- Mr. Phipps: [Shooting off guns and his mouth, Phipps draws his horse to a halt in front of the marshal's office] Can't say I'm not puttin' you on notice, Marshal! I'm back in town again!
- Matt Dillon: And so I notice.
- Chester: How's your wife there, Mr. Phipps?
- Mr. Phipps: Half alligator and a touch of earthquake! And I'm gonna get mackereled clear to the gills! There's gonna be eye gougin' and nose bitin' tonight!
- Matt Dillon: All right. Before you get started, you better take that horse to Moss Grimmick's. Last time I had to go out and find him for you!
- Mr. Phipps: I'm warning you, Marshal! I'm gonna have my fun tonight, and no lank, drawn-out, milk-lovin' lawman's gonna keep me from it! Yee-hoo!
- Odell: Chester, me and whiskey has had a personal understanding more years than you've seen grass grow.
- Matt Dillon: All right, Mr. Egan, you want that job of mine so bad, maybe I'll give you a chance at it.
- Chester: Oh, Mr. Dillon, what're ya sayin'?
- Matt Dillon: Not much pay and no thanks. Maybe I've been a live target for every drunken bum and glory hunter in Kansas long enough.
- Emmett Egan: You mean it?
- Matt Dillon: I might. On one condition.
- Emmett Egan: What's that?
- Matt Dillon: You follow me around for a week, see how you like it. You still want the job?
- Emmett Egan: I want it all right. This'll be the first real livin' I've done in years.
- Matt Dillon: All right.
- Emmett Egan: [Frustrated by Matt's idling] Shouldn't you be making rounds? Or something?
- Matt Dillon: Well, Egan, there's no use lookin' for trouble. It usually catches up with you anyway.