Why do you do that?" I asked, and she looked at me, saying, "Germs, silly. Think of all the people who have rested their heads there. Doesn't it just give you the creeps?
-- Patsy (1 -- "It's Catching" paragraph 2)

Importance: Patsy, David's friend, sets up the theme of "It's Catching" with this quote. She introduces the notion of shared public spaces, and how they can lead to the spreading of communicable parasites and/or diseases. As the essay progresses, this quote acts as the opening chord of social fears of catching something from someone else, in particular a total stranger with whom one has shared any form of contact.

And when he asks where I have been, I answer honestly and tell him I was lost.
-- Narrator (2 -- "Keeping Up" paragraph 24)

Importance: David is answering Hugh's question as to where David has been while Hugh was ahead of him during a walk while on vacation. David is literally explaining to Hugh that he...