--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There were five others before they got to…" description: "\"There were five others before they got to him. He smiled a little when his turn came. His voice was low, smoky, and dead sexy. “My name is Augustus Wat..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/82d/john-green-12_augustus_there-were-five-others-before-they-got-t_669076.jpg" --- # There were five others before they got to him. He smiled a… ![“There were five others before they got to him. He smiled a little when his turn came. His voice was low, smoky, and dead sexy. “My name is Augustus Waters,” he said. “I’m seventeen. I had a little touch of osteosarcoma a year and a half ago, but I’m just here today at Isaac’s request.” “And how…” quote by John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/82d/john-green-12_augustus_there-were-five-others-before-they-got-t_669076.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/82d/john-green-12_augustus_there-were-five-others-before-they-got-t_669076.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/82d/john-green-12_augustus_there-were-five-others-before-they-got-t_669076.jpg) > “There were five others before they got to him. He smiled a little when his turn came. His voice was low, smoky, and dead sexy. “My name is Augustus Waters,” he said. “I’m seventeen. I had a little touch of osteosarcoma a year and a half ago, but I’m just here today at Isaac’s request.” “And how are you feeling?” asked Patrick. “Oh, I’m grand.” Augustus Waters smiled with a corner of his mouth. “I’m on a roller coaster that only goes up, my friend.” [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A teen with cancer reflects on his resilience, optimism, and the fleeting nature of life, using metaphor to express hope despite illness. **In simple terms:** A sick teen stays hopeful and positive. Key Takeaway Embrace optimism in adversity. Themes hope resilience mortality young adult love Mood reflective hopeful Type literary inspirational When to use this quote - hospital visits - support groups - personal reflection - friendship Key Concepts cancer identity existentialism Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance hope with reality? - What role does humor play in coping? A Different Perspective Optimism may overlook pain or denial. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Augustus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/augustus/) [Augustus waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/augustus-waters/) [Coasters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coasters/) [Feelings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feelings/) [Half](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/half/) [Isaac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/isaac/) [Littles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/littles/) [Lows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lows/) [Mouths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mouths/) [Names](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/names/) [Request](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/request/) [Roller coaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/roller-coaster/) [Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said/) [Sexy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sexy/) [Smiled](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smiled/) [Smiled Little](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smiled-little-425014/) [Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today/) [Turns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/turns/) [Voice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/voice/) [Water](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/water/) [Waters Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/waters-said-594485/) [Waters Smiled](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/waters-smiled-830990/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) ## Related quotes > [And how are you feeling?" asked Patrick."Oh, I'm grand." Augustus Waters smiled with a corner of his mouth. "I'm on a roller coaster that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/and-how-are-you-feeling-asked-patrick-oh-i-m-grand-augustus-waters/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“Oh, I’m grand.” Augustus Waters smiled with a corner of his mouth. “I’m on a roller coaster that only goes up, my friend.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/oh-i-m-grand-augustus-waters-smiled-with-a-corner-of-his-mouth-i-m-on/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [I'm on a roller coaster that only goes up," he said. "And it is my privilege and my responsibility to ride all the way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-m-on-a-roller-coaster-that-only-goes-up-he-said-and-it-is-my/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“Augustus Waters,” she said. “Um, maybe?” “Oh, my God. I’ve seen him at parties. The things I would do to that boy. I mean,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/augustus-waters-she-said-um-maybe-oh-my-god-i-ve-seen-him-at-parties/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“Finally I did call him. His phone rang five times and then went to voice mail."You've reached the voice mail of Augustus Waters," he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/finally-i-did-call-him-his-phone-rang-five-times-and-then-went-to/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [I'll fight it. I'll fight it for you. Don't you worry about me, Hazel Grace. I'm okay. I'll find a way to hang around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-ll-fight-it-i-ll-fight-it-for-you-don-t-you-worry-about-me-hazel/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [Only now that I loved a grenade did I understand the foolishness of trying to save others from my own impending fragmentation: I couldn’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/only-now-that-i-loved-a-grenade-did-i-understand-the-foolishness-of-2/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [We live in a universe devoted to the creation, and eradication, of awareness. Augustus Waters did not die after a lengthy battle with cancer.