-mom-i-all-i-ever-wanted-was-for-you-to-smile-at-me-if-you-praised/) [Sakura Tsukuba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sakura-tsukuba/) > [Everything whirled around me, an uncontrollable blur. Waiting. Waiting. For an answer, for a response. I didn't know how to stop or slow down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-wilkins/everything-whirled-around-me-an-uncontrollable-blur-waiting-waiting/) [Sarah Wilkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-wilkins/) > [Tell me, was I the sort of person who took your elbow when cars passed on the street, touched your cheek while you talked,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-krauss/tell-me-was-i-the-sort-of-person-who-took-your-elbow-when-cars-passed/) [Nicole Krauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-krauss/) > [“It wasn’t until he started to speak that he realized he was shaking, too. He reached up, touched her cheek. “You are real,” he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-kauffman/it-wasn-t-until-he-started-to-speak-that-he-realized-he-was-shaking/) [Donna Kauffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-kauffman/) > [“Dick walked beside her, feeling her unhappiness, and wanting to drink the rain that touched her cheek.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/dick-walked-beside-her-feeling-her-unhappiness-and-wanting-to-drink/) [f. scott fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [“The music room’s in the next wing. We can have coffee and brandy there.” “I doubt we’d share the same taste in music, Roarke.”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-robb/the-music-room-s-in-the-next-wing-we-can-have-coffee-and-brandy-there/) [J.D. Robb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-robb/) > [“He slowly smiled. 'Good. We'll start with the basics.' Her mind went blank. 'Basics?' 'Of kissing. Most people aren't good at kissing right from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-mallory/he-slowly-smiled-good-we-ll-start-with-the-basics-her-mind-went-blank/) [Anne Mallory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-mallory/) ## More by Francesca Lia Block > [“Even in darkness your lips taste of sunshine”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesca-lia-block/even-in-darkness-your-lips-taste-of-sunshine/) [Francesca Lia Block](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesca-lia-block/) > [Ugster vinyl pumps, Partridge Family records, plastic daisy jewelry, old postcards. . . . It's a magpie Christmas market.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesca-lia-block/ugster-vinyl-pumps-partridge-family-records-plastic-daisy-jewelry-old/) [Francesca Lia Block](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesca-lia-block/) > [Sometimes I wanted to peel away all of my skin and find a different me underneath.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesca-lia-block/sometimes-i-wanted-to-peel-away-all-of-my-skin-and-find-a-different/) [Francesca Lia Block](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesca-lia-block/) > [The circus tent was flowing pale in the rain like a fleshy flower lit from within. It seemed to bloom in the downpour. Drops…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesca-lia-block/the-circus-tent-was-flowing-pale-in-the-rain-like-a-fleshy-flower-lit/) [Francesca Lia Block](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesca-lia-block/) > [I think depression creates in me an urgent need to write, but I also believe that daily stress, and even the positive stress of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesca-lia-block/i-think-depression-creates-in-me-an-urgent-need-to-write-but-i-also/) [Francesca Lia Block](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesca-lia-block/) > [“It’s hard to remember what you fall in love with. Usually it is an expression in the eyes, an exchange, or a gesture or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesca-lia-block/it-s-hard-to-remember-what-you-fall-in-love-with-usually-it-is-an/) [Francesca Lia Block](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesca-lia-block/) > [“Weetzie and My Secret Agent Lover Man and Dirk and Duck and Cherokee and Witch Baby and Slinkster Dog and Go-Go Girl and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesca-lia-block/weetzie-and-my-secret-agent-lover-man-and-dirk-and-duck-and-cherokee/) [Francesca Lia Block](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesca-lia-block/) > [“When you look at pain as material it makes all the difference in the world. I thought, the pain that is too big to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesca-lia-block/when-you-look-at-pain-as-material-it-makes-all-the-difference-in-the/) [Francesca Lia Block](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesca-lia-block/) > [If Death is your father, you don't ever have to worry about what part of his body the disease will strike next. If Death…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesca-lia-block/if-death-is-your-father-you-don-t-ever-have-to-worry-about-what-part/) [Francesca Lia Block](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesca-lia-block/) > [“My mind is like the valley—this vast barren waste. Car lots. Malls. Tract homes. I know there are other worlds beyond it—of canyons full…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesca-lia-block/my-mind-is-like-the-valley-this-vast-barren-waste-car-lots-malls/) [Francesca Lia Block](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesca-lia-block/) > [“And then I cried a flood of tears as if I really were a mermaid who had absorbed too much sea into herself. