--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We were about to give up and call it a…" description: "\"We were about to give up and call it a night when somebody threw the girl off the bridge.\" — John D. MacDonald" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a4/john-d-macdonald-8277_bridges_we-were-about-to-give-up-and-call-it-a-n_2706298.jpg" --- # We were about to give up and call it a night when somebody… ![“We were about to give up and call it a night when somebody threw the girl off the bridge.” quote by John D. MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a4/john-d-macdonald-8277_bridges_we-were-about-to-give-up-and-call-it-a-n_2706298.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a4/john-d-macdonald-8277_bridges_we-were-about-to-give-up-and-call-it-a-n_2706298.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a4/john-d-macdonald-8277_bridges_we-were-about-to-give-up-and-call-it-a-n_2706298.jpg) > “We were about to give up and call it a night when somebody threw the girl off the bridge.” [John D. MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-macdonald/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Desperation led to a reckless act, but a sudden intervention saved a life. **In simple terms:** Desperation can cause dangerous choices. Key Takeaway Seek help before crisis peaks. Themes desperation risk intervention life Mood tense hopeful Type dramatic inspirational When to use this quote - emergencies - mental health crises - rescue operations - risky decisions Key Concepts crisis management psychology heroism Questions to Reflect On - What signs indicate someone is at breaking point? - How can we intervene safely? A Different Perspective Intervention may not always be possible. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bridges/) [Girl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/girl/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Giving up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving-up/) [Night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/night/) ## Related quotes > [“A man wouldn’t be holding a girl on a bridge like he’s about to toss her over. I swear on my patch, killing you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-mcgarry/a-man-wouldn-t-be-holding-a-girl-on-a-bridge-like-he-s-about-to-toss/) [Katie McGarry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-mcgarry/) > [“Somebody threw a dead dog after him down the ravine.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-lowry/somebody-threw-a-dead-dog-after-him-down-the-ravine/) [Malcolm Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-lowry/) > [Really the biggest thing that I want to be known for is just somebody that brings it every night, and somebody that you're gonna…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lee/really-the-biggest-thing-that-i-want-to-be-known-for-is-just-somebody/) [David Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lee/) > [New Age is a very small box. It was a term that was brought in by the music industry to classify music that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yanni/new-age-is-a-very-small-box-it-was-a-term-that-was-brought-in-by-the/) [Yanni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yanni/) > [Paying to teach in the trenches was like putting my face through a cutout hole at a carnival while a quarterback threw pies at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-gruwell/paying-to-teach-in-the-trenches-was-like-putting-my-face-through-a/) [Erin Gruwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-gruwell/) > [The votes of 60,000 Floridians were not counted. The Court threw out all 60,00 votes. And that's what the newspapers around the country are counting now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-bugliosi/the-votes-of-60-000-floridians-were-not-counted-the-court-threw-out/) [Vincent Bugliosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-bugliosi/) > [“brass door handle off the nearest door and threw it”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-roberts/brass-door-handle-off-the-nearest-door-and-threw-it/) [Richard Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-roberts/) > [“I threw myself into that fire, threw myself into it, into him, and let myself burn.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-j-maas/i-threw-myself-into-that-fire-threw-myself-into-it-into-him-and-let/) [Sarah J. Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-j-maas/) > [Yeah, but on the U.S Tour we threw a new song into the set almost every night. Ofcourse, you can't do too many new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-tipton/yeah-but-on-the-u-s-tour-we-threw-a-new-song-into-the-set-almost/) [Glenn Tipton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-tipton/) > [Who threw that pen cap at me?!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zack/who-threw-that-pen-cap-at-me/) Zack > [What happened was I saw this ad for a yogurt plant for sale. It was in my junk mail pile, and I threw it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hamdi-ulukaya/what-happened-was-i-saw-this-ad-for-a-yogurt-plant-for-sale-it-was-in/) [Hamdi Ulukaya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hamdi-ulukaya/) > [Something went wrong with my right arm. I no longer could throw hard, and it hurt like the dickens every time I threw.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dazzy-vance/something-went-wrong-with-my-right-arm-i-no-longer-could-throw-hard/) Dazzy Vance > [I threw up before every single football game I played, and I did so up through my NFL career. It was good pressure. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-kelly/i-threw-up-before-every-single-football-game-i-played-and-i-did-so-up/) [Jim Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-kelly/) > [“He was staring at me because I practically threw up on myself…”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/inara-scott/he-was-staring-at-me-because-i-practically-threw-up-on-myself/) [Inara Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/inara-scott/) > [My first job was a film called 'Storm Damage' for the BBC. I was 16 and working with really respected British actors. I didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-madekwe/my-first-job-was-a-film-called-storm-damage-for-the-bbc-i-was-16-and/) [Ashley Madekwe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-madekwe/) ## More by John D. MacDonald > [“Please not yet. Those are the three eternal words. Please not yet.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-macdonald/please-not-yet-those-are-the-three-eternal-words-please-not-yet/) [John D. MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-macdonald/) > [...it isn't foolish or wicked to enjoy. Wickedness is hurting people on purpose. I love what you are and who you are and how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-macdonald/it-isn-t-foolish-or-wicked-to-enjoy-wickedness-is-hurting-people-on/) [John D. MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-macdonald/) > [“Ask for two, and they give you the third free.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-macdonald/ask-for-two-and-they-give-you-the-third-free/) [John D. MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-macdonald/) > [“It was to have been a quiet evening at home.