--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: They made a major mistake,\" he blurted…" description: "\"“They made a major mistake,\" he blurted out, \"the dumb bastards, when they didn't start by killing you first.\" \"Benjamin Thomas Parish, that was the sw..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4d/rick-yancey-831_anger-and-pain_they-made-a-major-mistake-he-blurted-out_2269878.jpg" --- # They made a major mistake," he blurted out, "the dumb… ![“They made a major mistake," he blurted out, "the dumb bastards, when they didn't start by killing you first." "Benjamin Thomas Parish, that was the sweetest and most bizarre compliment anyone's ever given me." I kissed him on the cheek. He kissed me on the mouth. "You know," I whispered, "a year…” quote by Rick Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4d/rick-yancey-831_anger-and-pain_they-made-a-major-mistake-he-blurted-out_2269878.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4d/rick-yancey-831_anger-and-pain_they-made-a-major-mistake-he-blurted-out_2269878.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4d/rick-yancey-831_anger-and-pain_they-made-a-major-mistake-he-blurted-out_2269878.jpg) > ““They made a major mistake," he blurted out, "the dumb bastards, when they didn't start by killing you first." "Benjamin Thomas Parish, that was the sweetest and most bizarre compliment anyone's ever given me." I kissed him on the cheek. He kissed me on the mouth. "You know," I whispered, "a year ago, I would have sold my soul for that." He shook his head. "Not worth it." And, for one-ten thousandth of a second, all of it fell away, the despair and grief and anger and pain and hunger, and the old Ben Parish rose from the dead. The eyes that impaled. The smile that slayed. In another moment, he would fade, slide back into the new Ben, the one called Zombie, and I understood something I hadn't before: He was dead, the object of my schoolgirl desires, just as the schoolgirl who desired him was dead.”” [Rick Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-yancey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The passage explores a transformative, almost mystical encounter where desire, death, and identity intertwine, revealing how love can momentarily dissolve pain. **In simple terms:** A fleeting, intense connection briefly erases suffering. Key Takeaway Embrace fleeting connections that ease pain. Themes love identity transformation desire Mood intense hopeful Type literary psychological When to use this quote - romantic relationships - grief coping - personal growth - literary analysis Key Concepts existentialism psychology of love Questions to Reflect On - What does the “dead” metaphor reveal about desire? - How can fleeting moments influence lasting change? A Different Perspective The narrative’s intense dramatization may not reflect realistic coping. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anger and pain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anger-and-pain/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Grief And Anger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grief-and-anger/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [Smile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smile/) [Zombie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/zombie/) ## Related quotes > [“And, for one– ten thousandth of a second, all of it fell away, the despair and grief and anger and pain and hunger, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-yancey/and-for-one-ten-thousandth-of-a-second-all-of-it-fell-away-the/) [Rick Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-yancey/) > [“That's it," he said bitterly. "Cry, Cassie. Cry for her. Cry for all the children. They can't hear you and they can't see you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-yancey/that-s-it-he-said-bitterly-cry-cassie-cry-for-her-cry-for-all-the/) [Rick Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-yancey/) > [The kid who didn't go back when he should have and now goes back when he shouldn't. The kid called Zombie, who made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-yancey/the-kid-who-didn-t-go-back-when-he-should-have-and-now-goes-back-when/) [Rick Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-yancey/) > [“Private Zombie, did your mother have any children that lived?" "Sir! Yes, sir!" "I bet when you were born she took one look at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-yancey/private-zombie-did-your-mother-have-any-children-that-lived-sir-yes/) [Rick Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-yancey/) > [“Ha-ha. The dumb jock who can’t talk the Queen’s English. 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Um ... did you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaughn-r-demont/a-cemetery-i-chuckle-but-the-pitch-is-a-bit-higher-than-i-expected-at/) [Vaughn R. Demont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaughn-r-demont/) > [“I walked to the table and picked it up, doing as he asked. And then it struck me that I was setting a so-called…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lia-habel/i-walked-to-the-table-and-picked-it-up-doing-as-he-asked-and-then-it/) [Lia Habel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lia-habel/) > [“Everything's going to be okay', because that's what I wanted him to say and it's what he wanted to say and that's what you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-yancy/everything-s-going-to-be-okay-because-that-s-what-i-wanted-him-to-say/) Rick Yancy ## More by Rick Yancey > [“Don't you get it yet? The minute we decide that one person doesn't matter anymore, they've won."..."Beneath a sky crowded with a billion stars.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-yancey/don-t-you-get-it-yet-the-minute-we-decide-that-one-person-doesn-t/) [Rick Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-yancey/) > [The way we learn to write is the way we learn to talk: We listen to others and start mimicking speech, and that's how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-yancey/the-way-we-learn-to-write-is-the-way-we-learn-to-talk-we-listen-to/) [Rick Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-yancey/) > [I have a very low tolerance for boredom and often think I would have missed out on books entirely if Id grown up in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-yancey/i-have-a-very-low-tolerance-for-boredom-and-often-think-i-would-have/) [Rick Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-yancey/) > [There are things that are too terrible to remember, and there are things that are almost too wonderful to recall.