--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: She was not good on the phone. She needed…" description: "\"She was not good on the phone. She needed the face, the pattern of eyes, nose, trembling mouth... People talking were meant to look at a face, the disa..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18d/lorrie-moore-870_airports_she-was-not-good-on-the-phone-she-needed_201125.png" --- # She was not good on the phone. She needed the face, the… ![“She was not good on the phone. She needed the face, the pattern of eyes, nose, trembling mouth... People talking were meant to look at a face, the disastrous cupcake of it, the hide-and-seek of the heart dashing across. With a phone, you said words, but you never watched them go in. You saw them…” quote by Lorrie Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18d/lorrie-moore-870_airports_she-was-not-good-on-the-phone-she-needed_201125.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18d/lorrie-moore-870_airports_she-was-not-good-on-the-phone-she-needed_201125.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18d/lorrie-moore-870_airports_she-was-not-good-on-the-phone-she-needed_201125.png) > “She was not good on the phone. She needed the face, the pattern of eyes, nose, trembling mouth... People talking were meant to look at a face, the disastrous cupcake of it, the hide-and-seek of the heart dashing across. With a phone, you said words, but you never watched them go in. You saw them off at the airport but never knew whether there was anyone there to greet them when they got off the plane.” [Lorrie Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorrie-moore/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Face‑to‑face communication conveys emotional nuance that phone calls miss, highlighting the importance of visual connection. **In simple terms:** Seeing faces adds depth to conversation that voice alone lacks. Key Takeaway Prioritize in‑person interaction for meaningful exchanges. Themes communication human connection empathy Mood reflective intimate Type literary observational When to use this quote - business meetings - family gatherings - therapy sessions - dating Key Concepts nonverbal cues visual perception emotional depth Questions to Reflect On - How does technology change the way we empathize? - When is a phone call sufficient for emotional support? A Different Perspective Phone calls can still be effective when visual cues are unavailable. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Faces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faces/) [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [Hide and seek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hide-and-seek/) [Patterns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patterns/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Phones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/phones/) [Planes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/planes/) ## Related quotes > [“She had debated asking him what the words meant, but that would involve talking. And talking meant building some sort of . . .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-j-maas-2/she-had-debated-asking-him-what-the-words-meant-but-that-would/) [Sarah J Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-j-maas-2/) > [ \[attempts to save the relationship on the phone but said the wrong word while talking\] It didn't come out right, but I wasn't in… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paritoshik-sharma/attempts-to-save-the-relationship-on-the-phone-but-said-the-wrong/) [Paritoshik Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paritoshik-sharma/) > [“And I can get my own phone," said Leslie, "with unlimited text messaging!" "And I can get my car fixed," I said. "Or maybe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-sachar/and-i-can-get-my-own-phone-said-leslie-with-unlimited-text-messaging/) [Louis Sachar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-sachar/) > [“Does anyone else have a phone?" said Jason. Nim shook her head. "It was in my clutch at the party." "I never got a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/does-anyone-else-have-a-phone-said-jason-nim-shook-her-head-it-was-in/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [I can at least hearken to a time when I didn't have a cell phone, where I had to call my mom after movies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-helbig/i-can-at-least-hearken-to-a-time-when-i-didn-t-have-a-cell-phone/) [Grace Helbig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-helbig/) > [“They fielded and anonymous 911 call from Raymond Higueras's own phone. And yet said Higueras was sort of tied up at the time of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lansing/they-fielded-and-anonymous-911-call-from-raymond-higueras-s-own-phone/) John Lansing > [See my girl sitting alone Went To Ask Her Girl What's Wrong? Seen Her Staring At Her Phone She Said I'm Having Problems At…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/see-my-girl-sitting-alone-went-to-ask-her-girl-what-s-wrong-seen-her/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Jenks snickered. “Yeah, Rache. Why bother? I mean, this could be good. Ivy could invite her mom over for a housewarming. We’ve been here…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-harrison/jenks-snickered-yeah-rache-why-bother-i-mean-this-could-be-good-ivy/) [Kim Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-harrison/) > [“His cell-phone rang. Dominic fumbled for it on the nightstand next to the couch, the dim lights not helping his endeavour. He had piercing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-p-grish/his-cell-phone-rang-dominic-fumbled-for-it-on-the-nightstand-next-to/) T.P. Grish > [“All right,” I said. “Keep in touch with cell phones.” “We don’t have cell phones,” Silena protested. I reached down, picked up some snoring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/all-right-i-said-keep-in-touch-with-cell-phones-we-don-t-have-cell/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [I want to tell you,' the voice on the phone said. 'My head is filled with things to say.' ... 