--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Rish glanced uneasily at the outside…" description: "\"“Rish glanced uneasily at the outside door. “We can’t stay here. Someone else could come in or out at any moment. Better get him upstairs.” Their priso..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/25d/lois-mcmaster-bujold-716_first-date_rish-glanced-uneasily-at-the-outside-doo_1665603.jpg" --- # Rish glanced uneasily at the outside door. “We can’t stay… ![“Rish glanced uneasily at the outside door. “We can’t stay here. Someone else could come in or out at any moment. Better get him upstairs.” Their prisoner did not cry out or try to struggle as they womanhandled his limp, heavy body into the lift tube, up three flights, and down the corridor to the…” quote by Lois McMaster Bujold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/25d/lois-mcmaster-bujold-716_first-date_rish-glanced-uneasily-at-the-outside-doo_1665603.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/25d/lois-mcmaster-bujold-716_first-date_rish-glanced-uneasily-at-the-outside-doo_1665603.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/25d/lois-mcmaster-bujold-716_first-date_rish-glanced-uneasily-at-the-outside-doo_1665603.jpg) > ““Rish glanced uneasily at the outside door. “We can’t stay here. Someone else could come in or out at any moment. Better get him upstairs.” Their prisoner did not cry out or try to struggle as they womanhandled his limp, heavy body into the lift tube, up three flights, and down the corridor to the corner flat. As they dragged him inside, he remarked to the air, “Hey, made it inside her door on t’ first date! Are things lookin’ up for Ma Vorpatril’s boy, or what?” “This is not a date, you idiot,” Tej snapped at him. To her annoyance, his smile inexplicably broadened.”” [Lois McMaster Bujold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-mcmaster-bujold/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A captive’s uneasy humor masks fear, while others prioritize safety over empathy, highlighting tension between survival and compassion. **In simple terms:** Humor can hide fear; safety concerns dominate. Key Takeaway Balance caution with empathy in crises. Themes survival humor empathy danger Mood tense darkly humorous Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - prisoner transport - emergency evacuations - high‑stress missions - conflict zones Key Concepts psychological coping power dynamics ethical dilemmas Questions to Reflect On - When does humor become a coping tool versus denial? - How should we treat those we must move for safety? A Different Perspective Prioritizing safety may dehumanize the vulnerable, ignoring moral responsibility. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [First date](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-date/) [Prisoner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prisoner/) ## Related quotes > [What are you? Stupid? Of course they have a guard. What part of ‘You’re a prisoner’ did you miss? (Delphine)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/what-are-you-stupid-of-course-they-have-a-guard-what-part-of-you-re-a/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [Its a crappy picture because it was late but its of me and Stark on our first date since I've been here!(: 8>](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jade/its-a-crappy-picture-because-it-was-late-but-its-of-me-and-stark-on/) [Jade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jade/) > [WOULD LOVE TO SEE MINE GURL IN ONE OF THIS DRESS ON DA FIRST DATE ^\_6](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shy-boy/would-love-to-see-mine-gurl-in-one-of-this-dress-on-da-first-date-6/) SHY BOY > [“ Redneck Rules of Etiquette • To avoid bruising wine as you decant it, make sure to tilt the paper cup. • Your centerpiece…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-ford/redneck-rules-of-etiquette-to-avoid-bruising-wine-as-you-decant-it/) [Deborah Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-ford/) > [A perfect date is probably something somewhere where you can kind of communicate and talk to the person. I don't like movies as first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/selena-gomez/a-perfect-date-is-probably-something-somewhere-where-you-can-kind-of/) [Selena Gomez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/selena-gomez/) > [“I opened the front door of my parents’ house the next evening. His starched blue denim shirt caught my eye only seconds before his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ree-drummond/i-opened-the-front-door-of-my-parents-house-the-next-evening-his/) [Ree Drummond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ree-drummond/) > [Never wear your hair up on a first date.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-sennott/never-wear-your-hair-up-on-a-first-date/) [Rachel Sennott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-sennott/) > [“BACHELOR NUMBER ONE IS A NO-GO, she texted Trish. HE TALKED TOO MUCH. Within seconds, Trish texted back. ISN’T TALKING A GOOD THING ON…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-james/bachelor-number-one-is-a-no-go-she-texted-trish-he-talked-too-much/) [Julie James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-james/) > [“Aren’t you going to ask me what kind of boat I own?” he asked. “Sure. What kind of boat do you own?” “A sailboat.”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-lowell/aren-t-you-going-to-ask-me-what-kind-of-boat-i-own-he-asked-sure-what/) [Elizabeth Lowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-lowell/) > [“You know, you’ve set a really bad precedent for first dates,” I said. “How is anyone ever going to top this?” I turned to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janette-rallison/you-know-you-ve-set-a-really-bad-precedent-for-first-dates-i-said-how/) [Janette Rallison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janette-rallison/) > [“Bobby: So assuming I survive the next 24 hours, where do you want to go on our first date? Kitty: Some place that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-aaron/bobby-so-assuming-i-survive-the-next-24-hours-where-do-you-want-to-go/) [Jason Aaron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-aaron/) > [A picture I drew of my girl friend from our first date.