"These words dropped into my childish mind as if you should accidentally drop a ring into a deep well. I did not think of them much at the time, but there came a day in my life when the ring was fished up out of the well, good as new"

John Steinbeck's quote is a metaphor for the power of memories. The words he heard as a kid were like a ring dropped into a deep well, forgotten until a later time in his life when they were all of a sudden kept in mind. The quote suggests that memories, even those from childhood, can stay with us and be recalled when needed. It also indicates that memories can be remembered in their original type, just as the ring was fished up out of the well, excellent as new. This quote is a suggestion that our experiences, even those from our childhood, can form our lives and stay with us for a long time.