“Are you sad?" Nicola asked. Richard turned in the chair. The scissors became motionless."Yes. I am sad. I'm sad most of the time.""Does it bother you?""It never used to. But now it does. Very much.""It's because the world disappoints you," Nicola said. She set down hers scissors. "It continually fails to surprise you. It fails to be as wonderful as you long for it to be. This is where your sadness comes from.”