--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: How could I ask for “horse” with a…" description: "\"“How could I ask for “horse” with a straight face? And, if I were doing heroin, then I’d be a depressed teenager on heroin. I didn’t need to be that cl..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a1/ned-vizzini-1483_straight-face_how-could-i-ask-for-horse-with-a-straigh_858766.jpg" --- # How could I ask for “horse” with a straight face? And, if… ![“How could I ask for “horse” with a straight face? And, if I were doing heroin, then I’d be a depressed teenager on heroin. I didn’t need to be that cliché.” quote by Ned Vizzini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a1/ned-vizzini-1483_straight-face_how-could-i-ask-for-horse-with-a-straigh_858766.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a1/ned-vizzini-1483_straight-face_how-could-i-ask-for-horse-with-a-straigh_858766.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a1/ned-vizzini-1483_straight-face_how-could-i-ask-for-horse-with-a-straigh_858766.jpg) > ““How could I ask for “horse” with a straight face? And, if I were doing heroin, then I’d be a depressed teenager on heroin. I didn’t need to be that cliché.”” [Ned Vizzini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ned-vizzini/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A speaker confronts absurdity and self‑deprecation, highlighting how personal struggles can feel cliché yet remain genuine. **In simple terms:** Facing absurd self‑image while feeling depressed. Key Takeaway Acknowledge pain without masking it. Themes self‑deprecation mental health authenticity humor Mood reflective wry Type personal philosophical When to use this quote - therapy sessions - creative writing - friend conversations - online forums Key Concepts existential angst identity crisis social pressure Questions to Reflect On - How does humor affect your willingness to discuss mental health? - Can you separate genuine feeling from performative cynicism? A Different Perspective Humor may downplay seriousness, hindering help‑seeking. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Straight face](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/straight-face/) ## Related quotes > [I tried heroin once and I didn't like it. It frightened me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ozzy-osbourne/i-tried-heroin-once-and-i-didn-t-like-it-it-frightened-me/) [Ozzy Osbourne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ozzy-osbourne/) > [“It was what she imagined doing heroin would be like: terrible for you but impossible to resist.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/libby-schmais/it-was-what-she-imagined-doing-heroin-would-be-like-terrible-for-you/) Libby Schmais > [Music had been going on a long time before that. You have to remember that before rock n' roll there were a bunch of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemmy-kilmister/music-had-been-going-on-a-long-time-before-that-you-have-to-remember/) [Lemmy Kilmister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemmy-kilmister/) > [I would argue that it's almost better to do heroin than to watch TV. At least when you're doing heroin you're responsible for your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/i-would-argue-that-it-s-almost-better-to-do-heroin-than-to-watch-tv/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [“We just met and we're already doing heroin?" I said. "Seems sudden.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-doucette/we-just-met-and-we-re-already-doing-heroin-i-said-seems-sudden/) [Gene Doucette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-doucette/) > [Doing heroin is like walking around with a terrorist as your friend. It's like taking a terrorist around to parties You never know when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-casablancas/doing-heroin-is-like-walking-around-with-a-terrorist-as-your-friend/) [Julian Casablancas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-casablancas/) > [Without cigarettes, I would be doing heroin, probably, on a daily basis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-madden/without-cigarettes-i-would-be-doing-heroin-probably-on-a-daily-basis/) [Joel Madden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-madden/) > [When you see a horse that’s troubled, you sort of feel sorry for them, yet that doesn’t mean that you wouldn’t still ask the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buck-brannaman/when-you-see-a-horse-that-s-troubled-you-sort-of-feel-sorry-for-them/) [Buck Brannaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buck-brannaman/) > [When riding, ask yourself what will my horse get out of it if I get what I want? Many times, human nature is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buck-brannaman/when-riding-ask-yourself-what-will-my-horse-get-out-of-it-if-i-get/) [Buck Brannaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buck-brannaman/) > [“Remember, the conversation between you and your horse must never be dull or inert. It should be, “Ask, receive, give. Ask, receive, give." Ask…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-swift/remember-the-conversation-between-you-and-your-horse-must-never-be/) Sally Swift > [There is a story in Zen circles about a man and a horse. The horse is galloping quickly, and it appears that the man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nhat-hanh/there-is-a-story-in-zen-circles-about-a-man-and-a-horse-the-horse-is/) [Nhat Hanh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nhat-hanh/) > [“There’s a story