How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #10
For days I suffered the joy and terror of wanting to go to Dorothy's party, and knowing that it would be a big mistake. It was like a loose tooth you keep wiggling with your tongue, slow and deliberate, teasing the pain. The pain, however, wasn't in my mouth, but inside my chest. I fought against it. I'd stare hard into the mirror and order myself over and over to be strong . . . be a man! But then a cold fluttering would begin in the pit of my chest and before I could stop it, it'd spurt up a misty burning in my throat and eyes. My mind was speeding anxiously, gobbling up whole chunks of anticipation. At first, time seemed slow and heavy, but then faster and lighter—lighter until the day of the party, when the waiting became like no weight at all. Even so, I began to panic when Nardo pulled our Plymouth up in front of Mr. Giddens's house. (9.92)
Here's that fear of talking to girls cropping up all over again. And this time the girl is a snobby one named Dorothy who only invited Manny to her party because her dad forced her to. But in typical Manny-style, his nerves take on a super physical presence—his fear is "like a loose tooth" and in his chest, it's slow and fast, plus heavy and light. We'll see it again: Fear is physical for this main man and that's that.