--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You cold or something?' he said. She…" description: "\"“You cold or something?' he said. She strained against him; she wanted to pass clear through him: 'It's a chill, it's nothing'; and then, pushing a lit..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b7c/truman-capote-376_love_you-cold-or-something-he-said-she-strain_376559.jpg" --- # You cold or something?' he said. She strained against him… ![“You cold or something?' he said. She strained against him; she wanted to pass clear through him: 'It's a chill, it's nothing'; and then, pushing a little away: 'Say you love me.' I said it.' No, oh no. You haven't. I was listening. And you never do.' Well, give me time.' Please.' He sat up and…” quote by Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b7c/truman-capote-376_love_you-cold-or-something-he-said-she-strain_376559.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b7c/truman-capote-376_love_you-cold-or-something-he-said-she-strain_376559.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b7c/truman-capote-376_love_you-cold-or-something-he-said-she-strain_376559.jpg) > ““You cold or something?' he said. She strained against him; she wanted to pass clear through him: 'It's a chill, it's nothing'; and then, pushing a little away: 'Say you love me.' I said it.' No, oh no. You haven't. I was listening. And you never do.' Well, give me time.' Please.' He sat up and glanced at a clock across the room. It was after five. Then decisively he pulled off his windbreaker and began to unlace his shoes. Aren't you going to, Clyde?' He grinned back at her. 'Yeah, I'm going to.' I don't mean that; and what's more, I don't like it: you sound as though you were talking to a whore.' Come off it, honey. You didn't drag me up here to tell you about love.' You disgust me,' she said. Listen to her! She's sore!' A silence followed that circulated like an aggrieved bird. Clyde said, 'You want to hit me, huh? I kind of like you when you're sore: that's the kind of girl you are,' which made Grady light in his arms when he lifted and kissed her. 'You still want me to say it?' Her head slumped on his shoulder. 'Because I will,' he said, fooling his fingers in her hair. 'Take off your clothes--and I'll tell it to you good.”” [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. A tense, intimate exchange reveals longing, vulnerability, and power dynamics in a fraught relationship. **In simple terms:** Two people grapple with desire and emotional games. Key Takeaway Recognize and communicate genuine feelings. Themes desire power vulnerability communication Mood tension passionate conflicted Type dramatic romantic psychological When to use this quote - conflict resolution - relationship counseling - personal boundaries - expressing love Key Concepts intimacy psychology gender roles Questions to Reflect On - What does each character truly want? - How can honest communication change the dynamic? A Different Perspective The dialogue masks deeper insecurities and may perpetuate unhealthy patterns. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Relationships](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relationships/) [Romance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/romance/) [Sex](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sex/) ## Related quotes > [“He said I was bein hard on myself. Said it was a sign of old age. Tryin to set things right. I guess there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cormac-mccarthy/he-said-i-was-bein-hard-on-myself-said-it-was-a-sign-of-old-age-tryin/) [Cormac McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cormac-mccarthy/) > [“Are you all right?" he said.Water dripped down his face and long nose. He's talking to you! her mind yelled. 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"No," she said through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emory-sharplin/napier-surfaced-next-to-her-and-propped-his-arms-on-the-ledge-i-meant/) [Emory Sharplin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emory-sharplin/) > [“It’s only a cold,” I said. “Well, a cold can kill an old person,” he said gruffly. “And even if they do get better,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liesl-shurtliff/it-s-only-a-cold-i-said-well-a-cold-can-kill-an-old-person-he-said/) [Liesl Shurtliff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liesl-shurtliff/) > [“I love you, too,” she said. He took her face in his hands and kissed her, once, deeply, on the mouth. “I mean,” he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-quinn/i-love-you-too-she-said-he-took-her-face-in-his-hands-and-kissed-her/) [Julia Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-quinn/) > [“I love you,” he said, and he kissed me again. Feral. Possessive. 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Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-ward/) ## 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? 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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 Gaze quotes > [I need a bath." He chuckled. "You smell of smoke, as do I." The duke turned, leaning heavily on his cane. "Jameson, open the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-hawkins/i-need-a-bath-he-chuckled-you-smell-of-smoke-as-do-i-the-duke-turned/) [Karen Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-hawkins/) > [“Taylor said a prayer for the man, and apologized out loud. 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Please.' He sat up and glanced at a clock across the room. It was after five. Then decisively he pulled off his windbreaker and began to unlace his shoes. Aren't you going to, Clyde?' He grinned back at her. 'Yeah, I'm going to.' I don't mean that; and what's more, I don't like it: you sound as though you were talking to a whore.' Come off it, honey. You didn't drag me up here to tell you about love.' You disgust me,' she said. Listen to her! She's sore!' A silence followed that circulated like an aggrieved bird. Clyde said, 'You want to hit me, huh? I kind of like you when you're sore: that's the kind of girl you are,' which made Grady light in his arms when he lifted and kissed her. 'You still want me to say it?' Her head slumped on his shoulder. 'Because I will,' he said, fooling his fingers in her hair. 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