People From Chicago

"“Is it true?” “Probably. But just for the record, is what true?”"

"“I don’t believe you.” “What you believe is of no importance to me.”"

"Nobody reaches a position of authority without the ability to be a back-stabbing bastard when the chips are down."

"“It is an honest wager on an honest fight between two evenly-matched masters of the fistic arts,” says Pedro. “Who would have believed it?” says Benny. “Believed what?” asks Pedro. “You manage to cram five lies into an eighteen-word sentence,” answers Benny."

"“It is a world of bitter extremes of climate and a totalitarian theocracy.” “That he believes in,” said Thaddeus. “Believing in his religion makes it no less oppressive,” said Albert emotionlessly."

"“Maybe things are different on his world.” “As near as I can tell, there’s one basic law anywhere you go in the universe: the strong eat the weak.”"

"“I’ve revised my opinion,” he announced. “About what?” asked Mr. Ahasuerus. “About how long it’s going to take Man to conquer the galaxy once he figures out how to travel to the stars.” Flint took a long swallow of his beer and wiped his mouth off with a sweaty shirtsleeve. “I give us three weeks, tops.” He paused again. “That’s twenty days to decide whether it’s worth the effort, and one afternoon to pull it off.”"

"“I still can’t see why you don’t aim your sights a little higher.” “Because I’m comfortable with you,” she replied. “There are lots of comfortable people in the galaxy,” he said. “Then aren’t you lucky that I haven’t found any of them yet?” Suddenly her face became serious. “Harry, if you haven’t figured out by now that money and looks aren’t important to me, what can I tell you? I’ve been lonely, and you make me feel less lonely. I’ve been an object, and you make me feel like a person. I’ve been asked to do a lot of kinky things, but you’re the very first man who ever asked me to talk to him when there was an empty bed in the next room. I have a farm I haven’t visited in six years, and suddenly you make me want to settle down there. What the hell else do you want me to say?”"

"There are a thousand events that must transpire, each in its exact order; a million futures must vanish every nanosecond; and you ask me to explain all this to you? Poor little human, who seeks only a full belly and a fat wallet, who dreams of heroic deeds and grateful maidens, and who is doomed only to become a speck of dust in a galaxy already overflowing with dust."

"“He was destined to desert me.” “How do you know I won’t?” “Because you are selfish enough and greedy enough and immoral enough to realize that your best interest lies in total fealty to me,” she replied. “I don’t know that I especially like that assessment of me,” said the Kid. “The question is not whether you like it,” replied Penelope, “but whether it is true.”"

"“Well, it’s a practical approach,” she conceded. “But it’s not very satisfying. I think an animal in the forest might have that same viewpoint.” “I spend most of my life with the animals in the forest,” replied Chandler. “Very few of them have high blood pressure or heart attacks. Maybe they know something we don’t know.” “They don’t know anything,” said Jade. “They just react.” “They stay warm and dry and well fed,” he noted. “When all is said and done, that’s all most humans are really trying to do.”"

"“Why did you ever like him, Mouse?” asked Penelope. “I was lonely,” said the Mouse with a sigh, “and sometimes lonely people make poor choices.”"

"“There’s a possibility that I’m wrong.” “That’s the first rational thing you’ve said.”"

"“I take it you’ve never made love beneath a full tropical moon?” said the Madonna with a smile. “I’ve never made love beneath any moon,” he replied. “One of the drawbacks of a career in accountancy.”"

"What this embassy needs is more killers and less bureaucrats."

"“A moral assassin,” she said with an amused smile. “Not everyone gets into this business because they like to kill people,” he replied. “Then why do you do it?” “Because I find all forms of business distasteful,” answered Chandler. “This one pays me enough so that I don’t have to work very often.”"

"“Look,” said Chandler. “Either we’ve got free will or we don’t. If we do, then we are doing the right thing. If we don’t, then we can’t do anything else, anyway. So what’s the point of worrying about it?” “Because we can stop right now if we decide to.” He smiled. “And how will you know that the Oracle didn’t change her mind and choose a future in which we stopped?” She wearily leaned back on the chair. “Where does it end?” “Second guessing fate?” asked Chandler. “Never. That’s why it’s a good idea not to start.”"

"“Procyon III does have a gravity identical to Earth’s,” said Mr. Ahasuerus apologetically. “I suspect it’s also about as heavily populated as Saskatchewan.” “I am unacquainted with that location,” said the blue man. “So is everyone else.”"

"“I wonder…” said Rawls. “What do you wonder?” “If he wasn’t happier before we arrived. Maybe his kingdom was just a tree and a patch of bare ground, but his word was law and he took orders from no one.” “Of course he was happier before we arrived,” she said irritably. “Just as Men were happier when all they had to do was fill their bellies and keep warm and dry. They didn’t have neuroses, they didn’t fight wars, they didn’t worry about nonessentials.” She paused. “But on the other hand, they lost more than half their children in infancy, they succumbed to every disease that came around, they had no language, no history, no art—and they were hunted by everything that was bigger and stronger. They may have been happier, but they weren’t better off. You learn to take the bad with the good, Linus.” “I suppose so,” he agreed. “But it does lead to another question.” “Oh?” “Which are we—the bad or the good?” “That all depends,” said Violet. “On what?” “On who writes the history books.”"

"“Some weeks ago, Reverend Andrew McFarley visited the Department of Alien Affairs with some disquieting information,” said Gaunt. “That’s not surprising,” replied Violet. “Reverend McFarley finds most things disquieting. I suspect it goes with his profession.”"

