The Wire (TV Series)

Middle Ground (2004)

Chad L. Coleman: Dennis 'Cutty' Wise

Photos 

Quotes 

• [Cutty meets with Avon about funding for his gym] 

  Avon Barksdale : A boxin' gym, huh?

  Dennis 'Cutty' Wise : Ain't a proper one yet. That's why I asked to see you.

  Avon Barksdale : What you know about takin' care of somethin' like that?

  Dennis 'Cutty' Wise : Not a damn thing, but I know that sweet science, and I got some kids who are interested. But what I got a need for, bro, is equipment. Man, these kids gonna get rained on. They need headgear, they need guards, cups, you know, so they can take the hit. Shit, you know what I'm sayin', man. I seen your picture on them Globe posters back in the day.

  Avon Barksdale : [dismissively]  Little undercard shit, maybe, you know.

  Dennis 'Cutty' Wise : Yeah, but still, you was Golden Gloves.

  Avon Barksdale : For a minute, but I had a physical defect.

  Dennis 'Cutty' Wise : What, you got a glass jaw?

  Avon Barksdale : [chuckling]  Nah, forehead, nigga.

  Slim Charles : [chuckling]  Cranium shot'll do you wrong, man.

  [Cutty shows Avon an equipment catalog and flips through it] 

  Dennis 'Cutty' Wise : Yo, look here, man. You see the new heavy bags? Look, freestanding, man. All you gotta do is add water. Then you got speed bags right there, right? You got this headgear right here? It's new. Look, protect the cheek AND the chin, you know? And I know I can go around and collect a dollar here and a dollar there, but I'm tryin' to put together a select group of people, right? I call 'em my, my Gold Circle Club, and they gonna make a substantial contribution and just get this thing rollin' right. I mean, I'm gonna put their name and picture up on the wall in the gym.

  Avon Barksdale : What, you tryin' to get me to join a club?

  Dennis 'Cutty' Wise : No, man, I'm just sayin'. There's all sorts of levels. We got the, we got the Silver Club, we got the Bronze Club, man, for muhfuckas who really don't wanna dig that deep. Come on, man, check it out.

  Avon Barksdale : Nah, man, I ain't got no time for this bullshit, man. You know I don't want my fuckin' name and face on no damn wall, you crazy, nigga? How much money you talkin' about?

  [Cutty looks down and works up his courage] 

  Dennis 'Cutty' Wise : Ten thousand.

  [Avon and Slim look at each other, then burst out laughing] 

  Avon Barksdale : See him go through all that for ten thousand? Man, Slim, go get him fifteen thousand cash, man.