I have often heard that the first sentence of a short story or a novel is very important to the work, as the first sentence should capture the reader's attention and make him or her want to continue reading the story. So, as a little audience participation I would like to hear some great first sentences. You can post them in the comments of this post. If they are from a book you have read, please source the book. I also welcome any first sentences that are your own work.