"If I were like that, we would have had sex again at that motel. There was no second time in spite of her naked body laid out before me like some sexual smorgasbord. Don't you understand? The melodramatic story that got me charged up came from the sweet Loraine."
"Have you ever in your life said no to a woman asking for anything?"
"Okay, I'll admit she conned me but not back into bed. Although she sure tried. I didn't know any of the people she named. It all sounded plausible at the time. And yes, I couldn't wait to race off and make an ass out of myself."
"Somehow, Raymond, you never quite know what's going on with women. Women aren't just tall Girl Scouts. You think you owe every woman something, don't you. With your quiet childlike charm, if you ever did figure them out you'd be golden. Women like quiet men, they think they're listening."
"I don't care if I understand them. I just want to meet a woman who smiles at me because she means it and will let me take care of her."
"Well, don't get married again before I size up the prospect."
"Do I detect a slight hint of caring, like you actually give a damn?"
"You're right. I don't. That was a joke."
"Not difficult to screw up choosing a partner. How are you doing, for example?" He was upset and said it without thinking. He immediately wished he could take the words back. Her face flushed and he knew he had hit the target. "I'm sorry, Sandy, I shouldn't have said that."
"No, you're right. I'm guilty of screwing up relationships. The difference is I work at them, at least the worthy ones. Most went bad, but I was in there trying. But you, my apathetic sibling, just take up space waiting for someone to come to you. Someone who had better be prepared to call all the relationship shots, because your mind has more important concerns."
"Wow. This isn't really about me, is it? It's about us. You're talking about you and me. And my failure to redeem myself with you."
"I'll leave sibling redemption to the priests and psychologists."
"I'm truly sorry, Sandy. I'll try to change. I'll try to work on our connection."
"I don't care what you do. My concern is getting back to my life in Philly. That means I first must clean up your mess. Where did we leave off?"
"I'm a doofus."
"Oh yes, Loraine using you. I guess the Barner rape was the angle she thought would set you off. She wanted you to go to Towson's, to see Norma and to barge in on Tammy. She wanted you seen all over town."