--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: He said he'd take most any old thing He…" description: "\"He said he'd take most any old thing He was a desperate man but when I showed him the... He turned around and ran.\" — Phil Harris" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/796/phil-harris-25719_desperate_he-said-he-d-take-most-any-old-thing-he_3080343.jpg" --- # He said he'd take most any old thing He was a desperate… ![“He said he'd take most any old thing He was a desperate man but when I showed him the... He turned around and ran.” quote by Phil Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/796/phil-harris-25719_desperate_he-said-he-d-take-most-any-old-thing-he_3080343.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/796/phil-harris-25719_desperate_he-said-he-d-take-most-any-old-thing-he_3080343.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/796/phil-harris-25719_desperate_he-said-he-d-take-most-any-old-thing-he_3080343.jpg) > “He said he'd take most any old thing He was a desperate man but when I showed him the... He turned around and ran.” [Phil Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-harris/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A desperate man clings to any opportunity, but fear can cause him to flee when confronted. **In simple terms:** Desperate people may grab anything but still run away. Key Takeaway Recognize when fear overrides opportunity. Themes desperation fear opportunity Mood anxious reflective Type narrative cautionary When to use this quote - market negotiations - personal relationships - career decisions - emergency responses Key Concepts human behavior risk assessment Questions to Reflect On - What drives someone to seize an offer then retreat? - How can we support fearful decisions? A Different Perspective He may have been overwhelmed rather than uninterested. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Desperate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desperate/) ## Related quotes > [“Desperation will drive you to do things you know will never make you whole again and even to lose the very thing you’re desperate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-miller/desperation-will-drive-you-to-do-things-you-know-will-never-make-you/) [Laura Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-miller/) > [The Hallows, the Hallows. A desperate man’s dream!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-hallows-the-hallows-a-desperate-man-s-dream/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The interesting thing is why we're so desperate for this anesthetic against loneliness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/the-interesting-thing-is-why-we-re-so-desperate-for-this-anesthetic/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) > [She wasn't mine. She hadn't been mine for a long time. She shouldn't be here and I shouldn't have asked. So instead of reassuring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbi-glines/she-wasn-t-mine-she-hadn-t-been-mine-for-a-long-time-she-shouldn-t-be/) [Abbi Glines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbi-glines/) > [“It came charging toward me, several hundred pounds of angry-looking monster, and I did the only thing any reasonable wizard could have done. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-butcher/it-came-charging-toward-me-several-hundred-pounds-of-angry-looking/) [Jim Butcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-butcher/) > [“I did the only thing any reasonable wizard could have done. I turned around and ran like hell.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-butcher/i-did-the-only-thing-any-reasonable-wizard-could-have-done-i-turned/) [Jim Butcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-butcher/) > [“For you, a thousand times over." Then I turned and ran. It was only a smile, nothing more. It didn't make everything alright. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/for-you-a-thousand-times-over-then-i-turned-and-ran-it-was-only-a/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [It makes me mad when people say I turned and ran like a scared rabbit. Maybe it was like an angry rabbit, who was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/it-makes-me-mad-when-people-say-i-turned-and-ran-like-a-scared-rabbit/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [Tempt not a desperate man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/tempt-not-a-desperate-man/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“...it gratified him to feel like a desperate man. He had got into the habit of seeing himself always in desperate straits. His unhappy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willa-cather/it-gratified-him-to-feel-like-a-desperate-man-he-had-got-into-the/) [Willa Cather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willa-cather/) > [“Now on a sloping meadow hours into a fresh day, he found himself a desperate man, struggling to free himself from the shackles of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-van-booy/now-on-a-sloping-meadow-hours-into-a-fresh-day-he-found-himself-a/) [Simon Van Booy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-van-booy/) > [“Mine were the actions of a desperate man. Present a defining moment to one and he'll bite every time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-brooks/mine-were-the-actions-of-a-desperate-man-present-a-defining-moment-to/) [Larry Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-brooks/) > [“Hope is a desperate man's currency.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tremblay/hope-is-a-desperate-man-s-currency/) [Paul Tremblay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-tremblay/) > [Once a week, I am a very desperate man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-trudeau/once-a-week-i-am-a-very-desperate-man/) [Garry Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-trudeau/) > [I am such a desperate man headed into a midlife crisis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-gass/i-am-such-a-desperate-man-headed-into-a-midlife-crisis/) [Kyle Gass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-gass/) ## More by Phil Harris > [I pulled it in and opened it up and much to my surprise. Oh, I discovered a... Right before my eyes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-harris/i-pulled-it-in-and-opened-it-up-and-much-to-my-surprise-oh-i/) [Phil Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-harris/) > [Lou and I met while we were in high school in our senior year. We were in many of the same classes together and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-harris/lou-and-i-met-while-we-were-in-high-school-in-our-senior-year-we-were/) [Phil Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-harris/) > [“Know what happened, wonder what happened or ignore what happened and i would not want to be 2 or 3”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-harris/know-what-happened-wonder-what-happened-or-ignore-what-happened-and-i/) [Phil Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-harris/) > [But this is what she hollered at me as I walked in the door Oh, get out of here with that... and don't come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-harris/but-this-is-what-she-hollered-at-me-as-i-walked-in-the-door-oh-get/) [Phil Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-harris/) > [I picked it up and ran to town. As happy as a king. I took it to a guy I knew who'd buy most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-harris/i-picked-it-up-and-ran-to-town-as-happy-as-a-king-i-took-it-to-a-guy/) [Phil Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-harris/) > [We played in bars and other such establishments and anywhere where people would listen. Sometimes they did, and sometimes not. The outfits we wore…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-harris/we-played-in-bars-and-other-such-establishments-and-anywhere-where/) [Phil Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-harris/) > [But this is what he hollered at me. As I walked in his shop Oh, get out of here with that... Before I call…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-harris/but-this-is-what-he-hollered-at-me-as-i-walked-in-his-shop-oh-get-out/) [Phil Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-harris/) > [I wandered on for many years a victim of my fate. Until one day I came upon St Peter at the gate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-harris/i-wandered-on-for-many-years-a-victim-of-my-fate-until-one-day-i-came/) [Phil Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-harris/) > [We were not given any statistics as to how many records were pressed on the blue label. I used to ask Bob Shad how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-harris/we-were-not-given-any-statistics-as-to-how-many-records-were-pressed/) [Phil Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-harris/) > [I wandered all around the town. Until I chanced to meet a hobo who was lookin' for a handout on the street.