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-macdonald/it-was-to-have-been-a-quiet-evening-at-home/) [John D. MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-macdonald/) > [Now it stands to reason, mister, any damn fool stares into the sun long enough, he'll end up seeing exactly what some other damn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-macdonald/now-it-stands-to-reason-mister-any-damn-fool-stares-into-the-sun-long/) [John D. MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-macdonald/) > [You have to start knowing yourself so well that you begin to know other people. A piece of us is in every person we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-macdonald/you-have-to-start-knowing-yourself-so-well-that-you-begin-to-know/) [John D. MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-macdonald/) > [“Victims, he thought, were birds and animals and people who arrived at the wrong place at the wrong time, usually in too big a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-macdonald/victims-he-thought-were-birds-and-animals-and-people-who-arrived-at/) [John D. MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-macdonald/) > [ The dividing line \[between friends and acquaintances\] is communication, I think. A friend is someone to whom you can say any jackass thing that… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-macdonald/the-dividing-line-between-friends-and-acquaintances-is-communication/) [John D. MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-macdonald/) > [I want story, wit, music, wryness, color, and a sense of reality in what I read, and I try to get it in what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-macdonald/i-want-story-wit-music-wryness-color-and-a-sense-of-reality-in-what-i/) [John D. MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-macdonald/) > [ \[To\] me organized religion, the formalities and routines, \[is\] like being marched in formation to look at a sunset. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-macdonald/to-me-organized-religion-the-formalities-and-routines-is-like-being/) [John D. MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-macdonald/) > [Old friend, there are people—young and old—that I like, and people that I do not like. The former are always in short supply. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-macdonald/old-friend-there-are-people-young-and-old-that-i-like-and-people-that/) [John D. MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-macdonald/) > [Way over half the murders committed in this country are by close friends or relatives of the deceased. A gun makes a loud and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-macdonald/way-over-half-the-murders-committed-in-this-country-are-by-close/) [John D. MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-macdonald/) > [“Bugs would eat the wax. Chaw the old canvas. And one day there will be a mutation, and we will have new ones that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-macdonald/bugs-would-eat-the-wax-chaw-the-old-canvas-and-one-day-there-will-be/) [John D. MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-macdonald/) > [“...her dark eyes were like twin entrances to two deep caves. Nothing lived in those caves. Maybe something had, once upon a time. There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-macdonald/her-dark-eyes-were-like-twin-entrances-to-two-deep-caves-nothing/) [John D. MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-macdonald/) > [“She went inside and watched him walk back toward sixteen,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-macdonald/she-went-inside-and-watched-him-walk-back-toward-sixteen/) [John D. MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-macdonald/) [Explore all 80 John D. MacDonald quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-macdonald/) ## More Bridges quotes > [Poetry has, in a way, been my bridge to my acting career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omari-hardwick/poetry-has-in-a-way-been-my-bridge-to-my-acting-career/) [Omari Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omari-hardwick/) > [Nothing teaches great writing like the very best books do. Yet, good teachers often help students cross that bridge, and I have to say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-glass/nothing-teaches-great-writing-like-the-very-best-books-do-yet-good/) [Julia Glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-glass/) > [In my rear view mirror the sun is going down sinking behind bridges in the road and I think of all the good things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-waters/in-my-rear-view-mirror-the-sun-is-going-down-sinking-behind-bridges/) [Roger Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-waters/) > [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/) > [The WPA was one of the most productive elements of FDR's alphabet soup of agencies because it put people to work building roads, bridges,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/the-wpa-was-one-of-the-most-productive-elements-of-fdr-s-alphabet/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The sense that in this universe we are treated as strangers, the longing to be acknowledged, to meet with some response, to bridge some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-sense-that-in-this-universe-we-are-treated-as-strangers-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When you walk, try to think nothing! You can then obtain the silence of a streetlight or a bridge; stop thinking; after that, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/when-you-walk-try-to-think-nothing-you-can-then-obtain-the-silence-of/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [By the time they were pulling into the parking lot of the A&P, the mood was fading, the moment gone. Amy could feel it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-strout/by-the-time-they-were-pulling-into-the-parking-lot-of-the-a-p-the/) [Elizabeth Strout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-strout/) > [Al Pacino and Jeff Bridges do it for me in a big way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-scanlon/al-pacino-and-jeff-bridges-do-it-for-me-in-a-big-way/) [Angela Scanlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-scanlon/) > [Instead of building castles against your enemies, build bridges for them to come to you!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/instead-of-building-castles-against-your-enemies-build-bridges-for/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [Instead of finding himself in nerd heaven—where every nerd gets fifty-eight virgins to role-play with—he woke up in Robert Wood Johnson with two broken…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/instead-of-finding-himself-in-nerd-heaven-where-every-nerd-gets-fifty/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [Each person is an island unto himself, in a very real sense; and he can only build bridges to other islands if he is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-rogers/each-person-is-an-island-unto-himself-in-a-very-real-sense-and-he-can/) [Carl Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-rogers/) > [The real test of a bridge player isn’t in keeping out of trouble, but in escaping once he’s in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-sheinwold/the-real-test-of-a-bridge-player-isn-t-in-keeping-out-of-trouble-but/) [Alfred Sheinwold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-sheinwold/) > [The law ... allows rich as well as poor to sleep under bridges.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anatole-france/the-law-allows-rich-as-well-as-poor-to-sleep-under-bridges/) [Anatole France](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anatole-france/) > [Guys like Todd Bridges never overcame being a child star. You can't have any big failures. I've always felt regular. I played organized ball…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bow-wow/guys-like-todd-bridges-never-overcame-being-a-child-star-you-can-t/) [Bow Wow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bow-wow/) [Browse all 1,521 Bridges quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bridges/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We were about to give up and call it a night when somebody threw the girl off the bridge.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John D. 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