The Wire (2002–2008): Season 4, Episode 9 - Know Your Place - full transcript

But it's a snail,
you see,

and it go--
it go, "Meow."

It's a what, now?
What?

It meows.

Then it ooze all up
SpongeBob's belly

Iike it's his pet
and shit.

Yo, y'all niggers watch
too many cartoons, I swear.

Hey!

Look, see, this is what's wrong with
the justice system right here.

Niggers get locked up
and they don't stay that way.

They make it hard to
take this shit serious.

What, you snitchin'
or something?

Shit no, man.

You know they only
gave me, like, four, right?

Know what I'm saying?
I done 15 months.

So with good time, I'm like,
"Man, what the fuck?"

Shit.

Yeah, man.

So...

Yeah, man,
it ain't like it was, but it'll do.

- So who we slinging for?
- Marlo Stanfield.

- Come on, man!
- Yo, man, yeah.

I was getting this nice
package from Slim Charles,

but Marlo got the muscle
to hold us down,

so that's where we at.

Shit, one boss
same as the next, man.

Make sure they ain't
sleepin', all right?

Hey, yo, Little Kev,

I told you about
the boy, Poot, right?

Yeah.
Pussy hound.

You just home?

- How long in?
- 15 months.

You got laid yet?

Shit, I think
I already been burnt.

Shit, I might need a ride
to the clinic today.

I see ain't shit changed
around this joint.

On the wall, gents.

Make this easy
on all of us.

Which one of youse
is Little Kevin?

Come on, fellas.
It ain't no big deal.

We just need some face time
with the motherfucker.

Your name Kevin?

No, this is, uh--

Poot.
I'm Poot, yo.

Poot, right, yeah. Didn't you
get locked up or shot or something?

Society say l
deserve another chance.

Yeah? Let's see. Which one of
these dickheads here is Little Kevin?

- Man, I don't know no Kevin.
- Society can bite my dick.

Come on, Bodie. I know this kid
works up here with you.

- What's your name?
- Do I look little to you?

All right. Fuck this. Everyone
under 150 lbs or 5'6" is in the cab.

You, you, and you.

And unless I see birth certificates
saying otherwise,

you're my Little Kevins.

And if that don't get it,
we're coming the fuck back.

That's fucked up, yo.

You got any
paper on you?

Man, fuck if I know.

These police out here knew how
to flip it even just a little,

my shit would
be in handcuffs.

You know?

They don't know shit.

Damn!

You my ride?

I'm your motherfucking
savior, is what I am.

Told y'all Andre
was lying on me, yo.

I didn't do it
for you.

Fact is...

if I could work back on
whatever cases I already caught,

you might be going
right back inside.

I know.

So who did kill
that delivery girl?

I don't know.

Know it wasn't Andre.

His blood don't run
that kind of cold.

Who he getting his
package from?

Saying I could go back
to the crib and bear up,

find some things out
for you if you want me to--

You owe me,
motherfucker.

I'm saying
I know I do, man.

And if you want to pay down
any part of this debt,

you know what you
gotta do for me?

No more bodies.

No more fucking
bodies from you.

No more comebacks
or get-evens on this.

No more killing.

You owe me your word.

All right, man.

No bodies on me.

You really want
to ease my mind,

you'll let me drive you
down to Aberdeen rail station,

put you on a
northbound train.

Naw, man.

Baltimore's all I know.

You know what
it is like, homey.

Man gotta live what
he know, right?

You're absolutely right.

There are many significant
factors to consider,

but getting
crime under control

is key to sparking
investment here,

- jump-starting growth.
- If you make it safe, they will come.

Well, I hate to begin our beautiful
relationship with my hand out,

but I'm told that two federal grants
to my office dry up this year.

That's right.
Come the first of the year,

those DOJ grants evaporate,
and you're out 1 2 prosecutors.

Well, I was hoping you'd
be able to absorb that

in the general fund,

maybe even throw in
a little bit more,

make it competitive with the PD
and Attorney General's jobs--

starts the turnover.
It's killing us.

This would be the time to do it.
I mean, we're over the revenue

expected for this point
in the fiscal year

next to the
real estate market.

How much past? 'Cause l
want to come out of the box

with a big bump
in police salaries,

in particular the
commissioner's salary,

which needs to jump,
like, 50 grand.

Well, a good guess would be a
one-shot surplus of about 20 million.

But that's rainy-day money
for more than crime.

Word around North Avenue is that
the schools are running a deficit.

Excuse me. Did you say a
50,000 bump for Ervin Burrell?

Well, no, not
for Burrell per se.

Oh, for the next police
commissioner, then.

- That's what you mean?
- Well, looking ahead, it makes sense.

Because firing Burrell would
upset a good-sized block

of my constituency, not
to mention the ministers.

And I think the budget chair
might have a difficult time

allowing a higher salary
to be approved.

In fact, I can guarantee if
that proposal's in the budget--

your first, for the record--

the bill won't come out
of committee intact.