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-campbell/a-picture-i-drew-of-my-girl-friend-from-our-first-date/) Matthew CAmpbell > [“Been here before?” “Once, on a date.” Aidan laughed, and Walker twisted, angling toward him. “Something funny?” “My first date was here,” he confessed,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/layla-reyne/been-here-before-once-on-a-date-aidan-laughed-and-walker-twisted/) [Layla Reyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/layla-reyne/) > [“Three weeks after our first date, I am thoroughly enjoying spending time with Natalia. She is intelligent, friendly, classy and extremely physical. I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sadie-grubor/three-weeks-after-our-first-date-i-am-thoroughly-enjoying-spending/) [Sadie Grubor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sadie-grubor/) > [“I’m not sure how the ponies happened, though I have an inkling: “Can I get you anything?” I’ll say, getting up from a dinner…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sloane-crosley/i-m-not-sure-how-the-ponies-happened-though-i-have-an-inkling-can-i/) [Sloane Crosley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sloane-crosley/) ## More by Lois McMaster Bujold > [What you are is a question only you can answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-mcmaster-bujold/what-you-are-is-a-question-only-you-can-answer/) [Lois McMaster Bujold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-mcmaster-bujold/) > [Never do yourself, what you can con professionals into doing for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-mcmaster-bujold/never-do-yourself-what-you-can-con-professionals-into-doing-for-you/) [Lois McMaster Bujold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-mcmaster-bujold/) > [“It reminded him of that definition of his father's. A weapon is a device for making your enemy change his mind. The mind was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-mcmaster-bujold/it-reminded-him-of-that-definition-of-his-father-s-a-weapon-is-a/) [Lois McMaster Bujold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-mcmaster-bujold/) > [“I was imagining the most bizarre things befalling you.” “Did they include a six-hundred-pound ice bear and a pirate poet?” “No…” “Then they weren’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-mcmaster-bujold/i-was-imagining-the-most-bizarre-things-befalling-you-did-they/) [Lois McMaster Bujold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-mcmaster-bujold/) > [There is a sad disconnectedness that overcomes a library when its owner is gone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-mcmaster-bujold/there-is-a-sad-disconnectedness-that-overcomes-a-library-when-its/) [Lois McMaster Bujold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-mcmaster-bujold/) > [“No, amusing me only, I wonder if they realize how they are used?" "Not a bit. They think they are the emperors of creation."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-mcmaster-bujold/no-amusing-me-only-i-wonder-if-they-realize-how-they-are-used-not-a/) [Lois McMaster Bujold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-mcmaster-bujold/) > [“You bastards are on the top of Imperial Lord Auditor Miles Vorkosigan's very own shit list now, you bet. But under what name? Only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-mcmaster-bujold/you-bastards-are-on-the-top-of-imperial-lord-auditor-miles-vorkosigan/) [Lois McMaster Bujold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-mcmaster-bujold/) > [“Anyway, if the Cetagandans really wanted to assassinate you, they'd hardly do it here. They'd slip something subtle under your skin that wouldn't go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-mcmaster-bujold/anyway-if-the-cetagandans-really-wanted-to-assassinate-you-they-d/) [Lois McMaster Bujold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-mcmaster-bujold/) > [Endure pain, find joy, and make your own meaning, because the universe certainly isn't going to supply it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-mcmaster-bujold/endure-pain-find-joy-and-make-your-own-meaning-because-the-universe/) [Lois McMaster Bujold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-mcmaster-bujold/) > [Your Reverence, I do not hate any man in this world enough to inflict the results of my prayers upon him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-mcmaster-bujold/your-reverence-i-do-not-hate-any-man-in-this-world-enough-to-inflict/) [Lois McMaster Bujold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-mcmaster-bujold/) > [“I always thought my parents could fix anything. Now it's my turn. Dear God, how did this happen?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-mcmaster-bujold/i-always-thought-my-parents-could-fix-anything-now-it-s-my-turn-dear/) [Lois McMaster Bujold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-mcmaster-bujold/) > [“I think it is not so much the growth of virtue, as simply the replacement of prior vices with an addiction to one’s god.”