How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #7
There are so many different kinds of smiles. This one that she smiles at me is a new one. It's warm, but there's tons of other stuff behind it. Like sadness. And loneliness. A lot of loneliness, I think. (10.37)
Maybe Alicia isn't exactly angry all the time—maybe she's just lonely and sad. It can't be easy for her to have her whole life completely change overnight, including the disappearance of her social circle. Bobby's got an idea of what that loneliness feels like.
Quote #8
I'd like to just walk along and talk with her, but there are other people on the sidewalks, too much else to deal with. But when we get away from the library, there are fewer people, and there's also traffic noise, so I'm not afraid to talk. Plus, she's right about people avoiding her. No one walks near her, no one even looks at her for more than a second. (11.15)
Even when she's out and about, no one wants to approach Alicia. They just feel awkward talking to her like she's a normal human being without mentioning the obvious—that she's blind.
Quote #9
"So, I can't talk to her?" Because I don't think I could stand that.
Mom reaches into her purse and hands me her cell phone. "Use this, and you can give Alicia that number, okay?" (17.10-11)
What's worse than being invisible? Being invisible and not being able to call the one friend who knows about it, that's what. Bobby's mom may be paranoid about the government, but she's not cruel enough to take away his one connection to the outside world.