I'm just saying that in
the event Commissioner Burrell

were to leave, we'd want
to bump that salary

in order to attract
the best candidates,

in particular the best
African-American candidates

from across the nation.

With three years left in his term,
why would he leave?

Councilman, what may not have
been obvious to you

on the Public Safety
Subcommittee

is that the budget process
is a carefully orchestrated ballet,

a cooperative effort between
the branches of government.

Well, Madam President,

the nuances of that
cooperative effort

are beginning to come
into focus for me.

Thank you, Madam President.

Come on in, everyone.

Don't wait by the door.

Duquan, you're here.

Randy, you're here.

No, you two switch.

Calvin, you're here
in the front.

Quenice, you're here.

Michael, you're here.

Destiny, here.

Myesha, here.

Dashonda, here.

Come on, keep moving.
Don't stop at the door.

Come in.
Let's get started.

Could be a problem.

How so?

Your boy been assigned to

- what they call the Major Crimes Unit.
- Meaning what?

They the motherfuckers that did
the last three city wiretaps--

one where they bugged
Barksdale's office,

another where they hit
Kentel up in Park Heights.

And the last one-- shit.

They was all up on
Stringer Bell's cell phone.

You ain't still using
burners, is you?

I'm dumping them
every two weeks.

Not good enough.
You read that.

You'll see that Stringer was changing
his number every damn day

and they still pulled the motherfucker's
voice off a goddamn cell phone tower.

City police did that?

Where'd you get this?

Courthouse clerk's office.

Hey, the shit's
open to the public

after they finish
prosecuting your ass.

You need to lose
them cell phones, son.

Me-- I ain't as so much as
touched a burner in a year.

5'9" and 3/8?

You got it.

Now, hold the measure

and spread your
arms out to the side.

What you got?

I want one.

So, your cat can eat 'em?

So, how'd you find them?

I'm going to
the calculators.

Give me that.

Give it here.

The same.

Your height and your
arm span-- identical.

Quenice?

See, look. You about
to get me in trouble.

So, you say you
like to box, right?

You must have some
kind of reach.

Everything cheap
on computers

if you know where
to look for it.

Yo, this mean the price
I'm getting from the Koreans,

yo, they still
marking it up some.

They gotta be.

I can make twice
as much using this here.

Uh-uh.

Can't.

All this along the lower
Patapsco/Westport area

is ready for a turn.

The proximity to downtown
and the B.W. Parkway

make it ideal for Washington
commuters. That's a given.

- Anything to speed it up?
- A harbor promenade could work,

going west from both
sides of the bridge.

The South Harbor Promenade,
brought to you by--

Mayor Thomas Carcetti--

and the citizens
of Baltimore.

Doesn't quite have
the same ring

as a stadium or
an aquarium expansion,

- does it?
- It's a start.

Further east, you've got
the Locust Point Marine Terminal,

which, unfortunately,
is still a working enterprise,

and the further you go
into Brooklyn/Curtis Bay,

the more
the skyline disappears.

We lose
the Washington crowd.

For that part of
the waterfront,

- you're gonna need a different draw.
- Casinos?

Oh, the urban planning
default? I don't want to see

the kind of crime
that comes with casinos.

Tax base is tax base.

This is where
I get off the boat.

It's one thing to sell
waterfront for tax base,

but now you're just sucking
paychecks out of my community.

Well, it was just a thought.
And, anyway,

we're getting
ahead of ourselves.

This is just the first
long meeting of many.

So, thanks to everyone,
and we'll continue this later.

Madam President,
a word with you?

Do you have a minute?

You and me, we got
a problem already?

Just trying to help guide
you through the process,

Mr. Mayor... -Elect.

Felt more like you
were dragging me

across a minefield,
Nerese.

- Why you so pissed off at me?
- Look.

Clarence shouldn't have run again
for any number of reasons.

I was ready to step up,
and the deal was cut long ago

that he'd back me
when the time came.

You and Tony--
you guys jumped the line.

It wasn't your turn.

Oh, whoa. Whoa.

First of all, I'm sorry if Tony
and I ruined your party plans,

but I wasn't privy to whatever
you and Clarence cooked up.

That aside, I was kind of looking
forward to working closely together.

I think that we could
make things happen.

You're only getting
the one term, Tommy.

I'm not gonna stand
down next time.

What makes you think I'll even
be around that long?

Governor's race
is in two years,

and plans can change.

You might find yourself
mayor in 2008

without so much as
a campaign speech.

Wasn't easy
tracking you down.

The numbers I got for
you don't work no more.

I see you got
a problem.

Looking rough, Bubs.

I been keeping
it clean, you know...

pushing my carts and all.

But this one young man--
every time I cross him,

I get tossed
for what I got on me.

Cash, pills.

I mean, he look on me
like an ATM or some shit, I swear.

I'm ready to work, Kima.

Get this motherfucker off me,
I'll do what you need.

