--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Gruffly, he cleared his throat. 'Don't…" description: "\"“Gruffly, he cleared his throat. 'Don't take this as a blanket approval of your tactics, Sarah, but if I'm ever unfortunate enough to get in trouble wi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/07b/shirley-tallman-82595_dining-room_gruffly-he-cleared-his-throat-don-t-take_535527.jpg" --- # Gruffly, he cleared his throat. 'Don't take this as a… ![“Gruffly, he cleared his throat. 'Don't take this as a blanket approval of your tactics, Sarah, but if I'm ever unfortunate enough to get in trouble with the law, I want you to represent me.' Before I could respond to this startling and totally out-of-the-blue compliment, he opened the door and was…” quote by Shirley Tallman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/07b/shirley-tallman-82595_dining-room_gruffly-he-cleared-his-throat-don-t-take_535527.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/07b/shirley-tallman-82595_dining-room_gruffly-he-cleared-his-throat-don-t-take_535527.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/07b/shirley-tallman-82595_dining-room_gruffly-he-cleared-his-throat-don-t-take_535527.jpg) > ““Gruffly, he cleared his throat. 'Don't take this as a blanket approval of your tactics, Sarah, but if I'm ever unfortunate enough to get in trouble with the law, I want you to represent me.' Before I could respond to this startling and totally out-of-the-blue compliment, he opened the door and was nudging me inside. I caught a quick glance of his face before he walked off toward the dining room. He was actually blushing!”” Shirley Tallman ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A character asks a lawyer to represent him if he ever gets into legal trouble, showing trust and admiration despite awkwardness. **In simple terms:** He trusts her to defend him if needed. Key Takeaway Seek trusted allies for future challenges. Themes trust legal awkwardness admiration Mood nervous flattering Type dialogue character interaction When to use this quote - court cases - personal crises - professional relationships Key Concepts law representation confidence Questions to Reflect On - Who would you turn to in a legal crisis? - How does admiration affect professional boundaries? A Different Perspective Reliance on a single person can be risky if they are unavailable. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Blushing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blushing/) ## Related quotes > [“opened the door. He was leaning with his arm up on the frame, and his other hand on his hip. The way he was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-l-stone/opened-the-door-he-was-leaning-with-his-arm-up-on-the-frame-and-his/) [C.L. Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-l-stone/) > [Anybody that has followed closely what I've been doing can see from 'Home,' being as big a hit as it was, it kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blake-shelton/anybody-that-has-followed-closely-what-i-ve-been-doing-can-see-from/) [Blake Shelton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blake-shelton/) > [“This idea opened a door to my seeing that the rigors and trials of a task that big are not brick walls designed to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-ryan-hyde/this-idea-opened-a-door-to-my-seeing-that-the-rigors-and-trials-of-a/) [Catherine Ryan Hyde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-ryan-hyde/) > [You learn a lot as a kid, like you don't know anything. I didn't know what was gonna happen if I opened the door.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-parsons/you-learn-a-lot-as-a-kid-like-you-don-t-know-anything-i-didn-t-know/) [Jim Parsons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-parsons/) > [“And suddenly the driver remembered how he'd once promised himself that if he became God in the end, he'd be merciful and kind, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/etgar-keret/and-suddenly-the-driver-remembered-how-he-d-once-promised-himself/) [Etgar Keret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/etgar-keret/) > [I shall do down in history as the man who opened a door!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/i-shall-do-down-in-history-as-the-man-who-opened-a-door/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [The conviction that everyone in this house must be dead had gained such a hold on Magnus that it was a shock when the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/the-conviction-that-everyone-in-this-house-must-be-dead-had-gained/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [At last he came to a door, with these words in glowing emeralds: THE END OF THE WORLD He did not hesitate. He opened…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/at-last-he-came-to-a-door-with-these-words-in-glowing-emeralds-the/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [“You opened the door and I instantly got sucked into your eyes like tiny vacuums.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-lynette/you-opened-the-door-and-i-instantly-got-sucked-into-your-eyes-like/) [Shannon Lynette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-lynette/) > [And the look on her face as she opened the door Was like an old joke told by a friend. It'd taken ten more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-chapin/and-the-look-on-her-face-as-she-opened-the-door-was-like-an-old-joke/) [Harry Chapin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-chapin/) > [“There was no doorman outside Harrison Kinuye's house, just a Phillite senior leaning into a huge stone urn. He extricated himself as I reached…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-jensen/there-was-no-doorman-outside-harrison-kinuye-s-house-just-a-phillite/) [Melissa Jensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-jensen/) > [“You made a choice—a single choice. How neat to think you may have opened the door to a wondrous future without knowing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/you-made-a-choice-a-single-choice-how-neat-to-think-you-may-have/) [Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/) > [“... I opened the door to a knock and found a ashen-faced messenger quailing at the prospect of facing an undead witch who was,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-poole/i-opened-the-door-to-a-knock-and-found-a-ashen-faced-messenger/) [Sara Poole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-poole/) > [They never opened the door which leads to the soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/they-never-opened-the-door-which-leads-to-the-soul/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [“As I opened the door, Abel turned toward the shower and zipped up his pants. “Jesus! Shit! I’m so sorry.” I yanked the door…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-mummert/as-i-opened-the-door-abel-turned-toward-the-shower-and-zipped-up-his/) [Teresa Mummert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-mummert/) ## More by Shirley Tallman > [“I find it strange that practicing law in a comfortable well-heated office is considered too demanding an occupation for women, yet laboring from