--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But the address, if it ever existed…" description: "\"“But the address, if it ever existed, never was sent, which made me sad, there was so much I wanted to write her: that I'd sold two stories, had read w..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38e/truman-capote-376_wanted-write_but-the-address-if-it-ever-existed-never_2457843.jpg" --- # But the address, if it ever existed, never was sent, which… ![“But the address, if it ever existed, never was sent, which made me sad, there was so much I wanted to write her: that I'd sold two stories, had read where the Trawlers were countersuing for divorce, was moving out of the brownstone because it was haunted. But mostly, I wanted to tell about her…” quote by Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38e/truman-capote-376_wanted-write_but-the-address-if-it-ever-existed-never_2457843.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38e/truman-capote-376_wanted-write_but-the-address-if-it-ever-existed-never_2457843.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38e/truman-capote-376_wanted-write_but-the-address-if-it-ever-existed-never_2457843.jpg) > ““But the address, if it ever existed, never was sent, which made me sad, there was so much I wanted to write her: that I'd sold two stories, had read where the Trawlers were countersuing for divorce, was moving out of the brownstone because it was haunted. But mostly, I wanted to tell about her cat. I had kept my promise; I had found him. It took weeks of after-work roaming through those Spanish Harlem streets, and there were many false alarms--flashes of tiger-striped fur that, upon inspection, were not him. But one day, one cold sunshiny Sunday winter afternoon, it was. Flanked by potted plants and framed by clean lace curtains, he was seated in the window of a warm-looking room: I wondered what his name was, for I was certain he had one now, certain he'd arrived somewhere he belonged. African hut or whatever, I hope Holly has, too.”” [Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The narrator searches for a lost cat, reflecting longing, perseverance, and the bittersweet nature of quests. **In simple terms:** A quest for a cat shows longing and perseverance. Key Takeaway Persist in searching for what matters. Themes longing perseverance search nostalgia Mood melancholic hopeful Type literary personal When to use this quote - urban exploration - personal loss - creative writing - pet ownership Key Concepts attachment hope resolution Questions to Reflect On - What drives us to pursue elusive goals? - When does perseverance become futility? A Different Perspective The search may become an obsession, neglecting other duties. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Address Existed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/address-existed-624617/) [Cat Kept](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cat-kept-624618/) [Existed Sent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existed-sent-624619/) [Tell Cat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tell-cat-624620/) [Wanted Write](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wanted-write/) ## Related quotes > [When I played in the sandbox, the cat kept covering me up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-dangerfield/when-i-played-in-the-sandbox-the-cat-kept-covering-me-up/) [Rodney Dangerfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-dangerfield/) > [“Be careful. As if something’s going to jump us in a library.” “You might be surprised.” “What do you mean?” “You know how people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-gladstone/be-careful-as-if-something-s-going-to-jump-us-in-a-library-you-might/) [Max Gladstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-gladstone/) > [“Tell us, cat!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/tell-us-cat/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [“But—let me tell you my cat joke. It's very short and simple. A hostess is giving a dinner party and she's got a lovely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/but-let-me-tell-you-my-cat-joke-it-s-very-short-and-simple-a-hostess/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [Cats can't understand English, so you tell a cat, 'Come on. Jump on the bed,' and he just looks at you like, 'What are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-charles-chapman/cats-can-t-understand-english-so-you-tell-a-cat-come-on-jump-on-the/) [Dean-Charles Chapman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-charles-chapman/) > [The naming of cats is a difficult matter. It isn't just one of your holiday games. You may think at first I'm mad as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-s-eliot/the-naming-of-cats-is-a-difficult-matter-it-isn-t-just-one-of-your/) [T. S. Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-s-eliot/) > [What I wanted in life always was to write something as good as 'Pinocchio.' I wanted to write. I wanted to evolve. I wanted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/what-i-wanted-in-life-always-was-to-write-something-as-good-as/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [I never wanted to be an editor. I never wanted to be a boss. I just wanted to write, and it didn't make any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-deford/i-never-wanted-to-be-an-editor-i-never-wanted-to-be-a-boss-i-just/) [Frank Deford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-deford/) > [For years following the death of my mother, I wanted to write about her. I started writing what I thought of as personal essays…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-k-smith/for-years-following-the-death-of-my-mother-i-wanted-to-write-about/) [Tracy K. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-k-smith/) > [GOOD AS NEW was born out of the idea of writing a play where the stakes were high and the collisions were of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-hedges/good-as-new-was-born-out-of-the-idea-of-writing-a-play-where-the/) [Peter Hedges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-hedges/) > [“I stopped writing the book that I wanted to write, and wrote the one the book wanted to write.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-lewis/i-stopped-writing-the-book-that-i-wanted-to-write-and-wrote-the-one/) [Jim Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-lewis/) > [I wanted to write a book about two women falling in love that wasn't hinged on tragedy or that involved some horrible identity-based misfortune.