Jimmy McNulty quotes from The Wire

McNulty

See, that's what I don't get about the drug thing. Why can't you sell the shit and walk the fuck away? You know what I mean? Everything else in this country gets sold without people shooting each other behind it.

McNulty

On this case, we're never where we need to be.

McNulty

[to Pearlman] They're gonna do me, Ronnie. I love this fucking job, and they're gonna do me.

McNulty

Well, you know what they say: "stupid criminals make stupid cops". I'm proud to be chasing this guy.

McNulty

If only half you motherfuckers at the district attorney's office didn't want to be judges, didn't want to be partners in some downtown law firm... If half of you had the fucking balls to follow through, you know what would happen? A guy like that would be indicted, tried and convicted. And the rest of 'em would back up enough, so we could push a clean case or two through your courthouse. But no, everybody stays friends. Everybody gets paid. And everybody's got a fucking future.

McNulty

Fuck it, they chew you up, they gotta spit you back out.

McNulty

[to Stringer] I had such fuckin' hopes for us.

McNulty

[standing over Stringer's body, talking to Bunk] I caught him, Bunk. On the wire. I caught him. He doesn't fuckin' know it.

McNulty

Wonder what it feels like to work in a real fuckin' police department.

McNulty

You start to tell the story, you think you're the hero, and then when you get done talking...

McNulty

Let's go home.

I'm sayin', every Friday night in an alley behind the Cut Rate, we rollin' bones, you know? I mean all them boys, we roll til late.

McNulty

Alley crap game, right?

Like every time, Snot, he'd fade a few shooters, play it out til the pot's deep. Snatch and run.

McNulty

What, every time?

Couldn't help hisself.

McNulty

Let me understand. Every Friday night, you and your boys are shooting craps, right? And every Friday night, your pal Snot Boogie... he'd wait til there's cash on the ground and he'd grab it and run away? You let him do that?

We'd catch him and beat his ass but ain't nobody ever go past that.

McNulty

I gotta ask ya: If every time Snotboogie would grab the money and run away, why'd you even let him in the game?

What?

McNulty

If Snotboogie always stole the money, why'd you let him play?

Got to. This America, man.

McNulty

All I did was answer the guy's questions, he's a fucking judge.

Landsman

And the Deputy's the fucking Deputy, and he, not the judge, has what's left of your be-shitted career in his hot little hands.

McNulty

So your boy's name is what?

Snot.

McNulty

You call the guy Snot?

Snot Boogie.

What?

McNulty

Snot Boogie. [man shrugs] This kid, whose mamma went to the trouble of christening him Omar Isaiah Betts. You know, he forgets his jacket, so his nose starts running, and some asshole, instead of getting him a Kleenex, he calls him Snot. So he's Snot forever. Doesn't seem fair.

Life just be that way, I guess.

McNulty

So, who shot Snot?

I ain't goin' to no court. [shakes his head] Motherfucker ain't have to put no cap in him, though.

McNulty

Definitely not.

I mean, he could've whooped his ass like we always whoop his ass.

McNulty

I agree with you.

He goin' kill Snot, Snot been doin' the same shit I don't know how long. Kill a man over some bullshit. I'm sayin', every Friday night in an alley behind the Cut Rate, we rollin' bones, you know? I mean all them boys, we roll til late.

McNulty

Alley crap game, right?

Like every time, Snot, he'd fade a few shooters, play it out til the pot's deep. Snatch and run.

McNulty

What, every time?

Couldn't help hisself.

McNulty

Let me understand. Every Friday night, you and your boys are shooting craps, right? And every Friday night, your pal Snot Boogie... he'd wait til there's cash on the ground and he'd grab it and run away? You let him do that?

We'd catch him and beat his ass but ain't nobody ever go past that.

McNulty

I gotta ask ya: if every time Snot Boogie would grab the money and run away, why'd you even let him in the game?

What?

McNulty

If Snot Boogie always stole the money, why'd you let him play?

Got to. This America, man.

McNulty

How happy am I to see my pager go off with your call number?

Bunk

Smoke 'em if you got 'em, because this muthafucka is as ripe as they get.

McNulty

We aren't up. Nolan's squad is up.

Bunk

I know, I know.

McNulty

But you had to answer the fuckin' phone, didn't you?

Bunk

I gotta pay down my credit cards, man.

McNulty

Not off him, you ain't. Motherfucker, I leave you alone for a minute or two, what do you do?

Bunk

All right, I heard ya!

McNulty

Well, say the words, Bunk.

Bunk

Oh, come on, man.

McNulty

Speak to me.

Bunk

So you gonna cut and run on the Bunk? That shit ain't right, Jimmy. All right then, this is my case, my file. This shit comes back a murder, you ain't gotta do shit but stand there and laugh at me. You happy now, ya bitch?

McNulty

This'll teach you to give a fuck when it ain't your turn to give a fuck.

Bunk

It ain't even gonna be a murder. This muthafucka probably came in here to take a shit or somethin' and just fell out. I betcha there ain't nothin' to it.

McNulty

[turns to leave] You hope.

Bunk

Where you goin'?

McNulty

Back to the office, where I belong.

Bunk

You... molderin' muthafucka, don't even think about comin' back a murder. Don't even think of that shit.