dawn's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-tallman/i-find-it-strange-that-practicing-law-in-a-comfortable-well-heated/) Shirley Tallman > [“As a matter of fact, despite your obstinacy, your infernal prying, and the fact that you invariably blurt out whatever comes into your head,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-tallman/as-a-matter-of-fact-despite-your-obstinacy-your-infernal-prying-and/) Shirley Tallman Explore all 3 Shirley Tallman quotes ## More Blushing quotes > [Love your country. Your country is the land where your parents sleep, where is spoken that language in which the chosen of your heart,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giuseppe-mazzini/love-your-country-your-country-is-the-land-where-your-parents-sleep/) [Giuseppe Mazzini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giuseppe-mazzini/) > [Some people are under the impression that all that is required to make a good fisherman is the ability to tell lies easily and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-k-jerome/some-people-are-under-the-impression-that-all-that-is-required-to/) [Jerome K. Jerome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-k-jerome/) > [“Ô, Wanderess, Wanderess When did you feel your most euphoric kiss? Was I the source of your greatest bliss?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roman-payne/wanderess-wanderess-when-did-you-feel-your-most-euphoric-kiss-was-i/) [Roman Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roman-payne/) > [“Miss Clerricot blushes most charmingly and raises a hand to cover a portion of her countenance. It is a shame, this ill-feeling that exists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-trevor/miss-clerricot-blushes-most-charmingly-and-raises-a-hand-to-cover-a/) [William Trevor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-trevor/) > [“Why couldn't he feel things in secret like other people?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juliette-rose-kerr/why-couldn-t-he-feel-things-in-secret-like-other-people/) Juliette Rose Kerr > [I'll not meddle with it. It makes a man a coward: a man cannot steal but it accuseth him; a man cannot swear but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/i-ll-not-meddle-with-it-it-makes-a-man-a-coward-a-man-cannot-steal/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Courage, my boy! that is the complexion of virtue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diogenes-laertius/courage-my-boy-that-is-the-complexion-of-virtue/) [Diogenes Laertius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diogenes-laertius/) > [“Your blush confirms my suspicions. See, I am learning how to use your methods to perform interrogations.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/byrd-nash/your-blush-confirms-my-suspicions-see-i-am-learning-how-to-use-your/) [Byrd Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/byrd-nash/) > [The gentle wind, a sweet and passionate wooer, Kisses the blushing leaf.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/the-gentle-wind-a-sweet-and-passionate-wooer-kisses-the-blushing-leaf/) [Henry Wadsworth Longfellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/) > [“...certain people have good, ordinary blood and others have an animated, lively sort of blood that comes to the face quickly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca/certain-people-have-good-ordinary-blood-and-others-have-an-animated/) [Seneca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca/) > [“Careful,” he said. “If you keep blushing like that I may do more than just draw you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nenia-campbell/careful-he-said-if-you-keep-blushing-like-that-i-may-do-more-than/) [Nenia Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nenia-campbell/) > [There's kind of this unequaled thrill of playing a half-finished song, it's kind of sense of slight embarrassment; like you're blushing. I like doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-bird/there-s-kind-of-this-unequaled-thrill-of-playing-a-half-finished-song/) [Andrew Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-bird/) > [“Have ye beheld (with much delight) A red rose peeping through a white? Or else a cherry (double graced) Within a lily? Centre placed?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-herrick/have-ye-beheld-with-much-delight-a-red-rose-peeping-through-a-white/) [Robert Herrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-herrick/) > [Sophos turned red, and I wondered about the circulation of his blood; maybe his body kept an extra supply of it in his head,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-whalen-turner/sophos-turned-red-and-i-wondered-about-the-circulation-of-his-blood/) [Megan Whalen Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-whalen-turner/) > [From what my friends tell me, apparently some guys can be pretty intimidated by me when they find out what I do. I find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alicia-sacramone/from-what-my-friends-tell-me-apparently-some-guys-can-be-pretty/) [Alicia Sacramone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alicia-sacramone/) [Browse all 191 Blushing quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blushing/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Gruffly, he cleared his throat. 'Don't take this as a blanket approval of your tactics, Sarah, but if I'm ever unfortunate enough to get in trouble with the law, I want you to represent me.' Before I could respond to this startling and totally out-of-the-blue compliment, he opened the door and was nudging me inside. I caught a quick glance of his face before he walked off toward the dining room. He was actually blushing!”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Shirley Tallman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-tallman/gruffly-he-cleared-his-throat-don-t-take-this-as-a-blanket-approval/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Blushing" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-tallman/gruffly-he-cleared-his-throat-don-t-take-this-as-a-blanket-approval/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/07b/shirley-tallman-82595_dining-room_gruffly-he-cleared-his-throat-don-t-take_535527.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/07b/shirley-tallman-82595_dining-room_gruffly-he-cleared-his-throat-don-t-take_535527.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/07b/shirley-tallman-82595_dining-room_gruffly-he-cleared-his-throat-don-t-take_535527.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Gruffly, he cleared his throat. 'Don't take this as a blanket approval of your tactics, Sarah, but if I'm…” — Shirley Tallman", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Shirley Tallman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-tallman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Gruffly, he cleared his throat. 'Don't...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-tallman/gruffly-he-cleared-his-throat-don-t-take-this-as-a-blanket-approval/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-tallman/gruffly-he-cleared-his-throat-don-t-take-this-as-a-blanket-approval/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```