Quotessence
Home / Quotes / Quote by Danny Wallace

Quote by Danny Wallace

“"I saw you and I see you every day. I greet you every day. Can you read my eyes? I miss you every day. I love you every day. What was this guy’s story? Doorman? Bus driver? Receptionist? Who’s the girl? Has she noticed him? Is he anyone to her, or just the fella behind the counter at Benji’s? Why doesn’t he say something to her? But I knew why. Because there’s the creeping fear that these moments don’t actually exist outside your own head. No eyes meet across a crowded room, no two people think precisely the same thing, and if only one person actually has that moment, is it even really a moment at all? We know this, so we say nothing. We avert our eyes, or pretend to be looking for change, we hope the other person will take the initiative, because we don’t want to risk losing this feeling of excitement and possibilities and lust. It’s too perfect. That little second of hope is worth something, possibly for ever, as we lie on our deathbeds, surrounded by our children, and our grandchildren, and our great-grandchildren, and we can’t help but quickly give one last selfish, dying thought to what could have happened if we’d actually said hello to that girl in the Uggs selling CDs outside Nando’s seventy-four years earlier. It’s the what if? The what then? And we know that if we go for it, if we risk it, we immediately stand to lose it. But weirdly, some part of us believes the feeling is two-way, because it must be; it’s too special not to be. We believe that something’s been shared, even if the evidence we have is … what? A look that lasted a breath longer than we’re used to? A second glance, when the glance could easily have been to check whether there are any cabs coming, or whether the jacket we’re wearing that’s caught their eye would look good on their boyfriend, or why it is we seem to be staring at them."”

Quote by Danny Wallace

Work

Charlotte Street

Browse quotes and source details for this work. more

Author

Danny Wallace
Danny Wallace

Danny Wallace is a British comedian, writer, and television presenter. He gained widespread popularity for his performances on the BBC comedy show 'The 11 O'Clock Show'. Wallace is known for his unique sense of humor and his distinctive observations of everyday life. more

You May Also Like

“Vedete, una storia che finisce puoi affrontarla. Fa male, e per un po' è un dolore così lacerante che è come se i polmoni collassassero e il cuore implodesse ogni volta che ti rendi conto che se n'è andato. Ma man mano che passa il tempo, almeno per me, è quello che è rimasto, quelle briciole sul pavimento, che ti aiutano a continuare. Quelle modeste prove che ti aiutano a guarire, questa è l'idea che mi sono fatta.”

“Sara mi aveva inculcato l'idea che nella vita si debba necessariamente concludere qualcosa, che ogni aspirazione debba essere portata a compimento. Che risultati concreti siano i soli che contano, che se non si vive in mezzo alle cose belle si rischia di non riuscire più a distinguere la bellezza. Trovato quei discorsi convincenti perché uscivano dalle labbra di qualcuno in grado di vedere cose che gli altri non potevano vedere, E mi sentivo sempre inadeguata. Mio padre mi aveva dimostrato che possiamo vivere vite straordinarie anche se nessuno si accorgerà mai di noi. "Another World”

“Cuando se nos enseñó a mirar con atención rincones y trozos insignificantes de la ciudad con el ojo fotográfico -una caja de fósforos junto a la rueda de un coche, un pedazo de puerta al sol, una pierna que sube la escalera-, comprendimos que nuestros ojos están ciegos.No nos sirven nada mas que como lazarillos para cruzar las calles, no tropezar con otros y ganarnos la vida.”

“La ciudad se descentra como se descentran las viviendas y los hogares con la televisión y el ordenador y como se descentrarán los individuos cuando los móviles sean además ordenadores y televisores. Lo urbano se extiende por todas partes, pero hemos perdido la ciudad y al mismo tiempo nos perdemos de vista a nosotros mismos. Ante este panorama, es posible que a la bicicleta le corresponda un papel determinante: ayudar a los seres humanos a recobrar la conciencia de sí mismos y de los lugares que habitan invirtiendo, en lo que corresponde a cada uno, el movimiento que proyecta a las ciudades fuera de sí mismas. Necesitamos la bicicleta para ensimismarnos en nosotros mismos y volver a centrarnos en los lugares en que vivimos.”