Soft Eyes

The Wire 4×2

Det. Leander Sydnor: Lester, tell me the thought hasn't crossed your mind that some kinda shit could blow back on us, man.
Det. Lester Freamon: Do you know what Theodore Roosevelt said about hunting grizzly bears? The thrill is in overcoming your own fear.
A.S.A. Rhonda Pearlman: What was the thrill for the bear?

A.S.A. Rhonda Pearlman: And the thing that I resent most, that he's not just playing the system, he's playing me! Like I'm part of the problem.
Maj. Cedric Daniels: You were gonna hold back the paper for Davis and Krawczyk, right?
A.S.A. Rhonda Pearlman: Only until the primary was over.
Maj. Cedric Daniels: And now you feel guilty about it... Did he do that thing where he stares at you over the top of his reading glasses? You know, with that look that says, "I'm the father you never had, and I don't want to be disappointed in you ever again."
A.S.A. Rhonda Pearlman: It's not funny, Cedric!

Det. Thomas 'Herc' Hauk: You can't tell nobody. Swear to me you won't spread this around.
Det. Ellis Carver: And he saw you?
Det. Thomas 'Herc' Hauk: Yeah, he saw me. Carv, I'm fucked in the ass with a pineapple on this.

Councilman Thomas 'Tommy' Carcetti: Tomorrow night... I will kick his ass. But the next morning, I still wake up white in a city that ain't.

Det. Thomas 'Herc' Hauk: I think he's pretty mad. I mean, Major, I only took this detail to try and make sergeant on this list.
Maj. Stanislaus 'Stan' Valchek: Kid, you made sergeant already. Shit, if Royce gets re-elected, you'll be a lieutenant in two years and a major in four.

Maj. Stanislaus 'Stan' Valchek: You go back down to the hall. You act like it never happened. You shut up. Say nothing to no one.
Det. Thomas 'Herc' Hauk: But the mayor, he's gonna...
Maj. Stanislaus 'Stan' Valchek: He's gonna watch and see how you carry it. And, kid, you're a fucking rock. When the mayor looks in your face, he knows he can trust you with this. And I'll bet in a couple of weeks, he comes asking, real friendly-like, "What are you looking to do with the department? With your career?" He's interested in you. But he doesn't mention no blow job, and neither do you. Uh-uh. It just lays there like a bad pierogi on the plate, both of you pretending it ain't there.
Det. Thomas 'Herc' Hauk: What if he screws me over? Bounces me to a midnight shift?
Maj. Stanislaus 'Stan' Valchek: He does that, you will talk.

Maj. Stanislaus 'Stan' Valchek: What I wouldn't give to be in your shoes right now... Kid, careers have been launched on a hell of a lot less. Just shut up and play dumb.
Det. Thomas 'Herc' Hauk: I can do that. No problem.

State Sen. R. Clayton 'Clay' Davis: If some federal motherfucker comes through the door, I say, "Hey, it's all in the game." But a city police? Baltimore City? Hell, no! Can't be happenin', 'cause I know I have raised too much goddamn money for the mayor and his ticket. Hell, no! Ain't no soul in the world that fuckin' ungrateful!

Det. William 'Bunk' Moreland: Ah, man. Better to be lucky than to be good.

Mrs. Anderson: Mrs. Scott?
Perlene Scott: Same as last year, double space. Language Arts. We grade a lot of papers. It doesn't make them write any better, but it saves my eyesight.
Mrs. Anderson: Demonstrate it for them. Some of them think double space means more space between words.
Roland 'Prez' Pryzbylewski: I'd have thought by eighth grade...
Mrs. Anderson: Rule of thumb here, Mr. Pryzbylewski, never assume. Explain what you want them to do, have them do it, then explain again. With time and patience, they'll get it. Mrs. Shapiro?
Rachel Shapiro: It's easier to keep track of lab work if we all use the same heading. Upper right-hand corner, above the first blue line, name, date, and class number, in that order?
Mrs. Anderson: Mr. Pryzbylewski, do you have anything you want addressed?
Roland 'Prez' Pryzbylewski: Can we have them not chew gum?
Mrs. Anderson: They won't do it in Ms. Sampson's class, but in four years, I have not been able to stop them. You can try, but first year, it's best to stick with basics. In team rules, we can only go with what we can all enforce.
Rachel Shapiro: Also, keep your windows closed. Makes them drowsy, and drowsy's good.
Mrs. Anderson: There's a lot to learn. But for now, build in lots of activities in your lesson plan, you can't have enough.
Perlene Scott: You keep them busy, you keep them off-guard.
Grace Sampson: You need soft eyes...

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