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-harris/i-wandered-all-around-the-town-until-i-chanced-to-meet-a-hobo-who-was/) [Phil Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-harris/) > [He asked my girlfriend if we could come over and sing some of the songs that we had written, which we did. After he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-harris/he-asked-my-girlfriend-if-we-could-come-over-and-sing-some-of-the/) [Phil Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-harris/) > [Each one of us had a little story to tell and each recording was based on that. Lou played all of the music but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-harris/each-one-of-us-had-a-little-story-to-tell-and-each-recording-was/) [Phil Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-harris/) > [I remember seeing the song in some diners on the selection gadget that plays records at the table while you were eating. We were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-harris/i-remember-seeing-the-song-in-some-diners-on-the-selection-gadget/) [Phil Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-harris/) > [If the record was picked up by Dot Records, I would imagine that they would have wanted both sides of the record to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-harris/if-the-record-was-picked-up-by-dot-records-i-would-imagine-that-they/) [Phil Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-harris/) > [The moral of this story is if you're out on the beach and you should see a great big box and it's within your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-harris/the-moral-of-this-story-is-if-you-re-out-on-the-beach-and-you-should/) [Phil Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-harris/) [Explore all 22 Phil Harris quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-harris/) ## More Desperate quotes > [Marriage is a desperate thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-selden/marriage-is-a-desperate-thing/) [John Selden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-selden/) > [“I was ambitious and desperate to direct my first film, so I capitulated and blew it. Never again. Never fucking again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-ferguson/i-was-ambitious-and-desperate-to-direct-my-first-film-so-i/) [Craig Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-ferguson/) > [“I am a desperate romantic. I love the idea of random collisions of the heart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-thompson/i-am-a-desperate-romantic-i-love-the-idea-of-random-collisions-of-the/) [Jessica Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-thompson/) > [Worship isn't destructive, Martin. I know that. I don't. I only know it's the core of his life. What else has he got? He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-shaffer/worship-isn-t-destructive-martin-i-know-that-i-don-t-i-only-know-it-s/) [Peter Shaffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-shaffer/) > [“Really? I'm trying to place you. It seems like we've met before." Did I just issue him a pick up line? Fantastic, I've now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-mcguire/really-i-m-trying-to-place-you-it-seems-like-we-ve-met-before-did-i/) [Jamie McGuire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-mcguire/) > [Never be desperate. Get rid of your insecurities. Know your worth. Believe in yourself and go get what you want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/never-be-desperate-get-rid-of-your-insecurities-know-your-worth/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“She was stupid and lonely. So desperate to be touched and loved with a good love. I need you, don't leave me, you're all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucian-bane/she-was-stupid-and-lonely-so-desperate-to-be-touched-and-loved-with-a/) [Lucian Bane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucian-bane/) > [You mostly know that you want to be funny, know that you have the desire. It's not like people who grow up beautiful and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-fey/you-mostly-know-that-you-want-to-be-funny-know-that-you-have-the/) [Tina Fey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-fey/) > [I had to smile when stories emerged questioning whether I was gay. Obviously I knew I wasn't but people were curiously desperate to suggest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-radcliffe/i-had-to-smile-when-stories-emerged-questioning-whether-i-was-gay/) [Daniel Radcliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-radcliffe/) > [The World Health Organisation has a lot of its medical experts sitting in Geneva while hospitals in Africa have no drugs and desperate patients…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pauline-hanson/the-world-health-organisation-has-a-lot-of-its-medical-experts/) [Pauline Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pauline-hanson/) > [There, in the center of that silence was not eternity but the death of time and a loneliness so profound the word itself had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/there-in-the-center-of-that-silence-was-not-eternity-but-the-death-of/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [I know it's a film and all of that, and it's a Hollywood film, but it kind of feels like this sometimes, when you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-marber/i-know-it-s-a-film-and-all-of-that-and-it-s-a-hollywood-film-but-it/) [Patrick Marber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-marber/) > [“you think I"m that desperate?" "The raging hard-on jabbing at me says yes." ~Creed/Annika”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-croft/you-think-i-m-that-desperate-the-raging-hard-on-jabbing-at-me-says/) [Sydney Croft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-croft/) > [Along with a livable wage, many parents are desperate for quality affordable child care.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsten-gillibrand/along-with-a-livable-wage-many-parents-are-desperate-for-quality/) [Kirsten Gillibrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsten-gillibrand/) > [As a player, if a club is desperate to sign you, then you can benefit from that. Desperate clubs are prepared to pay more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diego-forlan/as-a-player-if-a-club-is-desperate-to-sign-you-then-you-can-benefit/) [Diego Forlan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diego-forlan/) [Browse all 1,618 Desperate quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desperate/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "He said he'd take most any old thing He was a desperate man but when I showed him the... 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