about a man riding a horse, galloping quickly. It appears that he’s going somewhere very important. A man standing along the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darren-hardy/there-s-a-story-about-a-man-riding-a-horse-galloping-quickly-it/) [Darren Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darren-hardy/) > [“There is a Zen story about a man and a horse.7 The horse is galloping quickly, and it appears that the rider is urgently…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-is-a-zen-story-about-a-man-and-a-horse-7-the-horse-is-galloping/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's foolish to bet on a horse without talking to him first. I know it seems silly to ask a horse who's going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gracie-allen/it-s-foolish-to-bet-on-a-horse-without-talking-to-him-first-i-know-it/) [Gracie Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gracie-allen/) > [If enough money is involved and enough people believe that two plus two equals five the media will report the story with a straight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jacoby/if-enough-money-is-involved-and-enough-people-believe-that-two-plus/) [Susan Jacoby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jacoby/) ## More by Ned Vizzini > [I want to live but I want to die. What do I do?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ned-vizzini/i-want-to-live-but-i-want-to-die-what-do-i-do/) [Ned Vizzini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ned-vizzini/) > [“See, because being Cool is obviously the most important thing on earth. It’s more important than getting a job, or having a girlfriend, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ned-vizzini/see-because-being-cool-is-obviously-the-most-important-thing-on-earth/) [Ned Vizzini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ned-vizzini/) > [“She puts on her poker face; I don’t have any extra faces to put on, just the normal Craig face.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ned-vizzini/she-puts-on-her-poker-face-i-don-t-have-any-extra-faces-to-put-on/) [Ned Vizzini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ned-vizzini/) > [“pro scienta atque sapienta-Latin- for science and wisdom It's a Darwinian popularity contest. at all times, the question on everyone's mind is, "who's coolest?"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ned-vizzini/pro-scienta-atque-sapienta-latin-for-science-and-wisdom-it-s-a/) [Ned Vizzini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ned-vizzini/) > [I think you run out of 'I love yous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ned-vizzini/i-think-you-run-out-of-i-love-yous/) [Ned Vizzini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ned-vizzini/) > [So now live for real, Craig. Live. Live. Live. Live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ned-vizzini/so-now-live-for-real-craig-live-live-live-live/) [Ned Vizzini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ned-vizzini/) > [“...one quarter of your life is spent as a minor; you might as well make the best of it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ned-vizzini/one-quarter-of-your-life-is-spent-as-a-minor-you-might-as-well-make/) [Ned Vizzini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ned-vizzini/) > [Once you have a kid, it's amazing how quickly people ask, 'So are you going to stop at just one?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ned-vizzini/once-you-have-a-kid-it-s-amazing-how-quickly-people-ask-so-are-you/) [Ned Vizzini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ned-vizzini/) > [“So when I ran out of the final bottle of Zoloft, I didn’t take any more. I didn’t call Dr. Barney either. I just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ned-vizzini/so-when-i-ran-out-of-the-final-bottle-of-zoloft-i-didn-t-take-any/) [Ned Vizzini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ned-vizzini/) > [“If Bobby can get a place to live, I think, then I can get a life worth living.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ned-vizzini/if-bobby-can-get-a-place-to-live-i-think-then-i-can-get-a-life-worth/) [Ned Vizzini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ned-vizzini/) > [“Up next is Noelle. 'Hey, girl!' 'Don't you dare start calling me that. This is very nice of you to do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ned-vizzini/up-next-is-noelle-hey-girl-don-t-you-dare-start-calling-me-that-this/) [Ned Vizzini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ned-vizzini/) > [They're sort of ancillary anyway, friends. I mean, they're important -- everybody knows that; the TV tells you so -- but they come and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ned-vizzini/they-re-sort-of-ancillary-anyway-friends-i-mean-they-re-important/) [Ned Vizzini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ned-vizzini/) > [“There are only things that could have turned out differently. You don't have any shoulds or woulds in your life, see? You only have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ned-vizzini/there-are-only-things-that-could-have-turned-out-differently-you-don/) [Ned Vizzini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ned-vizzini/) > [That's what gets me through the day. Knowing that I could do it. That I'm strong enough to do it and I can get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ned-vizzini/that-s-what-gets-me-through-the-day-knowing-that-i-could-do-it-that-i/) [Ned Vizzini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ned-vizzini/) > [I like how you