Look at me, Bubs.
I ain't in Narco.

Yeah, I see.
You look nice.

I'm working homicides.

So, if the bad boy
happen to kill me,

you can help me out then,
right?

If we drive around a bit,

you think you can put
eyes on this motherfucker?

I can try.

Get in.

So, Nerese is
bucking already.

Feels like if
the mayor's chair

ain't gonna go to Royce,
it should be hers.

Problem is she's gonna
see any proposal

to raise
the commissioner's salary

- as a move against Burrell.
- Which it is.

We can't raise the salary,

we can't attract strong
minority candidates.

No strong candidates,

we can't get rid
of the guy we got.

Fuck if I'm gonna live with
Burrell as my commissioner.

What if he quits?

Quits?

Maybe the man can be shamed.
If he leaves on his own account,

that takes us off the hook
with Nerese and the ministers, right?

No. I mean, we don't want
your credit card number.

I mean, we won't
even know the number.

We just need you
to order the candy.

And you have cash
up front?

He pay you back, Mr. P.
When he sell off, man,

he gonna pay you back.

Yeah.

Points on the
package, huh?

No way.

Aw, come on, Mr. Pryzbo.

I mean, doesn't it teach us
math? Addition, subtraction,

uh, a quarter,
a quarter of a dollar,

a dime, a tenth,
you know?

No cash, no card.

All right. Fine.

Cash up front.

No problem.

And if you come in with
a wad of bills tomorrow, Randy,

I want to know where
they came from.

I don't want either
of you out on the corner.

All right.

Ms. Thiessen, you okay?

Hey, uh...

I think my car's
been stolen.

Yeah, man.
All right...

so what I'm saying
is that you got from

Bentlow down there to
Rosewood right here.

All right?

Now, I got the block
from Monroe

all the way down
to Pacer,

so I got you covered
from that side,

but you gotta put lookouts
in Franklintown to catch anybody

- coming from the other way.
- All right, I got you.

- Are you ready to work?
- Yeah, just get my re-up.

We'll go on about
the shit for real.

- No, are you ready to work?
- Yeah. Ready to work.

- Donut, go talk to Little Kevin for me.
- All right. Watch the ride.

Hey, yo, look. Man, please do not be
having your mama come talk for you.

Man, I ain't have
her do nothing.

She just get on her horse
and come with it.

Look. I done did everything
I can for you and yours,

but from here on, your moms
can't do nothing to help. All right?

Him?

From Wee-Bey?

Your moms?

No sign of
the motherfucker Andre.

Store been padlocked a week.

Ain't even calling
for his re-up.

Huh.

Check the man at the jail?

Yeah.

People say Omar ain't even been
on the tier for two weeks,

so he either
staying someplace

or they got him
at county lock-up.

Or the charges
been dropped.

If this
cocksucker's sprung,

my man is backing
up on his story.

Mean he could
back up on y'all.

I'm on it.

How about
the New York boys?

We dropped five of them.

The rest went to ground.

Drive through East Baltimore,

you don't even see
a Baltimore nigger with a Yankee cap.

Want us to stay
on that, too?

I talked to the fat man,

but I think
we're done there.

This shit with Andre--
job one.

No.

We could try
the avenue again.

He be behind
the market sometimes.

Look, Bubs, I ain't
got all fucking day.

I'm on shift work now.

I'm working murders.

He banked me four times
this week, Kima.

I'm having dreams about this
low-bottom motherfucker.

All right.
I tell you what--

you want to work?

I'll call Sydnor or Herc
down at Major Crimes,

put you with someone
doing drug work.

You work for them, they'll
help you with your problem.

All right?

I need this now, Kima.

I'll tell them that.

Woman--

So show me where
you're living,

and I'll tell them
where they can find you.

Make the left.

I don't understand.

You told the man you not
gonna kill no one.

I gave my word on that.

Fuck we doing
back here then, Papa?

I can still put a gun
in Andre's face, right?

That man got some
explaining to do.

It's dead out here, yo.

Tip on out.

I don't know why he don't
trust us with it, yo.

I mean, we trustworthy,
ain't we?

Just gotta get enough for the first
order. Then we're good.

All right!
Hard six!

Come on, trey!

I'm in.

Go away, boy.

Oh, you in?

Yeah.

Pass line for me, yo.

Oh, shit!

Yeah. Get that money.
Get that money, shorty.

Get that money.

I heard tell of it,
but I didn't believe it.

All this overtime,

all for two cases
as a secondary.

First the names are red,

then they're green,

then they're black.

And that doesn't
even include the court pay

you make if the soft
case goes to trial.

Sweet.

So, what you gonna do
with yours, Detective Greggs, huh?

Pay down some debt.

- Why you leaving?
- Your luck ain't gonna change.

Don't worry
about that, man.

Yo, thanks for
walking us off.

I thought we was
gonna get banked.

You ain't gonna
bank us, is you?

Shit, boy.

You think I'm
that ungrateful?

