To be adult is to be disillusioned. Only realities count. - Keith Laumer

“Impossible!” he said, as if he believed it—or as if he wanted awfully badly to believe it.

Strange—I go along for months at a time—even years—without so much as a mild concussion—and then bam—slam—bash! They start using my head for a practice dummy. That’s how I can tell that I’m having an adventure.

I took all these details in as the mighty carnivore looked me over, yawned, and paced majestically toward me, frowning across at the distant herds like a troubled politician wondering who to pay the bribe to.