(and when would she ever learn not to monopolize a whole evening's conversation?) — Richard Yates

Why couldn't she stop talking? Did all lonely people have that problem?

After a second or two he thrust the muzzle forward and broke out the pane of glass, less because he knew it would make for a better aim than because it was what gunmen always did behind windows in movies.

Sumbitch wasn't even needed, that's the funny part; just some eager-beaver bastard couldn't mind his own business.