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-perri/i-wanted-to-write-a-book-about-two-women-falling-in-love-that-wasn-t/) [Camille Perri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-perri/) > [Unfortunately, neither of my grandfathers were alive by the time I decided I wanted to write a book. I wish I had asked them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shweta-bachchan-nanda/unfortunately-neither-of-my-grandfathers-were-alive-by-the-time-i/) [Shweta Bachchan Nanda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shweta-bachchan-nanda/) > [I tried to depict the human face of this history, I wanted to write a book that people would actually want to read.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/imre-kert-sz/i-tried-to-depict-the-human-face-of-this-history-i-wanted-to-write-a/) [Imre Kertész](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/imre-kert-sz/) > [I think that if you look at all of the books that have ever been written about people working in the White House, they're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alyssa-mastromonaco/i-think-that-if-you-look-at-all-of-the-books-that-have-ever-been/) [Alyssa Mastromonaco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alyssa-mastromonaco/) ## More by Truman Capote > [“You can beat your brains out for her, and she’ll hand you horseshit on a platter.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/you-can-beat-your-brains-out-for-her-and-she-ll-hand-you-horseshit-on/) [Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) > [“The walls of the cell fell away, the sky came down, I saw the big yellow bird.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/the-walls-of-the-cell-fell-away-the-sky-came-down-i-saw-the-big/) [Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) > [“Don't wanna ride on the devil's side...just wanna ride with you”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/don-t-wanna-ride-on-the-devil-s-side-just-wanna-ride-with-you/) [Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) > [Wrinkles and bones, white hair and diamonds: I can't wait.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/wrinkles-and-bones-white-hair-and-diamonds-i-can-t-wait/) [Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) > [You can't blame a writer for what the characters say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/you-can-t-blame-a-writer-for-what-the-characters-say/) [Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) > [There is really no practical help that one can offer; it is a matter of self-discovery, of one's own convictions, or working with one's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/there-is-really-no-practical-help-that-one-can-offer-it-is-a-matter/) [Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) > [“...Narcissus was so egotist...he was merely another of us who, in our unshatterable isolation, recognized, on seeing his reflection, the beautiful comrade, the only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/narcissus-was-so-egotist-he-was-merely-another-of-us-who-in-our/) [Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) > [“Is it - I'm not certain - possible to love someone if your first interest is the use you can make of him? Doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/is-it-i-m-not-certain-possible-to-love-someone-if-your-first-interest/) [Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) > [One of the most difficult things in writing a novel or anything at all is to choose the point of view from which it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/one-of-the-most-difficult-things-in-writing-a-novel-or-anything-at/) [Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) > [I've never worked for a newspaper. I've had some very bad reviews in newspapers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/i-ve-never-worked-for-a-newspaper-i-ve-had-some-very-bad-reviews-in/) [Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) > [But, my dear, so few things are fulfilled: what are most lives but a series of incompleted episodes? 'We work in the dark, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/but-my-dear-so-few-things-are-fulfilled-what-are-most-lives-but-a/) [Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) > [“…she, glittery voyager of secure destination, steamed down the harbor with whistles whistling and confetti in the air.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/she-glittery-voyager-of-secure-destination-steamed-down-the-harbor/) [Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) > [“Because it's indeed difficult to portray, in any meaningful depth, another being, his appearance, speech, mentality, without to some degree, and often for quite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/because-it-s-indeed-difficult-to-portray-in-any-meaningful-depth/) [truman capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) > [“It's a bore, but the answer is good things only happen to you if you're good. Good? Honest is more what I mean. Not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/it-s-a-bore-but-the-answer-is-good-things-only-happen-to-you-if-you/) [Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) > [“In the courtyard there was an angel of black stone, and its angel head rose above giant elephant leaves; the stark glass angel eyes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/in-the-courtyard-there-was-an-angel-of-black-stone-and-its-angel-head/) [Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) [Explore all 585 Truman Capote quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) ## More Wanted Write quotes > [I think that if you look at all of the books that have ever been written about people working in the White House, they're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alyssa-mastromonaco/i-think-that-if-you-look-at-all-of-the-books-that-have-ever-been/) [Alyssa Mastromonaco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alyssa-mastromonaco/) > [I tried to depict the human face of this history, I wanted to write a book that people would actually want to read.