Betty Draper quotes from Mad Men

Betty Draper

[To her psychiatrist] I don't know why I'm here. I mean, I do, I'm nervous, I guess. Anxious. I don't sleep that well. And my hands. They're fine now, it's like when you have a problem with your car and you go to a mechanic and it's not doing it anymore. Not that you're a mechanic. I guess a lot of people must come here worried about the bomb. Is that true? It's a common nightmare, people say. I read it in a magazine. My mother always told me that it wasn't polite to talk about yourself. She passed away recently. I guess I already said that.

Betty

[about her mother] I miss her. I understand that. It's good and bad. She wanted me to be beautiful so I could find a man. There's nothing wrong with that. But then what? Just sit and smoke and let it go till you're in a box?

Betty Draper

There's a difference between wanting and having.

Betty Draper

[to her daughter] You don't kiss boys. Boys kiss you.

Betty

"I want what I want when I want it." And you don't care what it does to the rest of us, like someone else I know.

Betty

That poor girl. She doesn't know that loving you is the worst way to get to you.

Betty

[in her letter to Sally] I used to worry about you because you marched to your own drummer. But now I realize that's a good thing. You life will be an adventure. I love you. Mom.

Betty Draper

I liked your girl Peggy. She's fresh.

Don Draper

As the driven snow.

Betty

[to Don, as he grabs her arm] You want to bounce me off the walls? Would that make you feel better?

Don

Sometimes I feel like I'm living with a child.

[about Arthur] We talk about you, and how Gertie has a crush on you.

Betty Draper

She's a sadist. I'll see you Saturday?

Don't you hate getting manure in that?

Betty

Little children. What's the difference?

Betty Draper

Where have you been? You disappeared.

Don Draper

I had to have some time to think about things.

Betty

Must be nice. Needing time and just taking it, all on your own terms, not wondering what anybody thinks. Me, the children.

Don

Bets, I'd do anything I could to undo what happened.

Betty

What happened?

Don

I was not respectful to you.

Betty

Well, now I know I'm not crazy, that helps.

Don

I can't walk away from this, I want to be with you, I want to be together again.

Betty

[shakes head] I don't know. Honestly, things haven't been that different without you.

Betty Draper

Where's Don?

He's in the waiting room.

Betty Draper

Bullshit! He's never where you expect him to be.

Don

People change their names, Bets. You did.

Betty Draper

I did. I took your name.

Betty Draper

What would you do if you were me? Would you love you?

Don Draper

I was surprised you ever loved me.

Don

I can explain.

Betty

I know you can. You're a gifted storyteller.