don't hide your problems like everyone else, and I don't have to hide mine when I'm around you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ned-vizzini/i-like-how-you-don-t-hide-your-problems-like-everyone-else-and-i-don/) [Ned Vizzini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ned-vizzini/) [Explore all 237 Ned Vizzini quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ned-vizzini/) ## More Straight face quotes > [If enough money is involved and enough people believe that two plus two equals five the media will report the story with a straight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jacoby/if-enough-money-is-involved-and-enough-people-believe-that-two-plus/) [Susan Jacoby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jacoby/) > [“She glanced over her shoulder at him. “So until the wedding ceremony in your chapel, we’ll be chaste?” Her smile flirted and taunted, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-dodd/she-glanced-over-her-shoulder-at-him-so-until-the-wedding-ceremony-in/) [Christina Dodd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-dodd/) > [“Innocent? Is that supposed to be funny? An obese man... a disgusting man who could barely stand up; a man who if you saw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-doe/innocent-is-that-supposed-to-be-funny-an-obese-man-a-disgusting-man/) [John Doe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-doe/) > [“Once you confessed to someone that you had been very depressed when dining with her several months earlier. She was stunned, discovering her blindness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douard-lev/once-you-confessed-to-someone-that-you-had-been-very-depressed-when/) [Édouard Levé](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douard-lev/) > [“He alienated his friends in the sciences by thanking them extravagantly for scientific advances he had read about in the recent newspapers and magazines,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/he-alienated-his-friends-in-the-sciences-by-thanking-them/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“It's painful to believe that the would-be 'public servants' you're forced to choose between are all phonies whose only real concern is their own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/it-s-painful-to-believe-that-the-would-be-public-servants-you-re/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) > [“I want you both to show me how much you know about each other,” he began. “I want you both to make me a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ree-drummond/i-want-you-both-to-show-me-how-much-you-know-about-each-other-he/) [Ree Drummond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ree-drummond/) > [“Dimity said, "I wrote him poetry!" (...) "Dimity," Sophronia said, horrified by such an admission, "you didn't give him the poetry, did you?" "Certainly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-carriger/dimity-said-i-wrote-him-poetry-dimity-sophronia-said-horrified-by/) [Gail Carriger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-carriger/) > [I have always believed that the key to a happy marriage was the ability to say with a straight face, 'Why, I don't know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/i-have-always-believed-that-the-key-to-a-happy-marriage-was-the/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [“You said she works at an ice-cream shop around here, right?” He made a big show of wiping the sweat off his brow. “Come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-james/you-said-she-works-at-an-ice-cream-shop-around-here-right-he-made-a/) [Julie James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-james/) > [I don't think anybody can with a straight face say that the Russians did not set out to influence our election, and they did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-colbert/i-don-t-think-anybody-can-with-a-straight-face-say-that-the-russians/) [Stephen Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colbert/) > [It’s not enough to be able to lie with a straight face; anybody with enough gall to raise on a busted flush can do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/it-s-not-enough-to-be-able-to-lie-with-a-straight-face-anybody-with/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [No one in their right mind can say to me with a straight face that the Patriot Act has not aggregated the Fourth Amendment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-camejo/no-one-in-their-right-mind-can-say-to-me-with-a-straight-face-that/) [Peter Camejo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-camejo/) > [Knew it from the start, nah somethin wasn't right/ Felt somethin different when I looked into your eyes/ Things change, re-arrange, won't ever be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tactics/knew-it-from-the-start-nah-somethin-wasn-t-right-felt-somethin/) Tactics > [“She narrowed her eyes at him. She wanted to tell him that it was his fault, that she would never have tripped if he’d…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberly-derting/she-narrowed-her-eyes-at-him-she-wanted-to-tell-him-that-it-was-his/) [Kimberly Derting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberly-derting/) [Browse all 192 Straight face quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/straight-face/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“How could I ask for “horse” with a straight face? And, if I were doing heroin, then I’d be a depressed teenager on heroin. 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