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Mrs. Feehan
Norman “Nostrils” Heath is Charlie’s best friend, whose nickname comes from his large nose. He meets Charlie at the race Squizzy Taylor holds to determine who will become his runner. Though Charlie beats him in the race, Nostrils bears him no resentment, and the two become fast friends. Nostrils is loyal, funny, and a good listener. He is also an exceptional athlete, and the local football team picks him to play for them. In the early days of their friendship, Charlie and Nostrils play football in the park together and are interrupted by an angry Jimmy Barlow, who they need to run from. Rather than taking advantage of his head start, Nostrils waits for Charlie to catch up to him, and the boys run away together. Later, after Nostrils has been promoted to an exciting new position on the football team, Jimmy Barlow comes after Nostrils and Charlie again. Nostrils trips and tells Charlie to leave him behind, and Charlie does, leaving Nostrils to be beaten so badly by Barlow and his friends that Nostrils spends the next several days in the hospital. Charlie blames himself for ruining Nostril’s chances at becoming a professional athlete, but Nostrils assures Charlie that he shouldn’t feel guilty. When Charlie runs the Ballarat Mile, Nostrils is one of the people he imagines cheering for him at the finish line. To honor their friendship, Charlie makes Nostrils a co-owner of the timber yard he buys at the end of the book.
Nostrils Heath Quotes in Runner
The Runner quotes below are all either spoken by Nostrils Heath or refer to Nostrils Heath. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Chapter 8
Quotes
I didn’t want what other people wanted. I didn’t want to be like Nostrils, sticking labels on tins of jam at Rosella’s, or like my father, who’d busted his gut down on the wharf for years. I wanted something more than that. I wanted a piece of the action. It didn’t have to be a huge helping, just a slice of it.
Enough to give Ma and Jack a better life.
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I stood next to Nostrils, smiling confidently, almost daring the copper to take it further. Never before would I have had the nerve, but as he looked into my eyes I held his gaze, and it was then that I realized what I loved about working for Squizzy Taylor. It was more than just the money. It was the power I loved as well.
Chapter 9
Quotes
I ran during the day and I ran at night. In fact, I ran so much that I didn’t bother changing into my father’s old boots anymore. Ma and I both had our secrets now […]. I avoided her as best I could, preferring to spend my time with Nostrils or Squizzy or Dolly. At least with them I didn’t have to pretend.
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Chapter 15
Quotes
Had it been me in his shoes, I daresay the attention would have caused my head to swell the size of a football. But Nostrils wasn’t like that. On the football field, he was as ferocious as anyone I’d seen. You could see it in his eyes. He wanted nothing more than to one day fill a spot in the seniors, but come siren time, when he stripped the jumper from his back, Nostrils could not understand what all the fuss was about.
Chapter 16
Quotes
In a person’s life, there are some moments that define who you are––miniscule moments where you’re called upon to act, faster than a flip of a coin.
Heads or tails.
Yes or no.
Go or stay.
Perhaps my mind was already made up, but as I turned and saw them on top of him, Nostrils raised his head and screamed. “Run, Charlie! Run!”
Chapter 18
Quotes
Full of rage, I dropped by eyes to the ground and saw my shiny black boots. Right then, something clicked inside my head. Everything became clear. Silently I left the office and made my way to the laundry. After changing into my father’s old boots, I strode back down the hall. I […] placed the boots on the table, right under Squizzy’s nose.
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Chapter 21
Quotes
I went back to that first time I’d ventured out––that time I plotted a course of four main streets to rid myself of the cold, dull ache in my bones. Tomorrow, however, I’d be running for something more. I’d be running for my father, for Ma, for Jack, for Alice, for Nostrils, and for Mr. Redmond. Tomorrow I’d be running the race of my life, and the stakes were high.
Get the entire Runner LitChart as a printable PDF.
Nostrils Heath Quotes in Runner
The Runner quotes below are all either spoken by Nostrils Heath or refer to Nostrils Heath. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Chapter 8
Quotes
I didn’t want what other people wanted. I didn’t want to be like Nostrils, sticking labels on tins of jam at Rosella’s, or like my father, who’d busted his gut down on the wharf for years. I wanted something more than that. I wanted a piece of the action. It didn’t have to be a huge helping, just a slice of it.
Enough to give Ma and Jack a better life.
Related Characters:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
I stood next to Nostrils, smiling confidently, almost daring the copper to take it further. Never before would I have had the nerve, but as he looked into my eyes I held his gaze, and it was then that I realized what I loved about working for Squizzy Taylor. It was more than just the money. It was the power I loved as well.
Chapter 9
Quotes
I ran during the day and I ran at night. In fact, I ran so much that I didn’t bother changing into my father’s old boots anymore. Ma and I both had our secrets now […]. I avoided her as best I could, preferring to spend my time with Nostrils or Squizzy or Dolly. At least with them I didn’t have to pretend.
Related Characters:
Related Symbols:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 15
Quotes
Had it been me in his shoes, I daresay the attention would have caused my head to swell the size of a football. But Nostrils wasn’t like that. On the football field, he was as ferocious as anyone I’d seen. You could see it in his eyes. He wanted nothing more than to one day fill a spot in the seniors, but come siren time, when he stripped the jumper from his back, Nostrils could not understand what all the fuss was about.
Chapter 16
Quotes
In a person’s life, there are some moments that define who you are––miniscule moments where you’re called upon to act, faster than a flip of a coin.
Heads or tails.
Yes or no.
Go or stay.
Perhaps my mind was already made up, but as I turned and saw them on top of him, Nostrils raised his head and screamed. “Run, Charlie! Run!”
Chapter 18
Quotes
Full of rage, I dropped by eyes to the ground and saw my shiny black boots. Right then, something clicked inside my head. Everything became clear. Silently I left the office and made my way to the laundry. After changing into my father’s old boots, I strode back down the hall. I […] placed the boots on the table, right under Squizzy’s nose.
Related Characters:
Related Symbols:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 21
Quotes
I went back to that first time I’d ventured out––that time I plotted a course of four main streets to rid myself of the cold, dull ache in my bones. Tomorrow, however, I’d be running for something more. I’d be running for my father, for Ma, for Jack, for Alice, for Nostrils, and for Mr. Redmond. Tomorrow I’d be running the race of my life, and the stakes were high.
