Quotes from A Day No Pigs Would Die

“Never miss a chance...to keep your mouth shut.”
― Robert Newton Peck, quote from A Day No Pigs Would Die

“Somehow, the Good Lord don't want to see no man start a cold morning with just black coffee.”
― Robert Newton Peck, quote from A Day No Pigs Would Die

“Aren't you a Republican? Just about everyone is in the whole town of Learning."

"No, I'm not a Republican. And I'm not no Democrat. I'm not nothing."

"Why not?"

"Because I'm not allowed to vote."

"Me either. You have to be twenty-one to vote. I'm only twelve."

"Reckon I'm soon looking at sixty."

"Then why can't you vote? Is it because you're a Shaker?"

"No, it's account of I can't read or write. When a man cannot do these things, people think his head is weak. Even when he's proved his back is strong.

"Who decides?"

"Men who look at me and take me not for what I be. Men who only see my mark, my X, when I can't sign my name. They can't see how I true a beam to build our barn, or see that the rows of corn in my field are straight as fences. They just seem me walk the street in Learning in clothes made me by my own woman. They do not care that my coat is strudy and keeps me warm. They'll not care that I owe no debt and I am beholding to no man.”
― Robert Newton Peck, quote from A Day No Pigs Would Die

“There would be no work on this day. A day no pigs would die.”
― Robert Newton Peck, quote from A Day No Pigs Would Die

“I stayed there until the fire died. So it would not have to die alone.”
― Robert Newton Peck, quote from A Day No Pigs Would Die

“I’d heard about the Baptists from Jacob Henry’s mother. According to her, Baptists were a strange lot. They put you in water to see how holy you were. Then they ducked you under the water three times. Didn’t matter a whit if you could swim or no. If you didn’t come up, you got dead and your mortal soul went to Hell. But if you did come up, it was even worse. You had to be a Baptist.”
― Robert Newton Peck, quote from A Day No Pigs Would Die

“Fences sure are funny, aren't they, Papa?"

"How so?"

"Well, you be friends with Mr. Tanner and all. But we keep this fence up like it was war. I guess that humans are the only things on earth that take everything they own and fence it off.”
― Robert Newton Peck, quote from A Day No Pigs Would Die

“Try an’ try,” he said, “but when it comes day’s end, I can’t wash the pig off me. And your mother never complains. Not once, in all these years, has she ever said that I smell strong. I said once to her that I was sorry.”
“What did Mama say?”
“She said I smelled of honest work, and that there was no sorry to be said or heard.”
― Robert Newton Peck, quote from A Day No Pigs Would Die

“When you re the only one to do something it always gets done.”
― Robert Newton Peck, quote from A Day No Pigs Would Die

“The sky’s a good place to look,” he said. “And I got a notion it’s a good place to go.”
― Robert Newton Peck, quote from A Day No Pigs Would Die

“No, sir. I won’t complain. Except when I move it sharp and sudden, my arm is real numb. It’s the rest of me that’s in misery.”
“Where?”
“My backside and my privates. I’m stuck so full of prickers, it makes me smart just to think on it.”
― Robert Newton Peck, quote from A Day No Pigs Would Die

“Papa, ain’t it a caution that we can only eat two legs off a frog, ’stead of four.”
And he said: “Rob, here’s what you do. You catch a real big bullfrog and make friends with him. And teach him to jump backwards. That’ll make his front legs big as the hind.”
― Robert Newton Peck, quote from A Day No Pigs Would Die

“We’d learned in school that the city of London, England, is the largest city in the whole wide world. Maybe so. But it couldn’t have been much bigger than Rutland.”
― Robert Newton Peck, quote from A Day No Pigs Would Die

“It always looked to me like she was smiling. In fact, I know she was. Lots if things smile, like a flower to the sun. And one thing sure. I knew that just like I could smile to see Pinky, she sure could smile to see me.”
― Robert Newton Peck, quote from A Day No Pigs Would Die

“of all the things in the world to see, I reckon the heavens at sundown has got to be my favorite sight. How about you?” “The sky’s a good place to look,” he said. “And I got a notion it’s a good place to go.”
― Robert Newton Peck, quote from A Day No Pigs Would Die

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“I’m sorry, Shiloh,” I whisper, over and over, both hands on him so’s he won’t try to get up. The blood’s just pouring from a rip in his ear. “I’m so sorry! Jesus help me, I didn’t know Bakers’ dog could leap that fence.” When we get to the bottom of the lane, instead of going up the road toward Judd’s place, Dad turns left toward Friendly, and halfway around the first curve, he pulls in Doc Murphy’s driveway. Light’s still on in a window, but I think old doc was in bed, ’cause he come to the door in his pajamas. “Ray Preston?” he says when he sees Dad. “I sure am sorry to bother you this hour of the night,” Dad says, “but I got a dog here hurt bad, and if you could take a look at him, see if he can be saved, I’d be much obliged. We’ll pay. . . .” “I’m no vet,” says Doc Murphy, but he’s already standing aside, holding the screen open with one hand so we can carry Shiloh in. The doc’s a short man, round belly, don’t seem to practice what he preaches about eating right, but he’s got a kind heart, and he lays out some newspapers on his kitchen table.”
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