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-yancey/there-are-things-that-are-too-terrible-to-remember-and-there-are/) [Rick Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-yancey/) > [I've loved sci-fi and speculative fiction since I was a kid. It was inevitable I'd try my hand at it at some point.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-yancey/i-ve-loved-sci-fi-and-speculative-fiction-since-i-was-a-kid-it-was/) [Rick Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-yancey/) > [“I can’t leave him. I made a promise.” I start to explain it, but I don’t even know how to begin. How do I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-yancey/i-can-t-leave-him-i-made-a-promise-i-start-to-explain-it-but-i-don-t/) [Rick Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-yancey/) > [“That's my big problem. That's it! Before the Arrival,guys like Evan Walker never looked twice at me, much less shot wild game for me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-yancey/that-s-my-big-problem-that-s-it-before-the-arrival-guys-like-evan/) [Rick Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-yancey/) > [I'm one, too," he said. "What?" He spit a wad of blood and mucus into the dirt. "A virgin." What a shock. "What makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-yancey/i-m-one-too-he-said-what-he-spit-a-wad-of-blood-and-mucus-into-the/) [Rick Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-yancey/) > [Good God, man, what is that smell?" He eyed with disgust the doctor's filthy cloak. "Life," answered the doctor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-yancey/good-god-man-what-is-that-smell-he-eyed-with-disgust-the-doctor-s/) [Rick Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-yancey/) > [“He drops into the room, landing on the balls of his feet like a cat. I'm in his arms in the time it takes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-yancey/he-drops-into-the-room-landing-on-the-balls-of-his-feet-like-a-cat-i/) [Rick Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-yancey/) > [“All things do happen for a reason... . Is this not the foundation of our faith? You are here-all of us-because we are but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-yancey/all-things-do-happen-for-a-reason-is-this-not-the-foundation-of-our/) [Rick Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-yancey/) > [“Her raised his face to the weeping sky, closed his dark eyes, and sighed deeply, a smile playing on his sensuous lips. "The bloody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-yancey/her-raised-his-face-to-the-weeping-sky-closed-his-dark-eyes-and/) [Rick Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-yancey/) > [To hold on, you have to find something you’re willing to die for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-yancey/to-hold-on-you-have-to-find-something-you-re-willing-to-die-for/) [Rick Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-yancey/) > [I brought Sammy inside and put him to bed. Said his prayer with him. “‘Now I lay me down to sleep…’” To me, just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-yancey/i-brought-sammy-inside-and-put-him-to-bed-said-his-prayer-with-him/) [Rick Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-yancey/) > [A moment comes in war when the last line must be crossed. The line that separates what you hold dear from what total war…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-yancey/a-moment-comes-in-war-when-the-last-line-must-be-crossed-the-line/) [Rick Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-yancey/) [Explore all 342 Rick Yancey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-yancey/) ## More Anger and pain quotes > [“The fundamental fact about all of us is that we’re alive for a while but will die before long. 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I cant lead you on and treat you like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curly-girl/roses-are-red-violets-are-blue-im-about-to-have-to-tell-you-the-truth/) Curly Girl > [“I saw a banner hanging next to city hall in downtown Philadelphia that read, "Kill them all, and let God sort them out." A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-claiborne/i-saw-a-banner-hanging-next-to-city-hall-in-downtown-philadelphia/) [Shane Claiborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-claiborne/) > [“About the time he threatened her nose with his finger, Peaseblossom lost her grip on the situation with the boys. The door crashed open,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-mantchev/about-the-time-he-threatened-her-nose-with-his-finger-peaseblossom/) [Lisa Mantchev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-mantchev/) > [Anger is the right response to something that is so wrong. But don't let the anger and pain and loss you feel prevent you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-p-young/anger-is-the-right-response-to-something-that-is-so-wrong-but-don-t/) [William P. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-p-young/) > [Love how people can blame others for their problems!! It's always the same story: Well my daddy wasn't around, mama didn't do this, aunt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kayla-jenkins/love-how-people-can-blame-others-for-their-problems-it-s-always-the/) [Kayla Jenkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kayla-jenkins/) > [“As long as we know what it's about, then we can have the courage to go wherever we are asked to go, even if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-l-engle/as-long-as-we-know-what-it-s-about-then-we-can-have-the-courage-to-go/) [Madeleine L'Engle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-l-engle/) > [“Jack put his hands on his hips, surveying the scene with a satisfied nod. 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He kissed me on the mouth. \"You know,\" I whispered, \"a year ago, I would have sold my soul for that.\" He shook his head. \"Not worth it.\" And, for one-ten thousandth of a second, all of it fell away, the despair and grief and anger and pain and hunger, and the old Ben Parish rose from the dead. The eyes that impaled. The smile that slayed. 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