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/imre-kert-sz/i-tried-to-depict-the-human-face-of-this-history-i-wanted-to-write-a/) [Imre Kertész](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/imre-kert-sz/) > [Unfortunately, neither of my grandfathers were alive by the time I decided I wanted to write a book. I wish I had asked them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shweta-bachchan-nanda/unfortunately-neither-of-my-grandfathers-were-alive-by-the-time-i/) [Shweta Bachchan Nanda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shweta-bachchan-nanda/) > [I wanted to write a book about two women falling in love that wasn't hinged on tragedy or that involved some horrible identity-based misfortune.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-perri/i-wanted-to-write-a-book-about-two-women-falling-in-love-that-wasn-t/) [Camille Perri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-perri/) > [“I stopped writing the book that I wanted to write, and wrote the one the book wanted to write.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-lewis/i-stopped-writing-the-book-that-i-wanted-to-write-and-wrote-the-one/) [Jim Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-lewis/) > [GOOD AS NEW was born out of the idea of writing a play where the stakes were high and the collisions were of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-hedges/good-as-new-was-born-out-of-the-idea-of-writing-a-play-where-the/) [Peter Hedges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-hedges/) > [For years following the death of my mother, I wanted to write about her. I started writing what I thought of as personal essays…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-k-smith/for-years-following-the-death-of-my-mother-i-wanted-to-write-about/) [Tracy K. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-k-smith/) > [I never wanted to be an editor. I never wanted to be a boss. I just wanted to write, and it didn't make any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-deford/i-never-wanted-to-be-an-editor-i-never-wanted-to-be-a-boss-i-just/) [Frank Deford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-deford/) > [What I wanted in life always was to write something as good as 'Pinocchio.' I wanted to write. I wanted to evolve. I wanted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/what-i-wanted-in-life-always-was-to-write-something-as-good-as/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [I always knew I wanted to be a musician, and I always knew I wanted to write, 'cause the people I was listening to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emeli-sande/i-always-knew-i-wanted-to-be-a-musician-and-i-always-knew-i-wanted-to/) [Emeli Sande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emeli-sande/) > [I should write a book. I've always wanted to write a book. I should write a book about kids who see dead people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-noory/i-should-write-a-book-i-ve-always-wanted-to-write-a-book-i-should/) [George Noory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-noory/) > [ We can't talk about the book \[Albert Camus\] wanted to write because we have barely its beginnings. He had written hardly any of it,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-camus/we-can-t-talk-about-the-book-albert-camus-wanted-to-write-because-we/) [Catherine Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-camus/) > [I never really wanted to be an artist. I just really wanted to write songs. But, of course, I can't get placement unless I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryson-tiller/i-never-really-wanted-to-be-an-artist-i-just-really-wanted-to-write/) [Bryson Tiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryson-tiller/) > [I come from the small island of Antigua and I always wanted to write; I just didn't know that it was possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamaica-kincaid/i-come-from-the-small-island-of-antigua-and-i-always-wanted-to-write/) [Jamaica Kincaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamaica-kincaid/) > [I've always wanted to write a song that goes, "I love you" and a book that goes, "Something happened." Something very direct.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/devendra-banhart/i-ve-always-wanted-to-write-a-song-that-goes-i-love-you-and-a-book/) [Devendra Banhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/devendra-banhart/) [Browse all 289 Wanted Write quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wanted-write/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“But the address, if it ever existed, never was sent, which made me sad, there was so much I wanted to write her: that I'd sold two stories, had read where the Trawlers were countersuing for divorce, was moving out of the brownstone because it was haunted. But mostly, I wanted to tell about her cat. I had kept my promise; I had found him. It took weeks of after-work roaming through those Spanish Harlem streets, and there were many false alarms--flashes of tiger-striped fur that, upon inspection, were not him. But one day, one cold sunshiny Sunday winter afternoon, it was. Flanked by potted plants and framed by clean lace curtains, he was seated in the window of a warm-looking room: I wondered what his name was, for I was certain he had one now, certain he'd arrived somewhere he belonged. African hut or whatever, I hope Holly has, too.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Truman Capote" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/but-the-address-if-it-ever-existed-never-was-sent-which-made-me-sad/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Wanted Write" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/but-the-address-if-it-ever-existed-never-was-sent-which-made-me-sad/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38e/truman-capote-376_wanted-write_but-the-address-if-it-ever-existed-never_2457843.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38e/truman-capote-376_wanted-write_but-the-address-if-it-ever-existed-never_2457843.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38e/truman-capote-376_wanted-write_but-the-address-if-it-ever-existed-never_2457843.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“But the address, if it ever existed, never was sent, which made me sad, there was so much I wanted to write…” — Truman Capote", "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": "Truman Capote", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“But the address, if it ever...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/but-the-address-if-it-ever-existed-never-was-sent-which-made-me-sad/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/but-the-address-if-it-ever-existed-never-was-sent-which-made-me-sad/#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 } } ] } ```