I followed you
through 10 shooters

and made more money
that I have in a month.

Nah.
I ain't gonna rob you.

I just need to know next time
you fade a dice game. You feel?

I mean, it's all about
the math, you know,

the probabilities and all.

I ain't never seen
you in a game before.

Where you learn
your game?

Edward Tilghman Middle.

Shit.

All we got
is Little Kevin.

Oh, Bodie's boy, huh?

What'd I tell you? Bubs gets
it the first time. Here.

Y'all meet up with me
in the afternoon tomorrow--

after school lets out--

and I'll give
Kevin a new hat.

A hat trick?
Cool.

Yo, Herc, man?

What's up?

It's not about
the money this time.

He breaking me every day
unless I give him something.

I can't-- I can't
take it anymore, man.

Once we're done
with Kevin,

you go find this asshole,

hit my cell phone.

I'll be on him
five minutes later.

I promise.

Then you add this, yo,
and watch it fizzle.

Whoa whoa whoa whoa.

Not so much.
Not so much.

You gonna make it spill
everywhere, you see?

What are you
still doing here?

Ain't nobody
want you here.

Your mama want me.

Yeah.
You and the pipe.

Shouldn't talk about your
mama like that, Michael.

- Hey, Daddy, see my volcano?
- Bug, go upstairs.

Bug need me, too.

Saturday, right?

Bug need me.

My teachers say
I gotta need glasses.

I gotta have
an adult with me.

Pick 'em up.
Sign for 'em.

Bug, go upstairs
to your room.

Ice cold, boy.
Where you be?

Ain't got a forgiveness
to your soul.

Man, fuck you.

Watch your mouth.

You're big,
but not big enough.

Now...

where's that D.S.S. card?

Your mama said
that come to me.

Ain't nothing left
on this month's check anyway.

Before the first
of the month, then.

- Hey.
- Hey.

Uh, come on in.

I see the little man done
took over the living room.

Good for him.

Well, you know how it goes.

Well, I'm just
messing with you.

Place looks great.

Even the toys look
like they belong.

This is...

this month and
two going back.

I'm just trying
to catch up.

I appreciate you not
coming after me for it.

Knocking over
liquor stores now?

Overtime from Homicide.

It stays like this,

and I won't have a problem
coming up with my share.

Kima--

this ain't,
"Please take me back,"

but a deal's a deal,
right?

Hey, I'm home.

Hey, Elijah.

Hey.

Um, Kima, this is
Nancine Owens.

Sorry.
The place is a mess.

You could stay for dinner,

but tonight we have
people coming over.

It's a kind of
a celebration, actually.

Yeah?

I passed the bar
this week.

Huh.
Congratulations.

Most of the gals I work with
have a problem with that.

With what?

Passing the bar.

Well, guess
I better be going.

Thanks for coming past.

Let's make bed...

Yeah.

Nice meeting you.

- Elijah?
- Huh?

Say bye to Aunt Kima.

Bye.

Uh-oh.

Where's Dre?

I don't know!

You believe her?
No.

One last time.
Where's Andre?

He-- he said if he told
me where he was going,

I'd have to tell you.

I don't know.
I don't know.

You believe her now?

Yeah.

Dang.
Sure is quiet this early.

Yo, you gonna come
with me to see Mr. P?

No, go on up. I'll see you
in homeroom.

All right.

Mr. P.

Randy.

Randy, how did you--

six beats four
or five.

And most times eight is better
than 10. Right?

You schooled me good.

- You gambled for this? I didn't even
- Pick up the dice.

I was all, "Pass,
no pass."

Got to the point where some
of them was following me in there.

You shouldn't gamble.

I know, but I'm just saying,
the math be right, Mr. P.

But I'm gonna
come back at lunch,

and we can computer up
that candy, all right? Peace.

Resign?

Either that or the day-to-day
running of the department

falls to the Deputy Commissioner
for Operations.

Erv, I have made no secret
of wanting to make changes.

Oh, so Bill Rawls is now
the voice of reform, is he?

This isn't about Rawls.

I have no faith in you,
given recent events.

I know you remember the two of us
sitting in this same booth

a year ago, you
telling me about

how you respect
the chain of command.

Well, respect it now.

Every department head serves
at the pleasure of the mayor.

So, if you're
firing me, Mr. Mayor,

I want you to know
I will go quietly.

You'll tender your
letter of resignation?

Oh, no.

I'm not offering
to resign.

If you want me to go, you're
gonna have to shitcan me.

A small distinction,
I know, but...

in the meantime,

since you have Bill Rawls
doing my job for me,

and it's such
a nice day out,

I think I'll go to
Forest Park and shoot nine.

The check is yours,
I think.

Pick a table, any table.

Eiffel Tower, Big Ben,
Empire State Building.

Your table is your team.

The team that puts its
model together first wins.

Now, you say y'all can work
together out on the corner.

Let's see how
you do on this.

Wins what?

