Quote by Richard Yates
You want to play house, you got to have a job. You want to play very house, very house, then you got to have a job you don't like. Great. This is the way ninety-eight-point-nine per cent of the people work things out, so believe me, buddy, you've got nothing to apologize for.
Summary
This quote is a sarcastic commentary on the notion of "playing house" or trying to create the ideal image of a perfect life. It suggests that to attain that image, one must have a job, regardless of whether or not they enjoy it. The speaker highlights the reality that most people settle for jobs they dislike to sustain their desired lifestyle. It implies that conformity to this societal norm is so prevalent (98.9% of people), that there is no need to apologize for following suit. Overall, the quote criticizes the pursuit of materialistic ideals at the expense of personal fulfillment.