--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Let me tell you something. It can be…" description: "\"“Let me tell you something. It can be along time between meals. Someone offers you food, you say yes. I'm no longer young as I was, but I can tell you ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e3/neil-gaiman-29_american-gods_let-me-tell-you-something-it-can-be-alon_1492758.jpg" --- # Let me tell you something. It can be along time between… ![“Let me tell you something. It can be along time between meals. Someone offers you food, you say yes. I'm no longer young as I was, but I can tell you this, you never say no to the opportunity to piss, to eat, or to get an half-hour's shut eye...” quote by Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e3/neil-gaiman-29_american-gods_let-me-tell-you-something-it-can-be-alon_1492758.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e3/neil-gaiman-29_american-gods_let-me-tell-you-something-it-can-be-alon_1492758.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e3/neil-gaiman-29_american-gods_let-me-tell-you-something-it-can-be-alon_1492758.jpg) > ““Let me tell you something. It can be along time between meals. Someone offers you food, you say yes. I'm no longer young as I was, but I can tell you this, you never say no to the opportunity to piss, to eat, or to get an half-hour's shut eye...”” [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Seize simple daily opportunities, like food and rest, rather than postponing them out of pride or fear. **In simple terms:** Take small chances now. Key Takeaway Don’t refuse basic needs or rest. Themes opportunity humility self‑care aging daily life Mood practical encouraging Type motivational practical When to use this quote - eating meals - taking short naps - accepting help - avoiding unnecessary denial Key Concepts mindfulness gratitude human needs Questions to Reflect On - What small need are you ignoring? - How does humility improve daily life? A Different Perspective Refusing basics can harm health and relationships. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [American gods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-gods/) [Food](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/food/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [And I thought, eight years ago, when I began carefully charting the progress of American Gods, nervously dipping my toes into the waters of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/and-i-thought-eight-years-ago-when-i-began-carefully-charting-the/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [People are always asking me what my favorite food is. I say, 'Food that tells me where I am.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-kurlansky/people-are-always-asking-me-what-my-favorite-food-is-i-say-food-that/) [Mark Kurlansky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-kurlansky/) > [If LOVE could talk to you about your relationship with food, what would it say?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geneen-roth/if-love-could-talk-to-you-about-your-relationship-with-food-what/) [Geneen Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geneen-roth/) > [“The shape does not change: there was a human being who was born, lived and then, by some means or another, died. There. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/the-shape-does-not-change-there-was-a-human-being-who-was-born-lived/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [With American Gods I was trying very, very consciously - there was a level at which it was a little like trying to write…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/with-american-gods-i-was-trying-very-very-consciously-there-was-a/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“Lives are snowflakes - unique in detail, forming patterns we have seen before, but as like one another as peas in a pod (and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/lives-are-snowflakes-unique-in-detail-forming-patterns-we-have-seen/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [Give food to others and say whats good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosie/give-food-to-others-and-say-whats-good/) [Rosie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosie/) > [People believe, thought Shadow. It's what people do. They believe, and then they do not take responsibility for their beliefs; they conjure things, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/people-believe-thought-shadow-it-s-what-people-do-they-believe-and/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“But there’s something about Watonka, they say. Something that pulls us back, the electromagnet that holds all the metal in place. It’s the food,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-ockler/but-there-s-something-about-watonka-they-say-something-that-pulls-us-2/) [Sarah Ockler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-ockler/) > [“When the web started, I used to get really grumpy with people because they put my poems up. They put my stories up. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/when-the-web-started-i-used-to-get-really-grumpy-with-people-because/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“That’s when I miss you most. When you’re here. When you aren’t here, when you’re just a ghost from the past or a dream…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/that-s-when-i-miss-you-most-when-you-re-here-when-you-aren-t-here/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [As sure as water's wet and days are long and a friend will always disappoint you in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/as-sure-as-water-s-wet-and-days-are-long-and-a-friend-will-always/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [I would not describe myself as a political writer except in the sense that the personal is political, which is something that I do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/i-would-not-describe-myself-as-a-political-writer-except-in-the-sense/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“yeah, my people figured that maybe there’s something at the back of it all, a creator, a great spirit, and so we say thank…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/yeah-my-people-figured-that-maybe-there-s-something-at-the-back-of-it/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [Every single person I spoke with, when I said I might perhaps be moving to Modena, told me how great the food is, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-prince-boateng/every-single-person-i-spoke-with-when-i-said-i-might-perhaps-be/) [Kevin-Prince Boateng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-prince-boateng/) ## More by Neil Gaiman > [“People talk about books that write themselves, and it's a lie. Books don't write themselves. It takes thought and research and a backache and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/people-talk-about-books-that-write-themselves-and-it-s-a-lie-books/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“Like all sentient beings, Fat Charlie had a weirdness quotient. For some days the needle had been over in the red, occasionally banging jerkily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/like-all-sentient-beings-fat-charlie-had-a-weirdness-quotient-for/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“Shadow crawled across the floor to the yellow foam-rubber pad and climbed onto it, pulling the thin blanket over himself, and closed his eyes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/shadow-crawled-across-the-floor-to-the-yellow-foam-rubber-pad-and/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [ “\[T\]hey could not help being amused every time another little human believed itself the center of its world, as each of us does.