It occurred to Jack that if he held the phone well away from his head Sally's voice would dwindle and flatten out and be lost in tinny gibberish, lik… - Richard Yates

As my husband always used to say, who cares? A lot of people care, Ann. Well, that's a nice thought, but try counting them up on your fingers. Name me four. Name me three.

And he didn't know how to answer her (Well, maybe; maybe not; yes and no); so he didn't say anything. He opened a cold beer and sat down with it, knowing he'd need a little time and quiet to sort things out. "Look: just sit now, okay?" he told her. "Sit. Sit." And it sounded like a command given to a nervous, well-trained dog, but she obeyed him.

(and when would she ever learn not to monopolize a whole evening's conversation?)