Big fat gold stars
and some shit.

Dinner downtown. Any restaurant
you can agree on.

Since y'all only
seem willing to be

interested in stuff you know,

we looked for things
more like Baltimore.

The scale model of the
Fayette Street stash house

was all sold out.

So, y'all just gonna
have to make do.

Hey, um, Mr. Colvin, the box say there's
supposed to be some instructions.

We took those out. Makes it
more interesting, don't you think?

Yeah, it ain't like we follow
instructions anywhere else, right?

And I ain't even want to
put no charges on no more.

But see, they made me
do that,

and now they're gonna be mad
at me 'cause it ain't stick.

Who be "they"?

People I'm getting
the package from.

I'm asking who.

Boy named Marlo.

He's big on the West Side.
You heard of him?

Vaguely recall the name.

So, I just need to
chill for a while

till they remember
how to forget.

So, now you come
over East Side

and expect me
to hide you.

Why is it that every
Baltimore nigger think

that running the fuck away
means crossing downtown?

Shit, you ought to be in New York
or Philly or some shit.

No, see, I know that. It's just that
I don't know no one outside of B'more.

And I was just hoping, let's say,
trade out my store, you could maybe

front me some cash, get me
out of town with people you know.

I mean, I'd come to
the East Side to you,

but too many West Side
motherfuckers are with Marlo.

You know what the problem
with these here machines?

They too cheap
to begin with.

Some people would think
for what it's worth

to fix it and make
the shit work right,

you might as well dump
them and get another.

2,000 and a free ride north

for the store
and its contents.

Store worth way more, Joe.

It depends, don't it?

No, it goes on
the other side and shit.

Stop fucking fronting me.
I want to do something.

You gonna curse at me again,
I'm gonna cut you.

Get that shit
out my face.

I don't even want to
do this shit no more.

That's how you
always do it.

What are you doing?
Look at the box.

Do that look like
that's on the box?

I can't do this.

Nigger, come on, now.
I'm trying to eat.

- Give me that piece, yo.
- Fuck you, yo,

because you don't even
know what you're doing.

Just sit there and shut up
because you just don't know.

Come over here
and make me shut up, then.

Yo, you starting
to piss me off

'cause you don't know
what you're doing.

You're too stupid.

Hey, Z, you do the top
while I do the middle.

Darnell, you got
the leg parts, all right?

Yeah yeah.
Like that. Like that.

Shit!

Done.

Aw, that's bullshit.

He's cheating, yo.

Go ahead and touch
it, baby.

That shit
built to last.

What about the extra pieces?

What extra pieces?

What's in your pocket?

Ain't nothing in my pocket.

So, uh, who cook a good
steak around here?

Okay.

One-- From the day
of my inauguration,

Commissioner Burrell
is to undertake no initiative

without
clearing it with you.

Day-to-day administrative
responsibilities

are to reside with
the deputy office

if they don't already.

I like that.
No problem.

Two-- I need to elevate
Stan Valchek.

Good man, Valchek.

He's a hack, but he's my
hack, and I owe him.

If I make him
Deputy for Admin,

can he cause
any real damage?

I'll watch over him.
No problem.

Three-- I'm bumping Daniels
from Western Command to colonel,

giving him ClD
and carte blanche

to fix
the investigative units.

- Cedric Daniels?
- Problem?

No, he's good police.

He's just got...

a little
independent streak.

Independent from who?

I got no problem
making Daniels.

What else do you need?

That's it for now.

Mr. Mayor, about Ervin--

if you don't mind
my asking,

why keep him as
a puppet commissioner

when you can just
fire the guy?

We mind you asking.

I'm partial
to them cherries.

Yo, Dukie.

Hmm?

You ever call Social
Services on your mother?

What?

I don't know.
I just want to know what happens

if you call Social
Services on somebody.

You want to
report your mother?

She brung someone home
and he won't leave.

You don't want to
call Social Services.

They get to looking
into things,

they could put you
in a group home,

split you and Bug
up, even.

But I don't
want us to leave.

I just want
him to leave.

Talking about Bug's daddy,
ain't you?

Maybe you ought to
talk to a teacher about this.

I mean, Mr. Pryzbo is
real good about stuff.

Mr. P did say I could go talk
to the school social worker.

He an alcoholic.

Oh, um, what about that boxing
guy, Mr. Cutty?

What's wrong with Cutty?

I don't know.

Like, he just
too friendly, you know?

That shit
creep me out, man.

Like, he some type of
faggot or something.

Nah, not Cutty, man.

He be all up
in the women.

Yo, don't you see
how he be doing?

That don't mean shit.

Them faggots will be
just like that, too.

And I don't know.
He just too friendly, you know?

Everybody just too
motherfucking friendly.

No fucking way.

So, his name is--
what'd you call him?

It's like a joke.

Yeah. They flipped it.

- Bunch of fucking clowns.
- Mm-hmm.

Last year we had MSAs
in the 22 percentile.