'I don't mind,' Hal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/i-want-to-tell-you-the-voice-on-the-phone-said-my-head-is-filled-with/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) > [At my hotel room, my friend came over and asked to use the phone. I said Certainly. He said Do I need to dial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-hedberg/at-my-hotel-room-my-friend-came-over-and-asked-to-use-the-phone-i/) [Mitch Hedberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-hedberg/) > [I saw a close friend of mine the other day. . . . He said, "Stephen, why haven't you called me?" I said, "I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/i-saw-a-close-friend-of-mine-the-other-day-he-said-stephen-why-haven/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [“The person at the other end of the phone said something. Mr. Croup cringed. "Oh. Yes, sir. Yes, indeed. And might I say how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/the-person-at-the-other-end-of-the-phone-said-something-mr-croup/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [ Colin \[Farrell\] I talked to several times on the phone, and I said, remember, we have only twenty-five days of doing the movie \[Miss… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liv-ullmann/colin-farrell-i-talked-to-several-times-on-the-phone-and-i-said/) [Liv Ullmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liv-ullmann/) ## More by Lorrie Moore > [But I believed in starting over. There was finally, I knew, only rupture and hurt and falling short between all persons, but, Shirley, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorrie-moore/but-i-believed-in-starting-over-there-was-finally-i-knew-only-rupture/) [Lorrie Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorrie-moore/) > [I'm very interested in what people will do for money. Money: it's timeless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorrie-moore/i-m-very-interested-in-what-people-will-do-for-money-money-it-s/) [Lorrie Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorrie-moore/) > [“One of the problems with people in Chicago, she remembered, was that they were never lonely at the same time. Their sadness occurred in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorrie-moore/one-of-the-problems-with-people-in-chicago-she-remembered-was-that/) [Lorrie Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorrie-moore/) > [“If you had forgotten, it would quickly come back to you. Aloneness was like riding a bike. At gunpoint. With the gun in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorrie-moore/if-you-had-forgotten-it-would-quickly-come-back-to-you-aloneness-was/) [Lorrie Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorrie-moore/) > [Once love had seemed like magic. Now it seemed like tricks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorrie-moore/once-love-had-seemed-like-magic-now-it-seemed-like-tricks/) [Lorrie Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorrie-moore/) > [“Observing others go through them, he used to admire midlife crises, the courage and shamelessness and existential daring of them, but after he'd watched…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorrie-moore/observing-others-go-through-them-he-used-to-admire-midlife-crises-the/) [Lorrie Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorrie-moore/) > [Start dating someone who is funny, someone who has what in high school you called a "really great sense of humor" and what now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorrie-moore/start-dating-someone-who-is-funny-someone-who-has-what-in-high-school/) [Lorrie Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorrie-moore/) > [You are unhappy because you believe in such a thing as happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorrie-moore/you-are-unhappy-because-you-believe-in-such-a-thing-as-happy/) [Lorrie Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorrie-moore/) > [“Amber was not shy. If she had been shy, not one of us would be at Perkins right now.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorrie-moore/amber-was-not-shy-if-she-had-been-shy-not-one-of-us-would-be-at/) [Lorrie Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorrie-moore/) > [People will do anything, anything, for a really nice laugh,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorrie-moore/people-will-do-anything-anything-for-a-really-nice-laugh/) [Lorrie Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorrie-moore/) > [“Farmers aren't rich. They have land but no money." Actually, my father didn't even have that much land. He had once stood on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorrie-moore/farmers-aren-t-rich-they-have-land-but-no-money-actually-my-father/) [Lorrie Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorrie-moore/) > [“My grandmother, who, when I visited, stared at me with the staggering, arrogant stare of the dying, the wise vapidity of the already gone;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorrie-moore/my-grandmother-who-when-i-visited-stared-at-me-with-the-staggering/) [Lorrie Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorrie-moore/) > [I count too heavily on birthdays, though I know I shouldn't. Inevitably I begin to assess my life by them, figure out how I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorrie-moore/i-count-too-heavily-on-birthdays-though-i-know-i-shouldn-t-inevitably/) [Lorrie Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorrie-moore/) > [“Life is sad. Here is someone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorrie-moore/life-is-sad-here-is-someone/) [Lorrie Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorrie-moore/) > [I had never feared insomnia before--like prison, wouldn't it just give you more time to read?