This time things are going to be wonderful.
-- Can label ("Salted Circus Cashews, Swear to God")

Importance: In this story, a woman is on a first date, which goes well until the man hands her a prank cashew can. The comically long label not only makes the prank evident, but it also morphs the can into a symbol of false hope and impending heartbreak. The label makes many seemingly false promises, ending with the above.

He was working out a system where eventually he wouldn’t have to trust anybody.
-- Narration ("Short Stories")

Importance: This story is comprised of ten very short stories, each one-to-two sentences long. The stories develop an overarching theme of emotional insularity, such as in the above quote, making it seem like the characters have suffered from past relationships and are afraid of being hurt again.

She’s laughing, and I’m laughing, and I swear to Gods I’m the luckiest man in the world.
-- Peter (narration) ("A Most Blessed and Auspicious Occasion")

Importance: In this story...