And don't think they
haven't noticed it

down at the Puzzle Palace.

The word is they're looking for
at least a 10-point increase

from all city middle
schools this time around.

We're still six weeks
away from the MSAs

and you want us to start
teaching the test now?

This year, the preferred term
is "Curriculum Alignment."

There's nothing wrong
with emphasizing the skills

necessary for the MSA.

If we can get them
to write a paragraph

without a four-letter
word in it,

it'll have to have better
command of English.

Marcia, skill sets
are one thing,

but this has us teaching
test questions direct,

test questions
that involve skills.

I don't see your point.

You don't want
to see the point.

Were you really expecting
something different than last year?

I don't see the math section.
These are all language arts questions.

Our greatest failing on
standardized tests last year.

So, for the time being,

all teachers will
devote class time

to teaching language arts
sample questions.

Now, if you turn
to page 11, please,

I have some things
I want to go over with you.

I don't get it.

All this so we score
higher on the state tests?

If we're teaching the kids
the test questions,

what is it assessing in them?

Nothing.

It assesses us.

The test scores go up,

they can say the schools
are improving.

The scores stay down,
they can't.

- Juking the stats.
- Excuse me?

Making robberies
into larcenies,

making rapes disappear--

you juke the stats
and majors become colonels.

I've been here before.

Wherever you go,
there you are.

Raven's got that
dude Mike Anderson.

He and Jamal
gonna be running...

Look at these runts. We're gonna go
when that football's in the air

on a long pass.

Slow?

Yeah.

Big yellow right here.

Yellows, yellows!

Go long. Go go.

Throw it high.

Big yellow.

Go.

- Narco!
- Oh, shit!

Po-po,
yo! Po-po!

- Where you going?
- Put me down, bitch!

They're in the alleys.

We get back in there,
we can hunt them up.

No need.
I know 'em all.

- Let me go, motherfucker!
- What about this one?

He isn't even bait.

We toss him back--

unless you want to
spend half the shift

down at baby booking.

Me?

I ain't afraid,
motherfucker!

I don't want to spend this shift
down at Evidence Control.

Then why the fuck
even do this?

So's I can talk to them.

I like to think that until
the handcuffs actually fit,

there's still talking
to be done.

Come here, man.
Let's take a walk.

You shut the fuck up.

Yo, who we listening to?

Miss Lady Day,
Billie Holliday.

Yeah, she sounds good.

You know, real sad,
kind of.

Yeah. I'm like that.

You be thinking
I'm all ghetto,

and then I flip it and
mess your mind all up.

The next time we
do this, Mr. Colvin,

could you please
make it on the weekend?

I only had,
like, three hours

between school
and now to get ready.

Well, you look
fine, Zenobia.

I could look better.

How long you think it take
to do hair like this?

I'm ordering the biggest
quarter-pounder. Fries, too.

Nigger,
this ain't Mickey D's.

You better be thinking
T-bone steak, medium rare.

The blood
all squirting out?

Nah, ain't no blood.

What you think rare is?

It mean rarely cooked,
hardly cooked?

Rare.

Get the blood out, stupid.

See?

And medium rare,
keep the blood in.

All right. Look.

All I want to know
which is which

before I order
some undone meat.

- Hey, Mr. Colvin.
- Huh?

How it work?

Look, we're just
gonna ask the waiter. All right?

Oh, shit.
There's a waiter?

Just right
down the block.

Where she at, dawg?

Ain't seen her.

She owe me.

All that shit I gave her.

Yeah, I know.
I don't know.

How you not know?

I don't know.

She let me find her,
I'm gonna cut her titty off.

Watch.

You got something
to say, nigger?

No no.

Yo, where Herc at?

I got the asshole, okay?

Tell him Riggs and Calhoun.

He knows. He knows.

Okay.

Get the fuck back here.

Nigger, I will fuck you up.

You don't know Lex?

I knew the Bull.

I mean, I know him.

But he ain't been
around though.

You see? Right there.
You just fucked up.

You said you "knew" him,
like you knew he was dead.

No. Now you putting
words in my mouth.

I meant, "knew him."

When he was around,
I knew him. But he left.

Herc.

Bubbles called.

He sees the guy--
the asshole.

He's on Riggs
and Calhoun.

Says he'll
hold him there

five minutes for you
to get across town.

I'm in the middle
of an interview here.

What the fuck?

Tell him we'll fix
his problem tomorrow.

All right?

Oh, motherfucker.

He ain't got a phone.

You lied to me
out on the street.

Why should l
believe you now?

You was there
when Lex got killed.

You part of the
fucking setup.

We know 'cause we have a witness
who put you right in there.

Yeah, we do.

You know right
where that body is.

You were there with Snoop,

Chris, whoever else.

Know how to make
an interrogation work?

Leverage.

We don't have leverage?

Motherfucker,
you don't even got a body.

Lex is nothing
but a name in there.

Where the fuck
you think you're going?

You ain't going nowhere.

