Paper Man Quotes
A washed-up writer forms an unlikely friendship with a teenager from Long Island.
[Abby is reading Richard's last letter]
Richard Dunn: Richard regarded his solitude as something sacred as a well earned badge of honor, a cloak to be worn to ward off life. As his safety. Solitude is who he was. This caused those in his life to view him with a barely veiled contempt. Richard was certain tat he was not liked. Which is hard on a man. Maybe it was because he gave nothing that he received nothing in return. In any case, his situation had become intolerable. The closest things he had to friends were either imaginary or extinct. And Richard had reached a point of life where this was no longer enough. And then he met a girl... And she was warm. And she was sad. And she was maybe lonely in a way that reminded him of himself. She'd lost things that a girl should never have lost. And she knew things. And she taught him. And Richard thought: "Maybe this is what friendship feels like. Maybe." It was just a glimpse, they'd barely begun, really. But in those long, few winter days, she'd given him so much. Enough so that Richard could go on. And what had he given her? Just a few words on a page. Not much, perhaps. But for Abby, he hoped it was enough.
Richard Dunn: Richard regarded his solitude as something sacred as a well earned badge of honor, a cloak to be worn to ward off life. As his safety. Solitude is who he was. This caused those in his life to view him with a barely veiled contempt. Richard was certain tat he was not liked. Which is hard on a man. Maybe it was because he gave nothing that he received nothing in return. In any case, his situation had become intolerable. The closest things he had to friends were either imaginary or extinct. And Richard had reached a point of life where this was no longer enough. And then he met a girl... And she was warm. And she was sad. And she was maybe lonely in a way that reminded him of himself. She'd lost things that a girl should never have lost. And she knew things. And she taught him. And Richard thought: "Maybe this is what friendship feels like. Maybe." It was just a glimpse, they'd barely begun, really. But in those long, few winter days, she'd given him so much. Enough so that Richard could go on. And what had he given her? Just a few words on a page. Not much, perhaps. But for Abby, he hoped it was enough.
Claire Dunn: You're useless, Richard!
Richard Dunn: Yes!
Claire Dunn: You're totally USELESS! What is wrong with you?
Richard Dunn: I DON'T KNOW WHAT DO TO WITH MY HANDS! You have a place in this world, Claire. You do something. Every day. I... I do this! And this is nothing.
Claire Dunn: This was what you wanted. Coming here. This is what YOU wanted. Everyone - Jen and my sister and Liv - they all ENVIED me because I had the one who made me laugh. What happened? I don't know what happened!
Richard Dunn: You stopped laughing.
Richard Dunn: Yes!
Claire Dunn: You're totally USELESS! What is wrong with you?
Richard Dunn: I DON'T KNOW WHAT DO TO WITH MY HANDS! You have a place in this world, Claire. You do something. Every day. I... I do this! And this is nothing.
Claire Dunn: This was what you wanted. Coming here. This is what YOU wanted. Everyone - Jen and my sister and Liv - they all ENVIED me because I had the one who made me laugh. What happened? I don't know what happened!
Richard Dunn: You stopped laughing.
Richard Dunn: It's time for you to go.
Captain Excellent: No.
Richard Dunn: You know what I'm saying, Captain. I mean go and never come back.
Captain Excellent: I'm not ready.
Richard Dunn: It doesn't matter! You can't help me anymore. The doctor's right.
Captain Excellent: But... Then you'll be all alone.
Richard Dunn: Yes. The last of my kind.
[There is a silence between them]
Richard Dunn: Okay. Do the voice... one last time. Please...
Captain Excellent: [intense] When the world is imperiled... When evil surrounds you... When danger is lurking... Who do you call?
Richard Dunn: [whispering] Captain Excellent...
Captain Excellent: No.
Richard Dunn: You know what I'm saying, Captain. I mean go and never come back.
Captain Excellent: I'm not ready.
Richard Dunn: It doesn't matter! You can't help me anymore. The doctor's right.
Captain Excellent: But... Then you'll be all alone.
Richard Dunn: Yes. The last of my kind.
[There is a silence between them]
Richard Dunn: Okay. Do the voice... one last time. Please...
Captain Excellent: [intense] When the world is imperiled... When evil surrounds you... When danger is lurking... Who do you call?
Richard Dunn: [whispering] Captain Excellent...
Richard Dunn: I love you.
Abby: What?
Richard Dunn: Not in any way that's in... Uh, inappropriate or anything, nothing that's not... You know... Decent or... It's just if I examine my, if I look in my... heart, I find that, I think that it's... there's love there. For you. Yeah... I love you.
