Christoph Hein Quote

I don't know what a personal gift is. I think if I really gave someone a personal gift, it would scare him to death. I don't know what a personal gift for myself would be, either. But I'm sure that if it were really personal, I would burst into tears. At least I'd know then what sort of person I am.

The Distant Lover (1982) ch. 10, translated by Krishna Winston