--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I remember sitting here,\" he said, \"and…" description: "\"“I remember sitting here,\" he said, \"and watching you over there.\" He pointed, but I didn't have to look. Before Cameron and I got close, I spent a lot..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/765/sara-zarr-2184_first-time_i-remember-sitting-here-he-said-and-watc_2142076.jpg" --- # I remember sitting here," he said, "and watching you over… ![“I remember sitting here," he said, "and watching you over there." He pointed, but I didn't have to look. Before Cameron and I got close, I spent a lot of lunches the same way, starting off eating and reading on my special bench on the other side of the yard, followed by walking the perimeter of…” quote by Sara Zarr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/765/sara-zarr-2184_first-time_i-remember-sitting-here-he-said-and-watc_2142076.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/765/sara-zarr-2184_first-time_i-remember-sitting-here-he-said-and-watc_2142076.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/765/sara-zarr-2184_first-time_i-remember-sitting-here-he-said-and-watc_2142076.jpg) > ““I remember sitting here," he said, "and watching you over there." He pointed, but I didn't have to look. Before Cameron and I got close, I spent a lot of lunches the same way, starting off eating and reading on my special bench on the other side of the yard, followed by walking the perimeter of the playground, balancing on the small cement curb that separated the blacktop from the landscaping, around and around and around, hoping I looked busy and like it didn't matter that I had no friends. I sat next to Cameron on the bench. "What did you think when you used to watch me?" He leaned his head against the building. "That I understood you. That you'd understand me." "Do you remember the first time you talked to me? Because I don't. I've been trying to remember for years and I can't get it." "You don't remember? Wasn't me that talked to you. You talked to me." I scooted forward on the bench and looked at him. "I did?" "You walked right across the yard here at recess," he said, pointing. "Came straight up to me." He laughed. "You looked so determined. I was scared you were gonna kick me in the shins or something." I didn't remember this at all, any of it. "You said you were starting a club," he continued. "Asked me if I wanted to join." "Wait..." Something was there, at the very edge of my memory, coming into focus. "Do you remember if it happened to be May Day?" "That the one with the pole and all the ribbons?" "Yes!" "Yep. All the girls had ribbons in their hair but you." Jordana wouldn't let me wear ribbons. She said my hair was too greasy and I might give someone lice, and somehow I submitted to her logic. "I do remember," I said softly. "I haven't thought of that in forever. I kept thinking that you were the one to make friends with me first." "Nope." He smiled. "You started this whole thing. I wanted to, but you were the one with the guts to actually do it." "I think of myself as being a coward, and a baby, scared all the time." He got quiet. We watched kids in the schoolyard playing basketball. "You're not," he finally said. "You know that." He got up suddenly. "Let's go. We got one more stop.”” [Sara Zarr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-zarr/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A conversation reveals how memories of childhood interactions can be fuzzy, highlighting the difficulty of recalling past social dynamics. **In simple terms:** Memory of early friendships can be unclear. Key Takeaway Seek clarity in relationships, accept imperfect recollection. Themes memory friendship identity communication Mood reflective nostalgic Type narrative conversational When to use this quote - schoolyard - reunion - self‑reflection - conflict resolution Key Concepts psychology nostalgia social perception Questions to Reflect On - What childhood moments are you unsure about? - How do you verify past events? A Different Perspective Memory gaps may distort truth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Memory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/memory/) [Playing basketball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/playing-basketball/) ## Related quotes > [“What’s wrong with you?” John asks suspiciously. I give him a ‘what chu talkin’ ‘bout Willis?’ look and he explains. “You just woke up.”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katelin-lamontagne/what-s-wrong-with-you-john-asks-suspiciously-i-give-him-a-what-chu/) [Katelin LaMontagne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katelin-lamontagne/) > [If you didn't remember something happening, was it because it never had happened? Or because you wished it hadn't?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/if-you-didn-t-remember-something-happening-was-it-because-it-never/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“I can give you my number," Marissa said. Neil didn't remember asking for it at any point that night. "What for?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-sakavic/i-can-give-you-my-number-marissa-said-neil-didn-t-remember-asking-for/) [Nora Sakavic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-sakavic/) > [I didn't confess. I was interrogated. They acted like my answers were wrong. They told me I was wrong, that I didn't remember correctly,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-knox/i-didn-t-confess-i-was-interrogated-they-acted-like-my-answers-were/) [Amanda Knox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-knox/) > [He didn't remember, he didn't worry, he just was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tove-jansson/he-didn-t-remember-he-didn-t-worry-he-just-was/) [Tove Jansson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tove-jansson/) > [“Do I remember what?” he asked. My heart sank in my chest, realizing I was engaged to someone who didn’t even remember asking. 