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorrie-moore/i-had-never-feared-insomnia-before-like-prison-wouldn-t-it-just-give/) [Lorrie Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorrie-moore/) [Explore all 340 Lorrie Moore quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorrie-moore/) ## More Airports quotes > [In luggage claim at the Minneapolis airport, the guy came up to me and said, "Maybe you're wrong, maybe stories do matter." I wrote…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-dicamillo/in-luggage-claim-at-the-minneapolis-airport-the-guy-came-up-to-me-and/) [Kate DiCamillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-dicamillo/) > [I have to put my father over because he really taught me a lot, especially when it comes to out-of-the-ring psychology and how to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-orton/i-have-to-put-my-father-over-because-he-really-taught-me-a-lot/) [Randy Orton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-orton/) > [Sharing a room with a cadaver is only mildly different from being in a room alone. They are the same sort of company as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-roach/sharing-a-room-with-a-cadaver-is-only-mildly-different-from-being-in/) [Mary Roach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-roach/) > [I wrapped a movie called 'Zombieland,' in which I was constantly under assault by zombies, then flew to New York, still very much in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-harrelson/i-wrapped-a-movie-called-zombieland-in-which-i-was-constantly-under/) [Woody Harrelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-harrelson/) > [If I never saw another airport again, I'd be happy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emm-gryner/if-i-never-saw-another-airport-again-i-d-be-happy/) [Emm Gryner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emm-gryner/) > [If Real Madrid land on Manchester airport, then the airport will be surely flooded just to see one player whom fans want most. Everyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-neville/if-real-madrid-land-on-manchester-airport-then-the-airport-will-be/) [Gary Neville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-neville/) > [What you must understand is oppression does not end with the niggers. It does not end with the poor people, it doesn't end with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florynce-kennedy/what-you-must-understand-is-oppression-does-not-end-with-the-niggers/) [Florynce Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florynce-kennedy/) > [She was standing in the airport of Copenhagen, staring at a doorway, trying to figure out if it was (a) a bathroom and (b)…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-johnson/she-was-standing-in-the-airport-of-copenhagen-staring-at-a-doorway/) [Maureen Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-johnson/) > [I don't like waiting in airports for my bags. Even worse, I don't like waiting in airports when my bags are lost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-waugh/i-don-t-like-waiting-in-airports-for-my-bags-even-worse-i-don-t-like/) [Steve Waugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-waugh/) > [I am a Black revolutionary woman, and because of this i have been charged with and accused of every alleged crime in which a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/assata-shakur/i-am-a-black-revolutionary-woman-and-because-of-this-i-have-been/) [Assata Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/assata-shakur/) > [I'm interested in people who become culturally fluent. And when I meet young people I'm often amazed they don't quite seem to have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gibson/i-m-interested-in-people-who-become-culturally-fluent-and-when-i-meet/) [William Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gibson/) > [I associate going to an airport with work because I travel so much with my job. So when I have a few days free…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evelyn-glennie/i-associate-going-to-an-airport-with-work-because-i-travel-so-much/) [Evelyn Glennie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evelyn-glennie/) > [I was once walking in an airport and a woman came up to me and said, 'Be zany!'. That'd be like walking up to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/i-was-once-walking-in-an-airport-and-a-woman-came-up-to-me-and-said/) [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) > [Don't touch my junk, you airport security goon--my package belongs to no one but me, and do you really think I'm a Nigerian nut…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-krauthammer/don-t-touch-my-junk-you-airport-security-goon-my-package-belongs-to/) [Charles Krauthammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-krauthammer/) > [“Airports say work and security checks and delays. Ports say... I don’t know. Something completely different. Escape, maybe.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-ware/airports-say-work-and-security-checks-and-delays-ports-say-i-don-t/) [Ruth Ware](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-ware/) Browse all 490 Airports quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "She was not good on the phone. She needed the face, the pattern of eyes, nose, trembling mouth... People talking were meant to look at a face, the disastrous cupcake of it, the hide-and-seek of the heart dashing across. With a phone, you said words, but you never watched them go in. You saw them off at the airport but never knew whether there was anyone there to greet them when they got off the plane.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Lorrie Moore" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorrie-moore/she-was-not-good-on-the-phone-she-needed-the-face-the-pattern-of-eyes/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Airports" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorrie-moore/she-was-not-good-on-the-phone-she-needed-the-face-the-pattern-of-eyes/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18d/lorrie-moore-870_airports_she-was-not-good-on-the-phone-she-needed_201125.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18d/lorrie-moore-870_airports_she-was-not-good-on-the-phone-she-needed_201125.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18d/lorrie-moore-870_airports_she-was-not-good-on-the-phone-she-needed_201125.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“She was not good on the phone. She needed the face, the pattern of eyes, nose, trembling mouth... People…” — Lorrie Moore", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Lorrie Moore", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorrie-moore/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "She was not good on the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorrie-moore/she-was-not-good-on-the-phone-she-needed-the-face-the-pattern-of-eyes/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorrie-moore/she-was-not-good-on-the-phone-she-needed-the-face-the-pattern-of-eyes/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```