I guess Art thought what Arlo had done upset me in some way. Could really only be expected; Arlo's a criminal, never been anything else. Art offered me a drink. I didn't need it but I took it anyway... then Boyd got his release. I asked if he was proud, letting a feeble old man take the fall for him - didn't seem to bother him none, one way or the other. He just walked out of there, happy as a preacher on Sunday.
Well, I told you when I came in. Was just... wondering how this was all gonna work out. So you're gonna stay here with your sister until the baby's born?
Any problem, that's someone else's fault. You ever hear of the saying, "You run into an asshole in the morning, you ran into an asshole. You run into assholes all day, you're the asshole"?
Oh, hallelujah! But what you want to know is, do I get bit? Well, am I right? Right. Yes, I do. Now, only twice so far, hallelujah. By this one right here I call Mabel. Now, once, I took her out of her crate too rough, I deserved it. The other time, well, the lord only knows. Both times I survived the venom. It was the lord who saw fit to have me continue my ministry. Now, of course, not all survive. Our daddy and his before died from the serpent's bite, their place in heaven guaranteed, there being no greater sign of obedience to the lord than to be taken home in such a manner. So, that's why we're here. Why are you here, newcomers? You all come to watch the hillbilly with the snakes? Or did you come to be saved?!
You came here about the job, right? You need to hear about this. I got a young kid here, decorated sniper in Iraq War, Army Ranger, I don't know how many kills he had. Always lookin' to kill somebody else. Probably got PTSD. Probably an alcoholic. Not a matter if that powder keg is gonna blow but when. I got a lady marshall here. Brought in two of the top fifteen fugitives to this office, but she's always tryin' to prove herself. I thought she was gonna be the one that would take this office over when I got ready to retire, but now she's left her husband so it's gonna be fun to monitor her emotional state over the next year, see if she can keep it together. Then I got a local boy, born in Harlan county, been investigated so many times internal affairs has got him on speed dial. Father's in prison for murderin' two people, including a state trooper, and his daddy killed somebody else last night in prison and I get to be the one to tell him about it!
I would like to be your distributor of heroin in Harlan county. Now, I figure we split it right down the middle. You and me, we could both make out pretty well.
No, I marked him. Now, anytime anybody sees that little greaser gimp around, hears the punch-drunk way that he talks, what they're seeing and hearing is me.