Hey.

Hello!

Home Depot here!
Home Depot!

What you got
for me tonight?

I've been missing you
all day long, dawg.

No no. We done with this right here.
We done with this.

Say what? Don't play, man.
I ain't got time for your shit.

My shit's all you're
gonna get, all right?

You can kiss my ass, all the
fucking trouble you given me.

Oh, hey.

What you looking for, huh?

It's not there.
It's on me, all right?

It's on you?

Yeah.

- It's on you?
- Wait wait wait!

Oh, no no no!

Get off me!
Get off me!

Come on! Get off!

Hey, wait wait wait!

You take it!
Take it!

I got you now!

No no no!

Like that?
Fuck!

I don't like the orange ones.

Listen to me, fuckhead.

We know you were there.

We know you set him up,

and we know you didn't
do it alone.

Say what?

You weren't alone in this.

We know that.

You mean Randy?

I'm asking you
questions, remember?

If you don't give us
this murder, Kevin,

somebody else will.
And when they do,

they'll be putting you in.

You hear me?

Colvin, party of four.

I'll make sure
your table's ready.

"Colvin, party of four," huh?

Hi. May I take your coat?

Sure.

You, sir?

Oh, no.
I'm good.

Yeah, me too.

Okay, your table's ready.

Follow me, please.

Sir?

That's your chair, right?

No.

You sit there.

The waitress
will be here soon

to detail the specials
of the day.

Enjoy.

Thank you.

Waitress?

Who was that?

That's the, uh, hostess.

Hey, you ain't
gotta worry, Mr. C.

I ain't gonna
run up your bill.

I'll just get
whatever's on special.

It ain't no K-Mart
Blue Light Special, dumbass.

Special just mean they
cook something different.

Yo, what about you,
drinking without a straw,

all ghetto and shit?

You don't drink water
with a straw.

And put that on
your lap, fool.

You see anybody
else up in here

Iooking all
Fred Flintstone
and shit?

Shh.

Shut it down.

Other people
be looking at us.

Hello. My name is Pam.

I'd like to tell you about
our specials for the day.

We have king salmon
with sweet corn,

chanterelles
and basil aioli;

sauteed free-range chicken
served with mashed potatoes;

fresh Chesapeake Bay blue crab,
roasted garlic, shallot cream

and hen-of-the-woods
mushrooms;

and wood-oven-roasted
quail

with grilled bread salad.

Dang, I thought
y'all had steak.

Oh, we do...

on the second page
of your menus.

May I get your drink orders?

Yeah.
We'll take four cokes, please.

Right away.

Thank you.

Do you mind
if I come tomorrow?

Mind?

I--

You wouldn't
be embarrassed?

No, not at all.

I mean...

I'll be proud
if you're there.

It's funny
how it works out.

All those years I'm trying
to climb the ladder,

kissing ass, covering ass,
doing what I'm told.

I finally let some of it out,
tell 'em what I really think,

and I'm going from
lieutenant to colonel

in a little more than a year.

And, you, you're worried sick
about those subpoenas

and worried that Lester's
killing you with your boss--

But the subpoenas
get me promoted.

I know.

You know, Marlo
once said to me,

"You cannot lose if
you do not play."

But here we are, right?

Maybe it's changing.

What is?

The city, the way
things work or don't.

Maybe we're turning
a corner here

and it's not gonna be so
unbelievably fucked up anymore.

To Carcetti.

And us.

Zenobia,

you want to take a picture
of the restaurant, right?

That's okay.
It's late.

No no. That's fine.

Come on. Give
me the camera.

I'm okay.

Come on, give
me the camera.

Okay.

Y'all want to be in
the picture, right?

Yo, Mr. C, can
we stop at McDonald's?

- Fuck wrong with you, boy?
- Food wasn't right.

Don't like fish.

Why'd you order it, then?

Yo, shut the fuck up.

- Turn it down.
- What?

Turn it down, Namond.

Turn it up?
All right, you got it.

Seriously, can we get
some fries at least?

Boy, you is pathetic.

Just 'cause you a girl do not
mean I won't fuck you all up.

You hear me?

Nigger, please.

Yeah, you keep
talking all of that shit.

No, you keep talking
all that shit.

- Must have forgot.
- No, I ain't forget shit.

- What I forget anyway?
- That I'm the man.

Okay.

So, what's
the first thing we do

when we respond
to a prompt?

Randy?

"According
to the text..."?

"According to the text."

That's good.

And how do we
end the answer?

Quenice?

- Huh?
- Come on.

I know you know this.

"The above-stated facts have
led me to conclude that..."

Right?

Okay.

So, let's try to read
the third paragraph.

I'll start it.

"Pythias makes a final plea
to the tyrant Dionysius

to return to his home
one last--" Calvin, pick it up.

"To return to his
home one last time

before his punishment.

He denies the request
until Damon inter..."

"lntercedes."

"...and offers his own life
until Pythias returns."

