… all adults seemed to her subjects for laughter, so self-regarding, so pretentious.

Parameswaran, intent on puffing, raised one eyebrow and grimaced non-committally.

Coordinate term: credit note

[…] when a gay man really does die of something other than AIDS, as in the case of Tom Norton, the popular coowner of Unabridged Books, festering doubt will plague his memory.