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/we-live-in-a-universe-devoted-to-the-creation-and-eradication-of/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [According to the conventions of the genre, Augustus Waters kept his sense of humor till the end, did not for a moment waiver in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/according-to-the-conventions-of-the-genre-augustus-waters-kept-his/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [i wanted more time so we could fall in love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-wanted-more-time-so-we-could-fall-in-love/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [All at once, I couldn’t figure out why I was methodically tossing a spherical object through a toroidal object. It seemed like the stupidest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/all-at-once-i-couldn-t-figure-out-why-i-was-methodically-tossing-a/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [If you don't live a life in service of a greater good, you've gotta at least die a death in service of a greater…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/if-you-don-t-live-a-life-in-service-of-a-greater-good-you-ve-gotta-at/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [Augustus, perhaps you’d like to share your fears with the group.” “My fears?” “Yes.” “I fear oblivion,” he said without a moment’s pause. “I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/augustus-perhaps-you-d-like-to-share-your-fears-with-the-group-my/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [The only person I really wanted to talk to about Augustus Water's death with was Augustus Waters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/the-only-person-i-really-wanted-to-talk-to-about-augustus-water-s/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [Issac:"I dislike living in a world without Augustus Waters." Computer: "I don't understand-" Issac: "Me neither. Pause](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/issac-i-dislike-living-in-a-world-without-augustus-waters-computer-i/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) ## More by John Green > [Issac:"I dislike living in a world without Augustus Waters." Computer: "I don't understand-" Issac: "Me neither. Pause](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/issac-i-dislike-living-in-a-world-without-augustus-waters-computer-i/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“I just want to stay away from people and read books and think”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-just-want-to-stay-away-from-people-and-read-books-and-think/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [She smiled with all the delight of a kid on Christmas morning and said, "Y'all smoke to enjoy it. I smoke to die." -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/she-smiled-with-all-the-delight-of-a-kid-on-christmas-morning-and/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [A Margo for each of us--and each more mirror than window.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/a-margo-for-each-of-us-and-each-more-mirror-than-window/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“No one ever says good-bye unless they want to see you again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/no-one-ever-says-good-bye-unless-they-want-to-see-you-again/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [Neither novels or their readers benefit from any attempts to divine whether any facts hide inside a story. Such efforts attack the very idea…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/neither-novels-or-their-readers-benefit-from-any-attempts-to-divine/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“Traffic's not too bad on Sheridan, and I'm cornering the car like it's the Indy 500, and we're listening to my favorite NMH song,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/traffic-s-not-too-bad-on-sheridan-and-i-m-cornering-the-car-like-it-s/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“Praise God for good nurses.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/praise-god-for-good-nurses/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [So I was ugly. I was never fat, really, and I never wore headgear or had zits or anything. But I was ugly. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/so-i-was-ugly-i-was-never-fat-really-and-i-never-wore-headgear-or-had/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [Nothing has ever looked like that ever in all of human history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/nothing-has-ever-looked-like-that-ever-in-all-of-human-history/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“said to him quietly, as if I couldn’t hear or something. Dad was about to respond but I interrupted.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/said-to-him-quietly-as-if-i-couldn-t-hear-or-something-dad-was-about/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [I believe humans have souls, and I believe in the conservation of souls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-believe-humans-have-souls-and-i-believe-in-the-conservation-of-souls/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“He was hot. A nonhotboy stares at you relentlessly and it is, at best, awkward and, at worst, a form of assault. But a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/he-was-hot-a-nonhotboy-stares-at-you-relentlessly-and-it-is-at-best/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [I think if you keep the box closed long enough you do kill the cat, actually.