--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you’d really rather not fight your way…" description: "\"“If you’d really rather not fight your way through the crowds, I don’t mind going alone,” David said. Too late he realised how ungrateful that sounded...." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b0b/joanna-chambers-8593_too-late_if-you-d-really-rather-not-fight-your-wa_1112610.jpg" --- # If you’d really rather not fight your way through the… ![“If you’d really rather not fight your way through the crowds, I don’t mind going alone,” David said. Too late he realised how ungrateful that sounded. Worse, how hurtful. As though he didn’t even want Murdo’s company. Murdo stared at him in silence for a long, uncomfortable moment. When he finally…” quote by Joanna Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b0b/joanna-chambers-8593_too-late_if-you-d-really-rather-not-fight-your-wa_1112610.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b0b/joanna-chambers-8593_too-late_if-you-d-really-rather-not-fight-your-wa_1112610.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b0b/joanna-chambers-8593_too-late_if-you-d-really-rather-not-fight-your-wa_1112610.jpg) > ““If you’d really rather not fight your way through the crowds, I don’t mind going alone,” David said. Too late he realised how ungrateful that sounded. Worse, how hurtful. As though he didn’t even want Murdo’s company. Murdo stared at him in silence for a long, uncomfortable moment. When he finally spoke in a flat, calm voice, it was to say, “Of course I’ll come. You are my guest.” “Murdo, I’m sorr—” But”” [Joanna Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-chambers/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Avoiding confrontation can cause hidden resentment, harming relationships. **In simple terms:** Avoiding conflict breeds resentment. Key Takeaway Address issues directly. Themes communication relationships honesty Mood thoughtful empathetic Type narrative conversational When to use this quote - friendships - team meetings - family gatherings - customer service Key Concepts conflict resolution emotional intelligence Questions to Reflect On - What fear holds you back from speaking up? - How can you express concerns kindly? A Different Perspective Directness may provoke immediate discomfort. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Guest Murdo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guest-murdo-2971891/) [Murdo Stared](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/murdo-stared-2971892/) [Realised Ungrateful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/realised-ungrateful-2971895/) [Too late](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/too-late/) [Ungrateful Sounded](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ungrateful-sounded-2971894/) [Want Murdo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want-murdo-2971893/) ## Related quotes > [ “\[S\]ometimes, when you are a food person, the possible irrelevance of what you are doing doesn’t cross your mind until it’s too late. (Once,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/s-ometimes-when-you-are-a-food-person-the-possible-irrelevance-of/) [Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/) > [“I think what everyone should be doing, before it's too late, is committing themselves to what they really want to do with their lives.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthieu-ricard/i-think-what-everyone-should-be-doing-before-it-s-too-late-is/) [Matthieu Ricard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthieu-ricard/) > [It is not too late. You are not too old. You are right on time-And you are better than you know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/it-is-not-too-late-you-are-not-too-old-you-are-right-on-time-and-you/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [“Apply the blacksmith's homely principle when you are speaking. 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I am very much afraid that it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/god-alone-knows-how-great-it-is-all-i-hope-is-that-it-is-not-too-late/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [Love is all a matter of timing. It's no good meeting the right person too soon or too late.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wong-kar-wai/love-is-all-a-matter-of-timing-it-s-no-good-meeting-the-right-person/) [Wong Kar-wai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wong-kar-wai/) > [The right decision is the wrong decision if it's made too late.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-iacocca/the-right-decision-is-the-wrong-decision-if-it-s-made-too-late/) [Lee Iacocca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-iacocca/) > [“If you go to bed too early and get up too late you probably won't sleep especially well. This could show up as either…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penelope-a-lewis/if-you-go-to-bed-too-early-and-get-up-too-late-you-probably-won-t/) [Penelope A. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penelope-a-lewis/) > [“4. THE CRUMBLING WALL (Hamburger, prepared medium well, with bacon and barbecue sauce. Courtesy of that place on Solano, where, it should be mentioned,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-eggers/4-the-crumbling-wall-hamburger-prepared-medium-well-with-bacon-and/) [Dave Eggers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-eggers/) > [“No matter how broken you think you are always remember that there’re worse stories than yours out there and it’s never too late to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pantelis-kassotis/no-matter-how-broken-you-think-you-are-always-remember-that-there-re/) [Pantelis Kassotis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pantelis-kassotis/) ## More by Joanna Chambers > [“Oil. It makes it easier.” Murdo crawled onto the mattress and straddled David’s thighs. His gaze was hot, his faint smile promising. “I’m going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-chambers/oil-it-makes-it-easier-murdo-crawled-onto-the-mattress-and-straddled/) [Joanna Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-chambers/) > [“Murdo’s scent, earthy and male, was intoxicating. David held his lover open and lapped at the pinched edges of his hole, loosening and stimulating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-chambers/murdo-s-scent-earthy-and-male-was-intoxicating-david-held-his-lover/) [Joanna Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-chambers/) > [“There wasn’t a bit of innocence or purity in him. He was sinful and cynical. Unapologetic. He cared nothing for the world. He just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-chambers/there-wasn-t-a-bit-of-innocence-or-purity-in-him-he-was-sinful-and/) [Joanna Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-chambers/) > [“Murdo