Wayne Hays quotes from True Detective

Wayne Hays

Please explain to me all the hardships and tribulations of bein' a white man in this country.

Wayne Hays

[after having sex with Amelia] Hell of a day when a gunfight is the second most exciting thing that happens to you.

Wayne Hays

[to Henry] Before you ever knew me, I wasn't scared much. I wasn't a fearful man. I did things some even called brave. Ya'll made a coward of me. I've been terrified since the day you were born.

Wayne Hays

Yeah, of course I remember.

Not too long ago?

Wayne Hays

10 years is nothin'. I remember everything.

Well, we can't know. What you don't remember, you don't know you don't remember.

Wayne Hays

That's some education on semantics you're givin' me. Hey, let's skip the deposition and I'll just take notes on your lecture.

Roland West

You see yourself gettin' married, Purple?

Wayne Hays

No, sir. I'm not a big enough asshole to put a woman and children through that.

Alan Jones

I think it's a strong case.

Wayne Hays

You get paid to think that, right?

Roland West

Steve McQueen died today.

Wayne Hays

We should do something.

Roland West

We could go to Miss Minnie's.

Wayne Hays

Give me a break. I can't pay for it, man.

Roland West

It's more honest than most relationships. You never bought no Saigon trim while you was over there?

Wayne Hays

Guess I'm a romantic.

Roland West

I'm a feminist. If they wanna sell me a piece of ass, they got the right.

Alan Jones

You questioned people during this time, right?

Wayne Hays

You know another way to do it?

Brett Woodard

I ain't one of them burnouts. Y'know - come back and start bustin' guys up, gettin' high. And I ain't a bum. I keep a house. I pay my way.

Wayne Hays

Hey, I ain't judgin', man. Look, I punch in and out. I put on a suit in the morning. And to be honest, I don't have much of a life.

Brett Woodard

So why? Why punch in? Why the suit?

Wayne Hays

I don't ask myself questions like that. Could be I'm too chicken-shit, Mr. Woodard.

Henry Hays

I think Mom would want you to move on, enjoy the family you got around you.

Wayne Hays

Yeah. She and I always had different ideas. I remember that.

You get off on this? You got a hankerin' for cuffing white folks?

Wayne Hays

[deadpan] Now and then, yeah.

Henry Hays

Do you remember the rest of dinner at my place? Do you remember me driving you home?

Wayne Hays

Yeah.

Henry Hays

Heather drove you home.

Wayne Hays

Now we're playin' "Gotcha"?

Mr. Hays, your son loves you. Our only concern is for your well-being.

Wayne Hays

[angry] I know my son loves me, doctor, but thanks for walking me through that.

Amelia Reardon

The boys couldn't stop telling me stuff. I was pretty tremendous. I think I have a future at this. [sees him reading her book] You're reading it! Finally.

Wayne Hays

Yeah, I read it. Kept seeing my name. [pause] Are you drunk?

Amelia Reardon

No! I had a drink at dinner. This detective took me out to eat.

Wayne Hays

Ah. Terrific.

Amelia Reardon

I got a lot of info from him. Listen, her fingerprints were found just in the cosmetics aisle. Looks like she was probably a customer. They have the prior week's surveillance footage. I think they're going to let me look at it.

Wayne Hays

[angry but controlled] I didn't get any of the shit you wanted at Wal-Mart.

Amelia Reardon

[confused] OK... did something happen? Are the kids alright?

Wayne Hays

The kids are fine.

Wayne Hays

I'm fine. But one thing? One favor? [throws the book across the room] Do not come bouncing in here, half in the bag, all giddy about this shit, alright? Can you do that? Can you summon the mental resolve to shut up about this shit with me?

Amelia Reardon

If you feel this way, you don't have to talk to me like that. You can just tell me.

Wayne Hays

You've been told. Now, why don't you check on your kids, since you haven't seen them all day. They're supposed to be in bed.

Amelia Reardon

Fuck off! I'm with them five times the amount you are for a job that treats you like shit!

Wayne Hays

I don't really feel like trading curses. I said my piece.

Amelia Reardon

I'm not gonna stop, Wayne. [leaves]

Wayne Hays

How much do I have to lose?

Amelia Reardon

Everything. Same as everyone else.

Just little things I do.

Wayne Hays

Somebody bought 'em. Do you know who?

Well, the last I sold these myself was at the fair in October. I'd only sold a couple and then one man bought ten off me. That was nice.

Wayne Hays

You know who he was? You remember anything about him?

Didn't recognize him. Negro man, like yourself. Oh, he had a dead eye. Filmy, you know, like a cataracts?

Wayne Hays

Nothing 'bout his face besides the eye? Handsome, ugly?

Well, like I say, uh, he was black.