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I only knew the memory lived in me, a perfectly encapsulated morsel of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/i-didn-t-remember-what-month-that-was-or-what-year-even-i-only-knew/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [ It's interesting that during \[Hillary Clinton's\] FBI review, which took place on a massive holiday and which wasn't recorded and lots of other things,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/it-s-interesting-that-during-hillary-clinton-s-fbi-review-which-took/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [something in me had got broken, but not so broken I didn't remember what it was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-lawrence/something-in-me-had-got-broken-but-not-so-broken-i-didn-t-remember/) [Mark Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-lawrence/) > [“Just because Kevin didn't remember Neil didn't mean Riko wouldn't either.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-sakavic/just-because-kevin-didn-t-remember-neil-didn-t-mean-riko-wouldn-t/) [Nora Sakavic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-sakavic/) > [“Can you put your hands on my crotch?” “Why, hell no, I cannot.” I didn’t remember anything like this happening in Pride and Prejudice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-echols/can-you-put-your-hands-on-my-crotch-why-hell-no-i-cannot-i-didn-t/) [Jennifer Echols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-echols/) > [No, I said. I didn't remember that. There was so much to remember, sometimes the best thing was to forget.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-maynard/no-i-said-i-didn-t-remember-that-there-was-so-much-to-remember/) [Joyce Maynard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-maynard/) > [Every time we have been drunk on Jager it's been - either we didn't remember or it's been insane.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-benante/every-time-we-have-been-drunk-on-jager-it-s-been-either-we-didn-t/) [Charlie Benante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-benante/) ## More by Sara Zarr > [My books have been translated into various languages and sold in other countries, but I never have any contact with the foreign publishers and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-zarr/my-books-have-been-translated-into-various-languages-and-sold-in/) [Sara Zarr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-zarr/) > [“Is this okay with you, Jenna? For him to stay here?" "Yeah," I said. "It's good. You have no idea what it takes for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-zarr/is-this-okay-with-you-jenna-for-him-to-stay-here-yeah-i-said-it-s/) [Sara Zarr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-zarr/) > [Remember that no matter where I am or what I'm doing I've got a special place inside me that's all for you. It's been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-zarr/remember-that-no-matter-where-i-am-or-what-i-m-doing-i-ve-got-a/) [Sara Zarr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-zarr/) > [“I don't understand, Jenna, why you couldn't give him a ride home?" 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I watched him walk out – he didn’t say good-bye, he didn’t even look back. It scared me, how easy it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-zarr/and-he-left-i-watched-him-walk-out-he-didn-t-say-good-bye-he-didn-t/) [Sara Zarr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-zarr/) > [I tend to describe recurring themes as being part of a writer's DNA - something so deeply embedded in us that even we don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-zarr/i-tend-to-describe-recurring-themes-as-being-part-of-a-writer-s-dna/) [Sara Zarr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-zarr/) > [I do have a little bit more confidence in - or at least familiarity with - my process. For example, when it feels like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-zarr/i-do-have-a-little-bit-more-confidence-in-or-at-least-familiarity/) [Sara Zarr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-zarr/) > [The world was full of beauty. She wanted to grab hold of it and take it down into her bones. 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Before Cameron and I got close, I spent a lot of lunches the same way, starting off eating and reading on my special bench on the other side of the yard, followed by walking the perimeter of the playground, balancing on the small cement curb that separated the blacktop from the landscaping, around and around and around, hoping I looked busy and like it didn't matter that I had no friends. I sat next to Cameron on the bench. \"What did you think when you used to watch me?\" He leaned his head against the building. \"That I understood you. That you'd understand me.\" \"Do you remember the first time you talked to me? Because I don't. I've been trying to remember for years and I can't get it.\" \"You don't remember? Wasn't me that talked to you. You talked to me.\" I scooted forward on the bench and looked at him. \"I did?\" \"You walked right across the yard here at recess,\" he said, pointing. \"Came straight up to me.\" He laughed. \"You looked so determined. I was scared you were gonna kick me in the shins or something.\" I didn't remember this at all, any of it. \"You said you were starting a club,\" he continued. \"Asked me if I wanted to join.\" \"Wait...\" Something was there, at the very edge of my memory, coming into focus. \"Do you remember if it happened to be May Day?\" \"That the one with the pole and all the ribbons?\" \"Yes!\" \"Yep. All the girls had ribbons in their hair but you.\" Jordana wouldn't let me wear ribbons. She said my hair was too greasy and I might give someone lice, and somehow I submitted to her logic. \"I do remember,\" I said softly. \"I haven't thought of that in forever. I kept thinking that you were the one to make friends with me first.\" \"Nope.\" He smiled. \"You started this whole thing. I wanted to, but you were the one with the guts to actually do it.\" \"I think of myself as being a coward, and a baby, scared all the time.\" He got quiet. We watched kids in the schoolyard playing basketball. \"You're not,\" he finally said. \"You know that.\" He got up suddenly. \"Let's go. 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