"It’s my observation that God usually favors the side with the best weapons."

"Whether you approve of them or not, changes are coming to Karimon. It will become a modern world, a working member of the Republic. You can make the transition from savagery to civilization easier, or you can make it more difficult, but you cannot stop it."

"“These are not Men you are talking about,” said Violet. “They are aliens who eat insects, wantonly brutalize small animals, have yet to discover the wheel or the lever, and live in burrows. Would you have them remain at this stage of social evolution forever?” “Certainly not—but I would not force change upon them.” “Oh?” she said sardonically. “Then may I presume that you have not attempted to spread the word of Our Lord Jesus Christ among them?” “That is not the same thing.” “Of course not. You are doing it, not I.” She smiled. “I believe the word for that is ‘hypocrite’.”"

"She marveled, as she always did, that medical science had kept her alive and functioning this long, at the same time wondering what demons within her could so pollute this fresh blood that within four weeks it would be as useless and diseased as that which was now being drained from her. McFarley, she decided, would call it the curse of ambition. She preferred to think of it as the price of greatness. From time to time she wondered whether time would prove her or McFarley correct, or whether her condition was simply the result of an indifferent God in an indifferent universe."

"“Whether one is a traitor or a patriot depends entirely upon one’s point of view,” said Paka. “And upon who is holding the weapon.”"

"Giving them the privileges of citizens of the Republic doesn’t make them Republic citizens. They’d have been better off if we’d never opened this planet up, but we did, and I’m not about to feel guilty because of something that occurred more than half a century before I was even born."

"“Would you have accepted the Presidency if you had known what to expect?” “I’m here, and I’m doing the very best job I can,” he replied. “That is a very hypothetical question.” “But I noticed that you didn’t answer it,” I said. “I know.”"

"Everybody knows that the whole purpose of bureaucracy and red tape is so that, even as it creates a full employment economy, it’s impossible to blame anyone for anything!"

"“Don’t believe everything you hear,” said the Mouse. Ryan laughed again. “If I believed half of what I heard, I’d be dead and buried already.”"

"“You haven’t changed at all, Carlos. You never trusted anyone or anything.” “Maybe that’s why I’m still alive.”"

"“Have you heard of her?” “No. She is a female?” The tone of his voice was clearly contemptuous. “So I gather.” “What uses a female to me?” “Money knows no gender,” answered McFarley. “I gather she is prepared to sign a treaty with you, by which you will give her the mineral rights she craves and she will assure your primacy over the tribes of Karimon.” “What good is the promise of a female?” said Jalanopi. “Females are little better than Tallgrazers. If a warrior wants one, he buys one. They have no brains. They are good only for preparing meals and producing babies.” “They have no rights,” said McFarley, which is quite a different thing than having no brains. You waste half of your race’s potential by keeping them in such servitude.”"

"You know, animals can recover from most disasters, including poaching—but start destroying their habitat and you’ve written their epitaph."

"“Fast is good,” said the Iceman. “Accurate is better.” He paused again. “And knowing when not to shoot is better still.”"

"“She didn’t kill him,” explained the Iceman. “She could have saved him, but she chose not to. Legally it’s not the same thing; morally it is.”"

"“Still,” he added, “I thank you for your concern. When the election is over, I will remember who my friends are.” “I just hope you remember who your enemies are before the election is held,” said Beddoes sincerely.”"

"Even if I grant your supposition, you ought to know as well as anyone that all that counts are appearances. Reality is irrelevant, particularly to the government, so long as the paperwork’s right."

"If he used Company ships and personnel to stop an alien invasion, somebody someday might file a report that would be the only sort of report that the bureaucracy handled with the speed of lightning: that someone was bypassing the bureaucracy."

"“When we lived in tribal villages, before the advent of Man, the chief was always the wealthiest member of the community,” continued Tonka. “Nobody found anything wrong with that; after all, that was one of the reasons why he was the chief, and nobody ever resented his wealth.” He paused. “Buko Pepon is the chief of the entire planet. It is only natural that he is richer than anyone else.” “You’re saying that it goes with the job?” I asked, trying to understand his lack of moral outrage or even envy. “Of course. Why else would one want to rise to power?”"

"He mumbles something that wouldn’t make any sense even if he was saying it clearly."

"“Let’s be reasonable,” suggests Bet-a-Bunch Murphy, which I personally think would make a pleasant change."

"She is unique, even among women, who are all unique, each in their own alien way."

"“He has willpower to spare,” I say. “Unfortunately, what he lacks is won’tpower.”"

"“Enough screaming and yelling!” he yells. “I expect you to behave with some decorum. After all, this is a bar, not City Hall.”"

"Benny shakes his head. “This is America, Lamont,” he says. “America’s out there somewhere!” growls Lamont, waving his hand toward the door. “This is Manhattan.”"

"The mind discerns and decides, and the heart vetoes. It is a very inefficient system."

"If nothing else, money buys you a higher class of woman."

"It was an art form, and you don’t learn to be an artist. You’re either born one, or you aren’t."

"“What would you be if you could be anything at all?” she asked. “Happy.”"

"“You’re a fool, Harry.” “I know,” he said softly. “That doesn’t make you any less of one,” she replied."

"“I don’t mean to insult you, Mr. Breen. But you’re speaking from ignorance.” “No offense taken,” I said. “If I didn’t want to cure my ignorance, I wouldn’t be asking questions.”"