twisted, rolling David onto his back and under him, and they wrestled for a minute, muscles straining, bodies pressing and sliding, a brief…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-chambers/murdo-twisted-rolling-david-onto-his-back-and-under-him-and-they/) [Joanna Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-chambers/) > [“To hell with what I deserve,” Murdo whispered. “All I want is you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-chambers/to-hell-with-what-i-deserve-murdo-whispered-all-i-want-is-you/) [Joanna Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-chambers/) > [“Yes, I hate what I am at times, but at least I accept myself enough to realise that I can’t lie my way through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-chambers/yes-i-hate-what-i-am-at-times-but-at-least-i-accept-myself-enough-to/) [Joanna Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-chambers/) > [“David woke to birdsong, the smell of morning chocolate…and an aching arse. Opening”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-chambers/david-woke-to-birdsong-the-smell-of-morning-chocolate-and-an-aching/) [Joanna Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-chambers/) > [“Who would look at him and guess what he was? A sodomite. Or almost a sodomite. Certainly in thought, if not quite yet in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-chambers/who-would-look-at-him-and-guess-what-he-was-a-sodomite-or-almost-a/) [Joanna Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-chambers/) > [“The thought of you being dead—I realised I couldn’t bear it. Bad enough not to have you. But for you not to be alive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-chambers/the-thought-of-you-being-dead-i-realised-i-couldn-t-bear-it-bad/) [Joanna Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-chambers/) > [“Balfour kissed up the line of David’s throat and whispered harshly in his ear, “God, but I want to do everything to you. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-chambers/balfour-kissed-up-the-line-of-david-s-throat-and-whispered-harshly-in/) [Joanna Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-chambers/) > [“Honestly,” Murdo sighed. “The things I do for love.” The”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-chambers/honestly-murdo-sighed-the-things-i-do-for-love-the/) [Joanna Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-chambers/) > [“So…will I see you in Edinburgh, then, for the King’s visit?” Murdo paused, mid-step, at that question. He knew what he wanted. He knew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-chambers/so-will-i-see-you-in-edinburgh-then-for-the-king-s-visit-murdo-paused/) [Joanna Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-chambers/) > [“The knot of ropes that bound Murdo to his father was Gordian in its complexity and subtlety. Tonight, Murdo had swept a sword through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-chambers/the-knot-of-ropes-that-bound-murdo-to-his-father-was-gordian-in-its/) [Joanna Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-chambers/) > [“What might’ve happened to Lauriston in two long years? The man could have moved away from Edinburgh altogether. He might have married, or become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-chambers/what-might-ve-happened-to-lauriston-in-two-long-years-the-man-could/) [Joanna Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-chambers/) > [“Tell me,” Murdo said. “Will you come back here with me tonight, David? Will you come to my bed again?” And somehow, despite everything,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-chambers/tell-me-murdo-said-will-you-come-back-here-with-me-tonight-david-will/) [Joanna Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-chambers/) [Explore all 78 Joanna Chambers quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-chambers/) ## More Too late quotes > [ “\[S\]ometimes, when you are a food person, the possible irrelevance of what you are doing doesn’t cross your mind until it’s too late. (Once,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/s-ometimes-when-you-are-a-food-person-the-possible-irrelevance-of/) [Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/) > [“4. THE CRUMBLING WALL (Hamburger, prepared medium well, with bacon and barbecue sauce. 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It's no good meeting the right person too soon or too late.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wong-kar-wai/love-is-all-a-matter-of-timing-it-s-no-good-meeting-the-right-person/) [Wong Kar-wai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wong-kar-wai/) > [God alone knows how great it is. All I hope is that it is not too late. I am very much afraid that it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/god-alone-knows-how-great-it-is-all-i-hope-is-that-it-is-not-too-late/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [My first big mistake was made when, in a moment of weakness, I consented to learn the game; for a man who can frankly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-benchley/my-first-big-mistake-was-made-when-in-a-moment-of-weakness-i/) [Robert Benchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-benchley/) > [Hang on, did you just call me Angel?” I asked. “If I did?” “I don’t like it.” He grinned. “It stays. Angel.” He leaned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becca-fitzpatrick/hang-on-did-you-just-call-me-angel-i-asked-if-i-did-i-don-t-like-it/) [Becca Fitzpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becca-fitzpatrick/) > [“And I can tell you, without question, that it’s too late for any man who goes to war. Even if he lives, he’ll never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-nelle-patrick/and-i-can-tell-you-without-question-that-it-s-too-late-for-any-man/) [J. Nelle Patrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-nelle-patrick/) > [“How can you love someone when you know they will never truly love you back because they can’t ever love you back? Your brain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/portia-moore/how-can-you-love-someone-when-you-know-they-will-never-truly-love-you/) [Portia Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/portia-moore/) > [Everything in this world has a hidden meaning, I thought. 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Too late he realised how ungrateful that sounded. Worse, how hurtful. As though he didn’t even want Murdo’s company. Murdo stared at him in silence for a long, uncomfortable moment. When he finally spoke in a flat, calm voice, it was to say, “Of course I’ll come. 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