- Father: No, your mother... is not crazy. And neither, contrary to popular belief, is your brother crazy. He's merely miscast in a play. He was born in the wrong era, on the wrong side of the river... With the ability to be able to do anything that he wants to do and... findin' nothin' that he wants to do. I mean nothing.
- Steve: The Motorcycle Boy. I wonder why somebody hasn't taken a rifle and blown your head off.
- The Motorcycle Boy: Well, even the most primitive society has an innate respect for the insane.
- Benny: Time is a funny thing. Time is a very peculiar item. You see, when you're young - you're a kid - you got time. You got nothin' but time. Throw away a couple of years here, a couple of years there. It doesn't matter. You know. The older you get, you say, "Jesus, how much I got? I got 35 summers left." Think about it. Thirty-five summers.
- Father: Every now and then, a person comes along, has a different view of the world than does the usual person. It doesn't make them crazy. I mean... an acute perception, man... that doesn't, that doesn't make you crazy.
- Rusty James: Could you talk normal?
- Father: However sometimes... it can drive you crazy, acute perception.
- Rusty James: You know, that chick, Cassandra, man, I saw her. She said she wasn't hooked.
- The Motorcycle Boy: Oh, Yeah? Yeah, well, I believe her.
- Rusty James: You do?
- The Motorcycle Boy: Sure. You know what happened to the people who didn't believe Cassandra?
- Father: Yeah. The Greeks got 'em. You know what I mean.
- Rusty James: What?
- Father: The Greeks got 'em.
- Rusty James: Man, what the fuck do the Greeks have to do with anything? Huh?
- The Motorcycle Boy: What do you think California's like?
- Rusty James: Like all that shit in the movies, man. Blondes walkin' around, the Beach Boys, palm trees, the ocean, man. How was the ocean? Huh?
- The Motorcycle Boy: Nah, I didn't get to the ocean.
- Rusty James: No?
- The Motorcycle Boy: No, I didn't get to the ocean. California got in the way.
- Rusty James: Yeah? California got in the way? I thought California was on the coast.
- The Motorcycle Boy: California? California's like a - yeah, California's like a beautiful, wild - beautiful, wild girl on heroin who's high as a kite, thinkin' she's on top of the world - not knowin' she's dying, even if you show her the marks.
- Smokey: You know, if there were gangs around like in the old days, I'd be running things, not you. You'd be second lieutenant. You might have gotten by for a while on the Motorcycle Boy's rep, but you have to be smart to run things. You ain't got your brother's brains. It's nothing personal, Rusty James, but nobody would follow you into a fight because you'd get people killed - and nobody wants to be killed.
- The Motorcycle Boy: What's this? Another glorious battle for the kingdom?
- Rusty James: Hey, man... I thought you were gone for good.
- The Motorcycle Boy: I thought we had a treaty.
- Rusty James: I need some money, Pops.
- Father: Are you ill, Russell James?
- Rusty James: I got cut up in a knife fight.
- Father: Yeah, really.
- Rusty James: Yeah.
- Father: Yep, really.
- [looking at both boys]
- Father: Strange lives you two lead.
- Rusty James: Yeah, right. Strange? At least I ain't a lawyer on welfare.
- Rusty James: Hey, man. I really dig the colors!
- [referring to the Siamese fighting fish]
- The Motorcycle Boy: The colors?
- Rusty James: The colors are cool.
- The Motorcycle Boy: Uh-huh. Makes me kind of sorry I can't see the colors.
- Rusty James: I never thought you were sorry about anything.
- Patterson the Cop: What's the big interest in the pet store all of a sudden?
- Mr. Dobson: They've been hanging around here.
- The Motorcycle Boy: Take a look at the fish.
- Patterson the Cop: You're crazy. You're really crazy. And, you know, I've known all about it all along.
- The Motorcycle Boy: But they belong in the river.
- [guesturing at the fish]
- The Motorcycle Boy: I don't think they would fight if they were in the river. If they had room to live.
- Patterson the Cop: Someone ought to get you off the streets.
- The Motorcycle Boy: Somebody ought to put the fish in the river.
- [starts chuckling to himself]
- Patty: You always try so hard to be like your brother, Rusty James.
- Rusty James: Hey, my brother's the coolest.
- Patty: Well, you're better than cool. You're warm.
- The Motorcycle Boy: Man, most of them were scared stiff. I mean, blind terror in a fight can easily pass for courage.
- The Motorcycle Boy: Hey, cheer up. Listen. I mean, the gangs are gonna come back once they get the dope off the streets. You know, people will persist in joining things. I mean, you'll see the gangs come back. If you live that long.
- Rusty James: How do you know when someone's crazy?
- Benny: Well, you don't always. It depends on how many people think they're crazy.
- [Patty and Rusty James are kissing on the couch while Donna does homework at the dining room table]
- Patty's Sister: You guys aren't supposed to do that in front of me.
- Patty: Donna, go to your room. Now!
- Rusty James: It's bedtime.
- Patty's Sister: I should do my ten page report on you... including illustrations.
- [Rusty James chuckles]
- Patty: You're gonna get it.
- Patterson the Cop: You think you'll understand him?
- Rusty James: Yeah, but what I don't understand is why you hate him so much?
- Patterson the Cop: I hate him because you kids think he's an idol but he isn't. He is anything else but he is no hero!
- [first lines]
- Midget: Yo, Rusty-James. Biff Wilcox lookin' for you, Rusty-James.
- Rusty James: I'm not hidin'.
- Midget: He says he's gonna kill you, Rusty-James.
- Rusty James: Sayin' ain't doin'.