Abby: It wasn't really a looney bin. And it was only for a few months. Just until I... My parents thought... I don't know... I never told them, I never told anyone. It was a pact. Amy and me were both supposed to go... in the water. She did it, but I swam back. I swam back... I couldn't... I don't know why we were so unhappy about. Eight... I guess you're too young to know you can get over anything.
Abby: What?
Richard Dunn: Not in any way that's in... Uh, inappropriate or anything, nothing that's not... You know... Decent or... It's just if I examine my, if I look in my... heart, I find that, I think that it's... there's love there. For you. Yeah... I love you.
Abby: It wasn't really a looney bin. And it was only for a few months. Just until I... My parents thought... I don't know... I never told them, I never told anyone. It was a pact. Amy and me were both supposed to go... in the water. She did it, but I swam back. I swam back... I couldn't... I don't know why we were so unhappy about. Eight... I guess you're too young to know you can get over anything.
Richard Dunn: I wanted to have a baby!
Claire Dunn: Is this what all this is all about?
Richard Dunn: We could have had a baby, Claire! Why didn't we have a baby?
Claire Dunn: Why? because you are a baby! You are an infant! You still have an imaginary friend!
Richard Dunn: I just wanted a little warm thing. Something simple I could start with. A single relationship with a person that was new and pure. Where I could be me and they could be them, and that's all that is expected, and we could build this world where there was some one else other than me to think about and be about. The relief of being able to give the world someone else and let it be theirs. Let them have their turn. So it doesn't end with me.
Claire Dunn: Is this what all this is all about?
Richard Dunn: We could have had a baby, Claire! Why didn't we have a baby?
Claire Dunn: Why? because you are a baby! You are an infant! You still have an imaginary friend!
Richard Dunn: I just wanted a little warm thing. Something simple I could start with. A single relationship with a person that was new and pure. Where I could be me and they could be them, and that's all that is expected, and we could build this world where there was some one else other than me to think about and be about. The relief of being able to give the world someone else and let it be theirs. Let them have their turn. So it doesn't end with me.
Richard Dunn: So... This is what the end of something looks like.
Captain Excellent: The world went on, Richard.
Richard Dunn: But never the same. Who knows how she might have changed the world, just by her being here? The ripple effect.
Captain Excellent: What? If she hadn't died out, you'd be normal? Well-adjusted?
Richard Dunn: Maybe.
Captain Excellent: Doubt it.
Captain Excellent: The world went on, Richard.
Richard Dunn: But never the same. Who knows how she might have changed the world, just by her being here? The ripple effect.
Captain Excellent: What? If she hadn't died out, you'd be normal? Well-adjusted?
Richard Dunn: Maybe.
Captain Excellent: Doubt it.
Christopher: Isn't this the guy that was following you? I mean, who does that?
Abby: You do. It's just babysitting.
Christopher: Then where's the kid?
Abby: Well... He doesn't have a kid.
Christopher: The guy's a perv, then. You gotta get outta here.
Abby: He's a famous writer! Okay? Get a life.
Christopher: You *are* my life.
Abby: You do. It's just babysitting.
Christopher: Then where's the kid?
Abby: Well... He doesn't have a kid.
Christopher: The guy's a perv, then. You gotta get outta here.
Abby: He's a famous writer! Okay? Get a life.
Christopher: You *are* my life.
[Richard follows Abby with his bike. Just when Abby turns around, he manages to hide every time. When he passes the corner, Abby is ready with a spray nozzle aimed at his face]
Richard Dunn: No, no, no! It's not like that!
[They stare at each other]
Richard Dunn: WD-40?
Abby: For your wheels. Driving me nuts.
[She sprays]
Abby: Nice bike, though. I used to ride one of these when I was your age. My parents put it in a yard sale. So I had to kill them.
Richard Dunn: No, no, no! It's not like that!
[They stare at each other]
Richard Dunn: WD-40?
Abby: For your wheels. Driving me nuts.
[She sprays]
Abby: Nice bike, though. I used to ride one of these when I was your age. My parents put it in a yard sale. So I had to kill them.
[a dead racoon is lying on the doorstep ahead of Richard and Claire]
Richard Dunn: Oh, good lord... Claire!
Claire Dunn: Oh, poor thing. It was quick, at least. Clean thoracic tear.
Richard Dunn: We should give him a proper burial.
[Claire picks the racoon up, walks toward the stack of wood and throws the racoon behind it]
Richard Dunn: It feels like I just lost my bearings.
Richard Dunn: Oh, good lord... Claire!
Claire Dunn: Oh, poor thing. It was quick, at least. Clean thoracic tear.
Richard Dunn: We should give him a proper burial.
[Claire picks the racoon up, walks toward the stack of wood and throws the racoon behind it]
Richard Dunn: It feels like I just lost my bearings.