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-think-if-you-keep-the-box-closed-long-enough-you-do-kill-the-cat/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [Imagining the future is a kind of nostalgia. (...) You spend your whole life stuck in the labyrinth, thinking about how you'll escape it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/imagining-the-future-is-a-kind-of-nostalgia-you-spend-your-whole-life/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) [Explore all 3,614 John Green quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) ## More Augustus quotes > [Issac:"I dislike living in a world without Augustus Waters." Computer: "I don't understand-" Issac: "Me neither. Pause](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/issac-i-dislike-living-in-a-world-without-augustus-waters-computer-i/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [That pipe, just so happens to lead to the room where I make the most delicious flavored chocolate covered fudge." Then he will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-depp/that-pipe-just-so-happens-to-lead-to-the-room-where-i-make-the-most/) [Johnny Depp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-depp/) > [Christianity has carried civilization along with it, whithersoever it has gone; and, as if to show that the latter does not depend on physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augustus-william-hare/christianity-has-carried-civilization-along-with-it-whithersoever-it/) [Augustus William Hare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augustus-william-hare/) > [“When you fear nothing, you have nothing to fear”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-f-chandler/when-you-fear-nothing-you-have-nothing-to-fear/) [S.F. Chandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-f-chandler/) > [I am in the midst of a soliloquy! I wrote this out and memorized it and if you interrupt me I will completely screw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-am-in-the-midst-of-a-soliloquy-i-wrote-this-out-and-memorized-it/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [Ma'am," Augustus said, nodding toward her, "Your daughter's car has just been deservingly egged by a blind man. Please close the door and go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/ma-am-augustus-said-nodding-toward-her-your-daughter-s-car-has-just/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [A man who wouldn't cheat for a poke don't want one bad enough. --Augustus "Gus" McCrae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-mcmurtry/a-man-who-wouldn-t-cheat-for-a-poke-don-t-want-one-bad-enough/) [Larry McMurtry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-mcmurtry/) > [“As quick as boiled asparagus!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-graves/as-quick-as-boiled-asparagus/) [Robert Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-graves/) > [WHEN AUGUSTUS CAME OUT on the porch the blue pigs were eating a rattlesnake—not a very big one. It had probably just been crawling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-mcmurtry/when-augustus-came-out-on-the-porch-the-blue-pigs-were-eating-a/) [Larry McMurtry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-mcmurtry/) > [“Six times during my life has this tomb of my soul led me to the brink of that eternal darkness into which all men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-williams/six-times-during-my-life-has-this-tomb-of-my-soul-led-me-to-the-brink/) [John Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-williams/) > [According to the conventions of the genre, Augustus Waters kept his sense of humor till the end, did not for a moment waiver in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/according-to-the-conventions-of-the-genre-augustus-waters-kept-his/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“His excitement was adorable. I couldn't resist. I leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. -Hazel Grace Lancaster, The Fault In Our Stars”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/his-excitement-was-adorable-i-couldn-t-resist-i-leaned-over-and/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“Out of nowhere, Augustus asked, "do you believe in an after life?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/out-of-nowhere-augustus-asked-do-you-believe-in-an-after-life/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [ He \[Caesar Augustus\] found a city built of brick; he left it built of marble. \[Lat., Urbem lateritiam accepit, mamoream relinquit.\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suetonius/he-caesar-augustus-found-a-city-built-of-brick-he-left-it-built-of/) [Suetonius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suetonius/) > [“Augustus was amazing, but he’d overdone everything at the picnic, right down to the sandwiches that were metaphorically resonant but tasted terrible and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/augustus-was-amazing-but-he-d-overdone-everything-at-the-picnic-right/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) [Browse all 137 Augustus quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/augustus/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There were five others before they got to him. He smiled a little when his turn came. His voice was low, smoky, and dead sexy. “My name is Augustus Waters,” he said. “I’m seventeen. I had a little touch of osteosarcoma a year and a half ago, but I’m just here today at Isaac’s request.” “And how are you feeling?” asked Patrick. “Oh, I’m grand.” Augustus Waters smiled with a corner of his mouth. “I’m on a roller coaster that only goes up, my friend.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Green" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/there-were-five-others-before-they-got-to-him-he-smiled-a-little-when/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Augustus" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/there-were-five-others-before-they-got-to-him-he-smiled-a-little-when/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/82d/john-green-12_augustus_there-were-five-others-before-they-got-t_669076.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/82d/john-green-12_augustus_there-were-five-others-before-they-got-t_669076.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/82d/john-green-12_augustus_there-were-five-others-before-they-got-t_669076.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“There were five others before they got to him. 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