Good.

Who wants to guess what
"intercedes" means?

What about "plea"?

Okay.

What about the story, then?

How would you summarize it?

Duquan, give it a shot.

"According to the text..."

everybody's safe
in the end, right?

Okay.

Let's think this through.

"According to the text,

Damon offers his own life
on behalf of Pythias

so that he can return home
one last time.

The above-stated facts
have led me to conclude

that Damon values Pythias'
friendship and loyalty."

Any questions?

We want four of the raw.

275 large right there.

For four
it should be three.

I'm charging five a head on them New
York boys. That about the going rate.

Still want us
on that?

Nah, seems like they got
the message and went the fuck on.

True that.

Delroy has all of the
Monument Street corners back.

All right, then. Holler at us
when the next package in.

Uh, you remember when I told
you about the co-op meant

we all stand together,

doing for each
other when we can?

You remember that?

Well, the price of four raw
is 300.

And your work on them
New York boys

already been factored
into the price, you see?

On the other hand,

we got something that you want, and it's
coming back to you... free of charge.

Someone you looking for.

Co-op mean
what it sound like, dawg.

You happy to do for me,
I'm happy to do for you.

Congratulations,
Colonel.

Congratulations,
Deputy Commissioner.

Congratulations to all
those who were promoted,

their families, and friends.

It's a proud day for them

and a proud day for the
Baltimore Police Department.

I am so proud of you.

Oh, thank you.

You know, Valchek
we could have guessed.

I mean, he's
Carcetti's man, but...

Daniels?

Long time for you to make major,
but this was quick enough.

Yeah, who's your
new rabbi, huh?

Colonel.

So, they didn't
know the salad fork

from whatever the fuck
the other fork is for. So what?

I knew they'd be at a loss,
but the extent of it...

I'm talking
about feelings--

why they
feeling this...

this plummet from masters
of the universe to abject fear

to humiliated fury
and no awareness of it.

Who says
they're not aware?

Maybe they just
didn't acknowledge.

Either way. But my point is,
where do you start with them?

How you get them to
believe in themselves

if they can't even
admit their feelings

about who they are and what
they're doing in this world?

They're not fools.

They know exactly what
we expect them to be.

Y'all missed some meal
for real, though.

Take your seats.

It was hot, yo.

"Party of four,
Mr. Colvin."

"May I take your coat,
Mr. Brice?"

Ha!
That shit was tight.

I'm dreaming about
that chocolate cake.

Oh my God.

Shit had, like,
56 layers, yo!

"...in the check-room,
Mr. Colvin...

"D Money saves Pitman"?

It's bullshit!

Before, at least they were
getting something out of it.

To hell with my evaluation.
To hell with Donnelly,

to hell with the
statewide test scores.

I came here to teach.

Right?

Yo, Coach, seen Michael?

Nah.

All right.

That wasn't you
and your runts

I saw down on Bentlow
yesterday, slinging?

Right.

'Cause a gangster
like yourself

wouldn't set up such
a weak-ass shop

with no real lookouts,
ground stash in plain view.

This is me telling y'all
as plain as I can.

You guys had
your one chance.

I see you out there
a second time,

everyone takes a beating
and goes to Cheltenham.

Fair warning you just got.

Cheltenham for
some drug charges?

Please, man.

I'll write you up
as a special.

Don't think I won't do it.

Jab, jab! Good.

He don't think
I can jail?

Shit!
I can jail...

- What's up?
- Namond's banging, huh?

Yeah.
He's one of yours, right?

He hang around
the gym,

mostly waiting on
his boy Michael.

He don't box or nothing.

He ain't that kind, really.
Not like his father.

- Who was his father?
- Dude named Wee-Bey.

Stone-headed. Used to run
with them Barksdales.

I know him.

Shit, I locked him up
in Philadelphia.

Yeah?

Bey was my cut buddy.

We jailed down Jessup.

Anyway, Namond's from him.

Same blood,
but not the same heart.

I've done my
warm-ups, Coach.

Yeah. We ready
for the ring!

Take care, man.

Why we stopping here?

I thought we was
going straight out.

Gotta get with
your escort out.

Prop Joe said you
was my escort out.

Manner of speaking,
that be true.

Come on over here, man.
Come on.

Chris, no.

You know I keep
it quick, Dre.

- Here?
- Here's good.

Not-- not in a vacant.

What's the difference?

The difference
is my people.

They won't know.

They'll know.

But-- but-- but
the rats.

I'll be alone
with the rats.

You're all right.
I got your back.

Come on, Chris.

Let me do it in
my house so my people--

they can give me
a home go.

I'll be damned.

Que?

Hey, yo, that got
to be Marlo, man.

You see?

That's the man we robbed, yo,

from the poker game.

Ah...

si, si, si.

No wonder the boy
don't like me.

Hmmph.

Thought maybe I could
catch up with Chris.

I got a problem I can't
bring to no one else.

Quien es?

He just a kid.