Quote 43
I like policemen, too, and I wanted to answer the question properly, but the policeman did not give me enough time to work out the correct answer. (11.14)
Even when Christopher <em>does</em> want to interact with a stranger (a rare occurrence), he finds it really difficult.
Quote 44
This will not be a funny book. I cannot tell jokes because I do not understand them. (13.1)
Regardless of how Christopher might try to deny it, Shmoop thinks he has a sense of humor – it's in there somewhere, he just needs to recognize it.
Quote 45
Siobhan also says that if you close your mouth and breathe out loudly through your noise it can mean that you are relaxed, or that you are bored, or that you are angry and it all depends on how much air comes out of your noise and how fast and what shape your mouth is when you do it and how you are sitting and what you said just before and hundreds of other things which are too complicated to work out in a few seconds. (29.4)
Isn't this an amazing passage? Who knew we were doing something so darn impressive every time we read someone's body language and facial expressions? It does sound way too complicated to work out in a few seconds. Such an amazing feat! And, the way he describes it, it's entirely understandable that Christopher is unable to do it so quickly.