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/t-hey-could-not-help-being-amused-every-time-another-little-human/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [So many things to see, people to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/so-many-things-to-see-people-to-do/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“Three may keep a secret, if two of them are dead.’ – Ben Franklin,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/three-may-keep-a-secret-if-two-of-them-are-dead-ben-franklin/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [You need more than a beginning if you're going to start a book. If all you have is a beginning, then once you've written…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/you-need-more-than-a-beginning-if-you-re-going-to-start-a-book-if-all/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [You can tell the date of an old science fiction novel by every word on the page. Nothing dates harder and faster and more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/you-can-tell-the-date-of-an-old-science-fiction-novel-by-every-word/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“The quickest way is sometimes the longest.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/the-quickest-way-is-sometimes-the-longest/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“They were spells, spelled with words to make worlds, waiting for me, in the pages of books.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/they-were-spells-spelled-with-words-to-make-worlds-waiting-for-me-in/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [Finish what you're writing. Whatever you have to do to finish it, finish it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/finish-what-you-re-writing-whatever-you-have-to-do-to-finish-it/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [What do stars do? They shine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/what-do-stars-do-they-shine/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“What," asked Mr Croup, "do you want?" "What," asked the Marquis de Carabas, a little more rhetorically, "does anyone want?" "Dead things," suggested Mr…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/what-asked-mr-croup-do-you-want-what-asked-the-marquis-de-carabas-a/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [You get on with your own life. Lettie gave it to you. You just have to grow up and try and be worth it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/you-get-on-with-your-own-life-lettie-gave-it-to-you-you-just-have-to/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“Eyes will not see you. Minds will not hold you. Where you are is nothing and nobody”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/eyes-will-not-see-you-minds-will-not-hold-you-where-you-are-is/) [neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) [Explore all 2,526 Neil Gaiman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) ## More American gods quotes > [So that's Godzilla, he's ultimately going to get you regardless of what you do. Maybe the people who made the American Godzilla film were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-warner/so-that-s-godzilla-he-s-ultimately-going-to-get-you-regardless-of/) [Brad Warner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-warner/) > [And I thought, eight years ago, when I began carefully charting the progress of American Gods, nervously dipping my toes into the waters of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/and-i-thought-eight-years-ago-when-i-began-carefully-charting-the/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [I really thought Reagan was going to push the button and blow us all up. It was scary. So when they did the 1998…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-warner/i-really-thought-reagan-was-going-to-push-the-button-and-blow-us-all/) [Brad Warner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-warner/) > [Life's what happens when you're making other plans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/life-s-what-happens-when-you-re-making-other-plans/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [“yeah, my people figured that maybe there’s something at the back of it all, a creator, a great spirit, and so we say thank…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/yeah-my-people-figured-that-maybe-there-s-something-at-the-back-of-it/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“When they got married Laura told Shadow that she wanted a puppy, but their landlord had pointed out they weren’t allowed pets under the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-they-got-married-laura-told-shadow-that-she-wanted-a-puppy-but/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I would not describe myself as a political writer except in the sense that the personal is political, which is something that I do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/i-would-not-describe-myself-as-a-political-writer-except-in-the-sense/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [As sure as water's wet and days are long and a friend will always disappoint you in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/as-sure-as-water-s-wet-and-days-are-long-and-a-friend-will-always/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“That’s when I miss you most. When you’re here. When you aren’t here, when you’re just a ghost from the past or a dream…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/that-s-when-i-miss-you-most-when-you-re-here-when-you-aren-t-here/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“When the web started, I used to get really grumpy with people because they put my poems up. They put my stories up. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/when-the-web-started-i-used-to-get-really-grumpy-with-people-because/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [People believe, thought Shadow. It's what people do. They believe, and then they do not take responsibility for their beliefs; they conjure things, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/people-believe-thought-shadow-it-s-what-people-do-they-believe-and/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [None so blind as those who will not see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/none-so-blind-as-those-who-will-not-see/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Lives are snowflakes - unique in detail, forming patterns we have seen before, but as like one another as peas in a pod (and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/lives-are-snowflakes-unique-in-detail-forming-patterns-we-have-seen/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [With American Gods I was trying very, very consciously - there was a level at which it was a little like trying to write…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/with-american-gods-i-was-trying-very-very-consciously-there-was-a/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“The shape does not change: there was a human being who was born, lived and then, by some means or another, died. There. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/the-shape-does-not-change-there-was-a-human-being-who-was-born-lived/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) [Browse all 45 American gods quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-gods/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Let me tell you something. It can be along time between meals. Someone offers you food, you say yes. 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