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesca-lia-block/and-then-i-cried-a-flood-of-tears-as-if-i-really-were-a-mermaid-who/) [Francesca Lia Block](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesca-lia-block/) > [“Sylvie wishes the anti-depressants had been around when she was in her early twenties, not only to rescue her from the dark tunnels that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesca-lia-block/sylvie-wishes-the-anti-depressants-had-been-around-when-she-was-in/) [Francesca Lia Block](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesca-lia-block/) > [“The next night I went back to the sea dressed in 1950s silk travel scarves – Paris with the Eiffel tower and ladies in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesca-lia-block/the-next-night-i-went-back-to-the-sea-dressed-in-1950s-silk-travel/) [Francesca Lia Block](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesca-lia-block/) > [“for frail but surprisingly strong fairies who had lost their way above ground for burned mermaids and sick vampire girls for wild wolfish women…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesca-lia-block/for-frail-but-surprisingly-strong-fairies-who-had-lost-their-way/) [Francesca Lia Block](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesca-lia-block/) > [What shall we do, all of us? All of us oassionate girls who fear crushing the boys we love with our mouths like caverns…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesca-lia-block/what-shall-we-do-all-of-us-all-of-us-oassionate-girls-who-fear/) [Francesca Lia Block](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesca-lia-block/) [Explore all 250 Francesca Lia Block quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesca-lia-block/) ## More Dirk quotes > [My son's name is Dirk - I named Dirk Pitt after him when he was about three years old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-cussler/my-son-s-name-is-dirk-i-named-dirk-pitt-after-him-when-he-was-about/) [Clive Cussler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-cussler/) > [Dirk was, for one of the few times in a life of exuberantly prolific loquacity, wordless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/dirk-was-for-one-of-the-few-times-in-a-life-of-exuberantly-prolific/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [Dirk carried an amazing load with the Dallas Mavericks over a period of two-plus decades that may never be rivaled again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-carlisle/dirk-carried-an-amazing-load-with-the-dallas-mavericks-over-a-period/) [Rick Carlisle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-carlisle/) > [ The great irony to Dirk \[Gently\] is that he sees connections in everything, but the one thing he fails and struggles with most is… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-barnett/the-great-irony-to-dirk-gently-is-that-he-sees-connections-in/) [Samuel Barnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-barnett/) > [Dirk nowitzki is the key to everything in life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dirk-nowitzki/dirk-nowitzki-is-the-key-to-everything-in-life/) [Dirk Nowitzki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dirk-nowitzki/) > [ \[Dirk Gently\] just doesn't understand social cues. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-barnett/dirk-gently-just-doesn-t-understand-social-cues/) [Samuel Barnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-barnett/) > [“Like a slapstick comedian, Dirk suffered all kinds of iniquities. He battled past Mud Men, skeletons, creepy crawlies, giant bats and an obstinate suit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/like-a-slapstick-comedian-dirk-suffered-all-kinds-of-iniquities-he/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There will never be another Dirk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauri-markkanen/there-will-never-be-another-dirk/) [Lauri Markkanen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauri-markkanen/) > [Dirk Nowitzki will be better than Larry Bird. I'm a legend killer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-jackson/dirk-nowitzki-will-be-better-than-larry-bird-i-m-a-legend-killer/) [Mark Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-jackson/) > [“When he fell down the stairs, he told people he'd had a stroke. He was just pissed out of his skull. I love Dirk,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-gardner/when-he-fell-down-the-stairs-he-told-people-he-d-had-a-stroke-he-was/) [Ava Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-gardner/) > [If Dallas wins the championship this year, MVP without a doubt would be Dirk Nowitzki.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-dallas-wins-the-championship-this-year-mvp-without-a-doubt-would/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Dirk was obviously a player that I looked up to. In high school I actually wore No. 41 in honor of Dirk. He was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deandre-jordan/dirk-was-obviously-a-player-that-i-looked-up-to-in-high-school-i/) [DeAndre Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deandre-jordan/) > [He can play. He can shoot. He can dribble. He can pass. He's a great player. Period. No question about it. And if anyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/he-can-play-he-can-shoot-he-can-dribble-he-can-pass-he-s-a-great/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [I hear a lot of comparisons to Dirk so of course I watched him when I was growing up, especially when I started getting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauri-markkanen/i-hear-a-lot-of-comparisons-to-dirk-so-of-course-i-watched-him-when-i/) [Lauri Markkanen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauri-markkanen/) > [“Dirk was unused to making quite such a miniscule impact on anybody. He checked to be sure that he did have his huge leather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/dirk-was-unused-to-making-quite-such-a-miniscule-impact-on-anybody-he/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) Browse all 40 Dirk quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I still can’t talk about it,” he said “Duck.” Dirk touched his cheek “I remember, later, my mom trying to run into the water and I’m trying to hold her back and her hair and my tears are so bright that I’m blind. I knew she would have walked right into the ocean after him and kept going. 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