Proposition Joe quotes from The Wire

Proposition Joe

I'm doing like one of them marriage counselors. Charge by the hour to tell some fool he need to bring some flowers home. Then charge another hour telling the bitch she oughta suck some cock every little once in a while. You know, keep a marriage strong like that.

Proposition Joe

[about Brother Mouzone] You don't think I'm gonna send any of my people up against Brother? Shit, That nigga got more bodies on him than a Chinese cemetery.

Proposition Joe

For a cold-ass crew of gangstaz, y'all carried it like Republicans and shit.

Proposition Joe

[to Stringer] The feeling is it ain't right for you to be at the head of our table, when you can't call off your dog. Call it a crisis of leadership.

Proposition Joe

[after making a deal with Omar] Omar on the one side holding a spade. And maybe Marlo to the other holding a shovel. And just at this moment... I managed to crawl out my own damn grave. No way do I crawl back in.

Proposition Joe

[on Marlo] It ain't easy civilizin' this motherfucker.

Proposition Joe

Marlo is Marlo, man. He weren't the one that put me in this trick bag. The motherfucker who snuggled up and whispered in Marlo's ear did that.

Avon

Yo ref, yo ref, yo ref... what the fuck? The boy was fouled, clear, straight up... how you going to not call that?

Look, if you want I can put time back on the clock and replay it...

Avon

Are you talking about a do-over, baby? Are you talking about a fucking do-over? That's not how the game is played. You can't do that! Fuck, can you believe this shit? This nigga talkin' about doin' it again!

Look, I don't want any trouble, okay...

Proposition Joe

Ain't going to be no trouble over no ball...

Avon

Man, you supposed to be the ref, right? Why don't you stand up for your fuckin' self, you pussy! You can't just let any ol' motherfucking nigga get in your face... understand? Now walk away. Walk away. Turn around and walk the fuck away... ignorant motherfucker.

Proposition Joe

We cool?

Avon

Yeah, we cool baby, you tell your people to come up here to the park Saturday at noon. Of course, you come on the West Side again, without a ball, I'm a light your ass up.

Proposition Joe

He said y'all would be paying my fee rather than his ownself...

Stringer

Your fee?

Proposition Joe

I'm doing like one of them marriage counselors. Charge by the hour to tell some fool he need to bring some flowers home, then charge another hour telling the bitch she oughta suck some cock every little once in a while. You know, keep a marriage strong like that. [Omar arrives] Speaking of cocksuckers... [to Omar] Don't believe we met. Proposition Joe. You ever steal from me, I'll kill your whole family. A'ight, you're both here on my guarantee, so respect that shit and say what you feel. I'm up out of here.

Stringer

I got a man who say he gonna give you your life back, yo.

Omar

Who? Barksdale?

Stringer

My man say, "Tell that motherfucker that if he can find a way not to dip in our pockets, we gonna call this shit even."

Omar

Y'all aced Bailey, and what you did to my boy? So y'all think after what you did to Brandon, we supposed to find some even on this, huh?

Stringer

Yo, I don't know shit about shit, alright? I'm just the messenger.

Omar

Whatever, man.

Stringer

You know there's dead on both sides, right? There's gonna be a whole lot more if this beef keep up, but the truth be told? There be more soldiers on one half than the other, y'know what I'm sayin'?

Omar

Hey, look here, son - you tell Barksdale that he's been paid back for what he did to my peoples. As for his product, well... man's gotta earn a living, y'know?

Stringer

I don't know nobody called Barksdale, B. The man I'm talking about can't have his shit taken like that. That won't do.

Omar

A'ight. Tell him to throw me some cash, then, and we'll see: about five or ten thousand. Y'know what I mean, for my retirement, homes.

Stringer

Fine, if you can keep quiet about it.

Omar

Send my money through Joe, man.

Stringer

You go through Joe, you're not gonna see two thousand of that. Why don't you tell my man where you at?

Omar

Nah, nah, nah, we gonna figure something else out, you heard? I'll be in touch, homes.

Family cannot be helped.

Proposition Joe

Who you tellin'? I got motherfuckin' nephews and in-laws fucking all my shit up all the time and it ain't like I can pop a cap in their ass and not hear about it Thanksgivin' time. For real, I'm livin' life with some burdensome niggers.

Thanks for bein' straight on this.

Proposition Joe

Fool, if it wasn't for Sergei here, you and your cuz' both would be cadaverous motherfuckers.

Proposition Joe

Business men, such as myself, does not believe in bad blood with a man such as yourself. Disturbs the sleep.

Omar

Oh, I bet it do.

Proposition Joe

I treated you like a son.

Marlo

I wasn't made to play the son.

Proposition Joe

Proposition, then--I just step out the way. You never hear from me again. I just disappear.

Marlo

Joe, you'd be up into mischief in no time. Truth is, you wouldn't be able to change up any more than me.