sketches

I don't want a husband or a wife, I just want someone that I can turn to and ask, "Are those gunshots I just heard?"

"My heart is sleepy."
"That means it wants to die."

You passed him by on the street the other day.

One closes one's eyes before being struck across the face. As he moved in to kiss her, she did this: eyes shut, face tightened, mind ready for the blow.

The cold made me feel like I was floating in icy water. The best way to warm up in cold water is to swim.

Her vision blurred, as if by tears, she blinked her dry eyes.

Also, I filled out some questionnaire about being an American and I liked my answer to one of the questions so I'm preserving it here:
"How are you American?": It seems like this could be a question about expressing one's patriotism, or about trying to relate oneself to the many stereotypes of Americans and Americanism out there (Who's responsible for that quote "Everything anyone can say about America is true"?). I've been patriotic in certain respects, as in supporting the troops, voting and, of course, lighting things on fire every fourth of July. I'm also a lazy consumer who tries keeping up with international affairs and often fails. But are these traits of mine strictly American, or are they the result of my upbringing (family and friends in the military, very politically savvy parents) and personality (lazy consumer who tries to keep up with many things in and outside of politics and often fails)? Is it me or my country? Can anyone "act" American?

I only wish I'd had space to write more.