What would you do, if you could do anything?
I don’t know, he hesitated then repeated, I don’t know.
His eyes were dim with concentration and defeat.
We were stunned into a painful silence as we absorbed the hopelessness of his words.
I mean I really think I could do anything if I wanted. I just don’t know what, he continued hopefully.
And despite his unconfident manner – despite his unconfident answers, I think the self-assuredness of “I could do anything” was genuine. But I have to weigh that against the way he joined “anything” with “if I wanted”. What does that mean exactly? He doesn’t like anything? He doesn’t like everything?