Gone Baby Gone

The original quote, with slang

Remy Bressant: I planted evidence on a guy once, back in '95. We were paying $100 an eight-ball to snitches. We got a call from our pal, Ray Likanski. He couldn't find enough guys to rat out. Anyway, he tells us there's a guy pumping up in an apartment up in Columbia Point. We go in, me and Nicky. Fifteen years ago, when Nicky went in, it was no joke. So it's a stash house, right? The old lady's beat to shit, the husband's mean, cracked out, trying to give us trouble, Nicky lays him down. We're doing an inventory, but it looks like we messed up because there's no dope in the house, and I go in the back room. Now, this place was a shithole, mind you. Rats, roaches, all over the place. But the kid's room, in the back, was spotless. No, I mean, he swept it, mopped it. It was immaculate. The little boy's sitting on the bed, holding onto his playstation for dear life. There's no expression on his face, tears streaming down. He wants to tell me he just learned his multiplication tables.

Patrick Kenzie: Christ.

Remy Bressant: I mean, the father's got him in this crack den, subsisting on Twinkies and ass-whippings, and this little boy just wants someone to tell him that he's doing a good job. You're worried what's Catholic? I mean, kids forgive. Kids don't judge. Kids turn the other cheek. What do they get for it? So I went back out there, I put an ounce of heroin on the living room floor, and I sent the father on a ride, seven to life.

What does it mean?

Remy Bressant: In 1995, I pretended that some false and incriminating evidence had come from a suspect, so that he would get in trouble. We were paying $100 for 1/8 ounce quantities of cocaine* that informants wanted. We got a phone call from our friend, Ray Likanski. He was eager to give endless information about fellow criminals that would be useful in arresting and prosecuting them. Anyway, he told us there was a drug dealer in an apartment in Columbia Point. We went in, me and Nicky. Fifteen years ago, when Nicky went in to that kind of situation, he was a dangerous man. It was a place where the drugs were stored, do you understand? The man's wife had been severely beaten, and the husband was mean, high on crack cocaine and trying to give us trouble, Nicky beat him. We were doing an inventory, but it looked like we made a mistake because there weren't any drugs in the house, and I went in the back room. Now, this place was incredibly dirty and messy, do you understand? There were rats and cockroaches everywhere. But the child's room, in the back, was spotless. Seriously, he swept it and mopped it. It was immaculate. The little boy was sitting on the bed, holding onto his Playstation video game console as if it could save him. There was no expression on his face, tears streaming down. He wanted to tell me he had just learned his multiplication tables.

Patrick Kenzie: How terrible.

Remy Bressant: Let me emphasize this--the father had him in this crack cocaine drug house, eating nothing but junk food like Hostess brand Twinkies snack cakes and being beaten, and this little boy just wanted someone to tell him that he was doing a good job. You're worried what is Catholic? Children forgive you. Children don't judge. Children turn the other cheek**. What is their reward? So I went back out there, and I put an ounce of heroin on the living room floor, so that the father would be sent to prison for a term of seven years to life.

*This can also mean crystal methamphetamine.

** words of Jesus Christ from the New Testament of the Bible, Matthew 5:39: "But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also."

The original quote, with slang

Bubba Rogowski: There's reasons why there ain't three inches of plexiglass between us right now. That's because I don't fuck with skeezers like Helene. Or coconuts like Cheese. You should know better by now. I'm the king of this motherfucking jungle.

What does it mean?

Bubba Rogowski: There are reasons why I'm not in prison now*. That's because I don't have any dealings with dirty women like Helene or crazy people like Cheese. You should know me better by now. I'm the king of this dangerous place.

*Thick plexiglass walls separate prisoners from visitors in US prisons.

The original quote, with slang

Helene McCready: I know I fucked up. I just want my daughter back. I swear to God, I won't use no drugs no more. I won't even go out--I'll be fucking straight. Cross my heart.

What does it mean?

Helene McCready: I know I made a mistake. I just want my daughter back. I swear to God, I won't use drugs any more. I won't even go out socially--I'll live a clean life. I promise.*

* "Cross my heart" is a oath especially common with children, who sometimes use the longer form "Cross my heart and hope to die, stick a needle in my eye" (the punishments for not keeping the promise). It comes from making the sign of the Christian cross over the heart.

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