Nick Birch Quotes

It's a crime to be that hot and yet, that evil.

I don’t really take much notice of rumours Sir,” Andrew said, straight faced. “Good man. Neither do I. Mostly lies and the rest exaggeration.

There are no promises in life. All we can do is try hard, give everything our best shot and stay true to ourselves.

My heart weighs heavy from all of the books I have not yet written

Did your parents die of the flu?’ ‘Yeah, I don’t really know how long ago that was now though. It’s hard to keep counting the days.’ ‘You’re right about that,’ Nick agreed. ‘But it’s been about two months since the pandemic.’ ‘Two

I wonder what would happen if the days were not pushed? What would happen if the time flowed in its natural sequence? The sky edging from darkness to gray, rising like a tide of light, pushing the flotsam of cloud upward. And then the sun’s rim, liquid gold, the slant of light through twigs and leaf. What would happen if you watched time’s river rise and flow, lifting you on its back and carrying you on its crest, until, lying back, you rested on the receding light, languishing in the slow pools of afternoon, the tips of the firs trembling and lifting, the ropes of birch leaves swaying in the light like sea kelp. To the west, the evening glow would linger, holding on to color. What if you could watch until the last drops spilled from the edge and then you came to know the night? Oh, but what would be served by such a life? Observation. Contemplation. Deliberation. What if your life came unplugged, disconnected, out of sync with the rest of the world? What if you rode this planet on one full circle round its star paying attention to light and plants and water? Seeing the way rain gathers in puddles or dew beads on grass, noticing the day violets open under the firs or ants appear in the bathroom? You could, you know. Shut off the bells. You could cut loose, unplug, begin. You could improve the nick of time.