"There are a lot of things about me that aren’t what you thought.
But if you love me, you have to love all of the things about me.
And I love you, and I’m sorry I let you down,
I’m so sorry Daddy. But you let me down too."
"The blood on my teeth begins to taste like a poem, like religion, like the way you look at me."
"I told dad I'm queer. He said he really wanted grandchildren.
Once, I really wanted a father."
"I don't wanna feel better. I'd give anything to miss you again.
I don't wanna get over it; I wanna get under it instead."
"I always cry when I grocery shop. Lingering in the produce aisle, turning every fruit in my hands to find the ones unmarked.
I want to ask you if you can love damaged goods. I want to ask you if you're scared of your father."
"And God? He just kinda let it happen, didn’t he? That’s the part I cannot square. Because you’re right, there is so much suffering. And then there’s this higher power who could erase all that pain, just wave his hand and make it all go away, but… Doesn’t? No. No, thank you."
"Someone has to leave first.
This is a very old story.
There is no other version of this story."
"How do we forgive our fathers? Maybe in a dream?
Do we forgive our fathers for leaving us too often? Maybe for scaring us with unexpected rage?
Do we forgive our father in our age, or in theirs? Or in their death?
If we forgive our fathers, what is left?"
"“Let's see when we meet again, shall we?”
He grins at him like he always does nowadays,
full of confidence, deaf to insults that are hidden love letters."