"Maybe we should develope a Crayola bomb as our next secret weapon. A happiness weapon. A beauty bomb. And everytime a crisis developed, we would launch one. It ould explode high in the air- explode softly- and send thousands, millions, of little parachutes into the air. Floating down to earth- boxes of Crayolas. And we wouldn't go cheap, either- no little boxes of eight. Boxes of sixty-four, with the sharpener built right in. With silver and gold and copper, magenta and peach and lime, amber and umber and all the rest. And people would smile and get a little funny look on their faces and cover the world with imagination." ( Read more )

"Surely there is the handful of nursery märchen that start, 'Once in the middle of a forest lived an old witch' or 'The devil was out walking one day and met a child,'" said Oatsie, who was showing that she had some education as well as grit. "To the grim poor there need be no pour quoi tale about how evil arises; it always is. One never learns how the witch became wicked, or whether that was the right choice for her- is it ever the right choice? Does the devil ever struggle to be good again, or if so is he not the devil? It is at the very least a question of definitions."

, but it's the way you live your life that matters. And the people you know. Valentine was Hodge's friend, and I don't think Hodge really had anyone else in his life to challenge him or make him be a better person. If i'd had that life, I don't know how I would have turned out. But I didn't. I have my family. And I have you." Simon sighed. "People aren't born good or bad. Maybe they're born with tendencies either way, but it's the way you live your life that matters. And the people you know. Valentine was Hodge's friend, and I don't think Hodge really had anyone else in his life to challenge him or make him be a better person. If i'd had that life, I don't know how I would have turned out. But I didn't. I have my family. And I have you."

Simon sighed. "People aren't born good or bad. Maybe they're born with tendencies either way, but it's the way you live your life that matters. And the people you know. Valentine was Hodge's friend, and I don't think Hodge really had anyone else in his life to challenge him or make him be a better person. If i'd had that life, I don't know how I would have turned out. But I didn't. I have my family. And I have you." Simon sighed. "People aren't born good or bad. Maybe they're born with tendencies either way, but it's the way you live your life that matters. And the people you know. Valentine was Hodge's friend, and I don't think Hodge really had anyone else in his life to challenge him or make him be a better person. If i'd had that life, I don't know how I would have turned out. But I didn't. I have my family. And I have you." Simon sighed. "People aren't born good or bad. Maybe they're born with tendencies either way, but it's the way you live your life that matters. And the people you know. Valentine was Hodge's friend, and I don't think Hodge really had anyone else in his life to challenge him or make him be a better person. If i'd had that life, I don't know how I would have turned out. But I didn't. I have my family. And I have you." Simon sighed. "People aren't born good or bad. Maybe they're born with tendencies either way, but it's the way you live your life that matters. And the people you know. Valentine was Hodge's friend, and I don't think Hodge really had anyone else in his life to challenge him or make him be a better person. If i'd had that life, I don't know how I would have turned out. But I didn't. I have my family. And I have you." Simon sighed. "People aren't born good or bad. Maybe they're born with tendencies either way, but it's the way you live your life that matters. And the people you know. Valentine was Hodge's friend, and I don't think Hodge really had anyone else in his life to challenge him or make him be a better person. If i'd had that life, I don't know how I would have turned out. But I didn't. I have my family. And I have you."