cement kisses

"Judging by the looks on the faces of the people around him, Nicholas must have been fun to have around. But the reason why he was fun to have around... was that he was contrived and extraordinary. I began to wonder how much energy it took to be contrived and extraordinary all the time, and if he did possess that energy, where it came from."

*
"People were amused whenever Nicholas flaunted his exaggerated mannerisms. However, in his rare moments of reservedness or sombreness, when his effeminacy would still show but in a muted and natural way, the people around him would withdraw coolly. Perhaps this was because it only occurred to them during these moments, that what they had witnessed all this while was not merely a show or a joke, but an outward manifestation of something that was truly innate and deep-seated.

Then they would think of all the implications of his inclination, judgement would be passed and they would recoil.

I sensed that Nicholas was aware of this, and that was why he behaved the way he did. Sadly, the only way he could gain acceptance was as a jester or as something novel and intriguing. Hence ironically, the more abnormal he was, the easier he got along with others."

*

"Sometimes, I wish I could just pull out my soul from within me and just hang it somewhere for a while.. It aches so much that I just need to be relieved of my soul for a while."

- Peculiar Chris, Johann S.Lee

three moments when i was truly taken by the book, especially the last; quite a thought - as if a soul was a garment to be aired in the proverbial closet?