Mother and Norman Bates in “Unfinished Business”

I just don't know what you're thinking.

Norman Bates

Mother, I'm not thinking anything. She's just a nice girl. Would it really be that awful if I had a friend?

Oh, here we go...

Norman Bates

Oh, mother, what is wrong with you?

What is wrong with me? Well, let's see, uh, let's see... for starters: I'm dead. And why am I pretending to be dead? So I can get away from everyone and everything that could distract me from you, okay?

Norman Bates

I know that, and I appreciate it...

You "appreciate" it? "Appreciate it"? What, like I baked you a coffee cake or something? I spend 24/7 in this house, looking after you, feeding you, bolstering your moods, doing your laundry. I can't leave! I can't go anywhere! I'm going nuts here! I literally gave up my life to protect you, okay, to give you a life without trouble, and we're doing it. We're doing it, right? I mean, a mentally ill boy and a dead woman. We're actually doing it. We have customers, we have a life.

Norman Bates

I know, and I appreciate it.

Stop saying you appreciate it!

Norman Bates

I'm sorry, mother. It's not fair to you. I know that.

It's not that, okay? It's not that. It's just that... you just can't have other people in your life. I mean, what're you going to, bring her over? Where am I going to go, the closet?

Norman Bates

I'm not going to bring her here to dinner. That's just absurd.

I know you, Norman. C'mon, I know you. I know you better than anyone. You can't have other people, especially women. You just make my job harder.

Norman Bates

Your job?

Protecting you.