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-mcmaster-bujold/i-think-it-is-not-so-much-the-growth-of-virtue-as-simply-the/) [Lois McMaster Bujold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-mcmaster-bujold/) > [“Mark’s ideas tended to the bland, and there was no point in asking Miles, whose embittered suggestions all ran to things like Vomit Vanilla…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-mcmaster-bujold/mark-s-ideas-tended-to-the-bland-and-there-was-no-point-in-asking/) [Lois McMaster Bujold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-mcmaster-bujold/) > [The dead cannot cry out for justice. It is a duty of the living to do so for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-mcmaster-bujold/the-dead-cannot-cry-out-for-justice-it-is-a-duty-of-the-living-to-do/) [Lois McMaster Bujold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-mcmaster-bujold/) > [“Gardens were meant to be seen, smelled, walked through, grubbed in. A hundred objective measurements didn't sum the worth of a garden; only the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-mcmaster-bujold/gardens-were-meant-to-be-seen-smelled-walked-through-grubbed-in-a/) [Lois McMaster Bujold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-mcmaster-bujold/) [Explore all 392 Lois McMaster Bujold quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-mcmaster-bujold/) ## More First date quotes > [“I’m not sure how the ponies happened, though I have an inkling: “Can I get you anything?” I’ll say, getting up from a dinner…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sloane-crosley/i-m-not-sure-how-the-ponies-happened-though-i-have-an-inkling-can-i/) [Sloane Crosley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sloane-crosley/) > [“Three weeks after our first date, I am thoroughly enjoying spending time with Natalia. She is intelligent, friendly, classy and extremely physical. I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sadie-grubor/three-weeks-after-our-first-date-i-am-thoroughly-enjoying-spending/) [Sadie Grubor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sadie-grubor/) > [“Been here before?” “Once, on a date.” Aidan laughed, and Walker twisted, angling toward him. “Something funny?” “My first date was here,” he confessed,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/layla-reyne/been-here-before-once-on-a-date-aidan-laughed-and-walker-twisted/) [Layla Reyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/layla-reyne/) > [A picture I drew of my girl friend from our first date.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-campbell/a-picture-i-drew-of-my-girl-friend-from-our-first-date/) Matthew CAmpbell > [“Bobby: So assuming I survive the next 24 hours, where do you want to go on our first date? Kitty: Some place that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-aaron/bobby-so-assuming-i-survive-the-next-24-hours-where-do-you-want-to-go/) [Jason Aaron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-aaron/) > [“You know, you’ve set a really bad precedent for first dates,” I said. “How is anyone ever going to top this?” I turned to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janette-rallison/you-know-you-ve-set-a-really-bad-precedent-for-first-dates-i-said-how/) [Janette Rallison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janette-rallison/) > [“Aren’t you going to ask me what kind of boat I own?” he asked. “Sure. What kind of boat do you own?” “A sailboat.”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-lowell/aren-t-you-going-to-ask-me-what-kind-of-boat-i-own-he-asked-sure-what/) [Elizabeth Lowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-lowell/) > [“BACHELOR NUMBER ONE IS A NO-GO, she texted Trish. HE TALKED TOO MUCH. Within seconds, Trish texted back. ISN’T TALKING A GOOD THING ON…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-james/bachelor-number-one-is-a-no-go-she-texted-trish-he-talked-too-much/) [Julie James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-james/) > [Never wear your hair up on a first date.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-sennott/never-wear-your-hair-up-on-a-first-date/) [Rachel Sennott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-sennott/) > [“I opened the front door of my parents’ house the next evening. His starched blue denim shirt caught my eye only seconds before his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ree-drummond/i-opened-the-front-door-of-my-parents-house-the-next-evening-his/) [Ree Drummond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ree-drummond/) > [A perfect date is probably something somewhere where you can kind of communicate and talk to the person. I don't like movies as first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/selena-gomez/a-perfect-date-is-probably-something-somewhere-where-you-can-kind-of/) [Selena Gomez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/selena-gomez/) > [“ Redneck Rules of Etiquette • To avoid bruising wine as you decant it, make sure to tilt the paper cup. • Your centerpiece…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-ford/redneck-rules-of-etiquette-to-avoid-bruising-wine-as-you-decant-it/) [Deborah Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-ford/) > [WOULD LOVE TO SEE MINE GURL IN ONE OF THIS DRESS ON DA FIRST DATE ^\_6](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shy-boy/would-love-to-see-mine-gurl-in-one-of-this-dress-on-da-first-date-6/) SHY BOY > [Its a crappy picture because it was late but its of me and Stark on our first date since I've been here!(: 8>](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jade/its-a-crappy-picture-because-it-was-late-but-its-of-me-and-stark-on/) [Jade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jade/) > [“I’ve shared more breakfasts with you than any woman I’ve dated in the last year and a half,” Mitch returned. “I know what you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-ashley/i-ve-shared-more-breakfasts-with-you-than-any-woman-i-ve-dated-in-the/) [Kristen Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-ashley/) [Browse all 298 First date quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-date/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Rish glanced uneasily at the outside door. “We can’t stay here. Someone else could come in or out at any moment. Better get him upstairs.” Their prisoner did not cry out or try to struggle as they womanhandled his limp, heavy body into the lift tube, up three flights, and down the corridor to the corner flat. As they dragged him inside, he remarked to the air, “Hey, made it inside her door on t’ first date! Are things lookin’ up for Ma Vorpatril’s boy, or what?” “This is not a date, you idiot,” Tej snapped at him. 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