The honors program contained the guys who had scored in the 99.999th percentile on their high school entrance examination, worked out calculus problems for their own amusement during lunch time, had asked Santa Claus for a chemistry set instead of a bicycle, and never did notice when weekends or puberty came around. (Chapter 2, p. 34)

When I was in first grade, my nun told our class that we should "enjoy" our grammar school years because, in no time at all, the years would be gone...The reason I don't fear hell today is because I know that eternity can't be as long as the eight years I spent in grammar school. (Chapter 2, p. 39)

By the time I had earned the five bucks, my enthusiasm was waning. When I dropped it into the mission can, I can honestly say that I did not feel the thrill of God's love, at...