Quote by Ernest Hemingway
But after I got them to leave and shut the door and turned off the light it wasn't any good. It was like saying good-by to a statue. After a while I went out and left the hospital and walked back to the hotel in the rain.
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Summary
This quote illustrates a sense of emotional detachment and emptiness. The speaker successfully manages to make people leave, but the experience feels unfulfilling. The image of bidding farewell to a statue implies an absence of vitality and connection. The speaker's choice to leave the hospital and walk back to the hotel in the rain further suggests a somber mood and perhaps a sense of loneliness.