- Alley Mugger #1: You got any bread?
- Rusty James: What?
- [guesturing at the 2nd mugger]
- Rusty James: He's not gonna bash us even if we got bread?
- Alley Mugger #2: Sure, that's it.
- Steve: Progressive country. Intergrated mugging.
- Patterson the Cop: [regarding The Motorcycle Boy] You know I really thought he'd left town for good.
- Rusty James: Yeah? Maybe he missed *you* too much, man. Maybe he had to come back just to see you!
- Patterson the Cop: You know, we'd all be better off if you'd stayed gone.
- [Rusty James whistles at Patty's front door and Donna pokes her head out the window]
- Patty's Sister: Hey, Rusty James.
- Rusty James: Hey, Donna. Your sister home?
- Patty's Sister: Yeah, but I thought you were coming to see me.
- Rusty James: [chuckles] Is your mother home?
- Patty's Sister: No. My sister's home. How about seeing me afterward?
- [ducks back inside]
- Patty's Sister: Patty! Rusty James is here!
- The Motorcycle Boy: [he and Steve come across a wounded Rusty]
- [quietly]
- The Motorcycle Boy: You gotta keep still.
- The Motorcycle Boy: [carefully begins to pick up Rusty] You're gonna be okay. Don't move.
- Rusty James: You pissed off at me, man?
- The Motorcycle Boy: [takes Rusty in his arms]
- [whisper]
- The Motorcycle Boy: Don't talk. I'll take care of you.
- Rusty James: [after realise that their rivals haven't arrived to the fight] I guess we're gonna have to fight ourselves!
- Benny: Come on. Watch your language over there. Watch it. Bring it down. Bring it down. Cool it off.
- Patty: Who are you, stranger?
- Rusty James: Rusty James, the man of your dreams.
- Patty: You mean my nightmares?
- Rusty James: Man, I love fights, man. This reminds me of the old days when we used to have rumbles. Heroin ruined the gangs, man. Junk, you know?
- Patty: I'm not allowed to have boyfriends over when Mother's out.
- Rusty James: Since when?
- Patty: Since I first started having boyfriends.
- Steve: [referring to The Motorcycle Boy] What's wrong with him?
- Rusty James: He goes deaf sometimes. He's color-blind too. Lot of people are color-blind. It's no big deal.
- Steve: He looks so old. I forget he's just 21.
- Rusty James: Yeah? That's pretty old.
- Steve: Nah. He looks really old. Like, 25 or something.
- Rusty James: I didn't say I dislike you. I just don't like substitute teachers livin' in my building. All right?
- Rusty James: You're just another one of his chicks, man. He don't like you any more than he likes any of the rest of 'em.
- Steve: The Motorcycle Boy, I never know what he's thinking. But you, I always know what you're thinking.
- Rusty James: What's the matter? You're shootin' up? Fuckin' heroin, man. Me and him, we never did dope. Ruined the gangs. It ruined everything. If I ever caught my girlfriend doin' that shit, I'd break her fuckin' arm.
- Cassandra: Only her arm?
- Patty: You know you can't afford the tickets. It doesn't matter.
- Rusty James: No, no. No, I'll get some money. And then, you know, just get dolled up and don't worry about that. And I'll come by and pick you up around 7:00 or 8:00 or something.
- The Motorcycle Boy: Let's have a little more respect around here from now on, huh?
- Rusty James: Fuck you! No, I'm only kiddin'.
- Rusty James: Good. Fine! Suspend the hell out of me. You think I care? The only reason I'm going to this fuckin' school is 'cause my friends are here, man. You think I give a shit? I don't give a shit. I don't give a shit, man. You suspend me? I fuckin' quit.
- The Motorcycle Boy: Hey.
- Rusty James: What?
- The Motorcycle Boy: Hey. Hey.
- Rusty James: All right.
- The Motorcycle Boy: Hey.
- Rusty James: I'm all right.
- The Motorcycle Boy: Hey. Why?
- Rusty James: Why what?
- The Motorcycle Boy: Why?
- Rusty James: Oh, fuck.
- The Motorcycle Boy: Hey. Hey.
- Rusty James: Fuck, fuck.
- The Motorcycle Boy: Hey.
- Rusty James: Oh, fuck.
- The Motorcycle Boy: Why? Why?
- Rusty James: Fuck.
- The Motorcycle Boy: No, no, no, no. Don't tell me, "Fuck, fuck." Why? Huh?
- Rusty James: Let's get something to eat.
- The Motorcycle Boy: Will you talk to me? Why?
- Rusty James: I don't know.
- The Motorcycle Boy: Why?
- Rusty James: Why what?
- The Motorcycle Boy: Why?
- Rusty James: What?
- The Motorcycle Boy: Why are you fucked up all the time one way or another? Huh?
- Rusty James: I don't know.
- Patty: How's your girlfriend doing?
- Rusty James: What girl? What are you talking about?
- Patty: The black-haired tramp.
- Rusty James: What does she have to do with anything, Patty? Come on, babe. Come on.
- Patty: You treat me like shit. You do. You fuck other girls, and all you do is shit on me.
- Rusty James: Come on. Your little sister's right here. I don't fuck other girls. You're the girl I love.
- The Motorcycle Boy: I'm tired of all this Robin Hood, Pied Piper bullshit. I'd just as soon stay a neighborhood novelty, if it's all the same to you.
- Rusty James: You know, she's a junkie. I don't know what the fuck he sees in her anyway.
- Steve: She's beautiful.
- Rusty James: She's a lost cause, man. Let's go, huh?
- Steve: She is a knockout.
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