- Johnny: You don't have to be afraid anymore.
- Frankie: I am. I'm afraid. I'm afraid to be alone, I'm afraid not to be alone. I'm afraid of what I am, what I'm not, what I might become, what I might never become. I don't want to stay at my job for the rest of my life but I'm afraid to leave. And I'm just tired, you know, I'm just so tired of being afraid.
- Johnny: Now, there's a man and a woman. He's a cook. She's a waitress. Now, they meet and they don't connect. Only, she noticed him. He could feel it. And he noticed her. And they both knew it was going to happen. They made love, and for maybe one whole night, they forgot the 10 million things that make people think, I don't love this person, I don't like this person, I don't know this- Instead, it was perfect, and they were perfect. And that's all there was to know about. Only now, she's beginning to forget all that, and pretty soon he's going to forget it too.
- Frankie: Why do you want to kill yourself sometimes?
- Johnny: I want to kill myself sometimes when I think that I'm the only person in the world and that part of me that feels that way is trapped inside this body, that only bumps into other bodies, without ever connecting to the only other person in the world trapped inside of them. We have to connect. We just have to.
- Johnny: I know I can't the make the bad go away. You're right, I can't. But when the bad comes again, I am gonna be next to you.
- Tim: [after repeated phone calls from Johnny] Excuse me, Johnny, I've got to hang up. We're expecting a call from you any minute
- Cora: [stroking a pregnant woman's belly] People think I'm a tough bitch, but it ain't true. Shit like this chokes me up.
- Frankie: I'm a BLT down sort of person, and I think you're looking for someone a little more pheasant under glass.
- Cora: It didn't SEEM like you came! I mean, usually a guy'll moan or somethin', you didn't even clear your throat!
- Johnny: I know I can't make the bad go away. You're right, I can't. But when the bad comes again... I'm gonna be next to you.
- Nick: Hey.
- [regards ex-convict Johnny critically]
- Nick: So, what do you think, Pooky, you think I should hire him?
- Pooky: Yes.
- Nick: Why?
- Pooky: I like his face.
- [Johnny smiles]
- Nick: Me, too. You're hired.
- Johnny: Oh...
- [clasps his hands in heartfelt relief]
- Johnny: Thank you, sir. Really, thank you.
- Nick: Okay, you wanna know why? Ask me why.
- Johnny: Why?
- Nick: Because I believe in giving men another chance.
- [to cash register operator:]
- Nick: Close your ears, Pooky.
- [she covers her ears with her hands]
- Nick: Until he fucks up. Now this country of yours gave me another chance. Close your ears, Pooky.
- [she does so once more]
- Nick: I didn't fuck up.
- [as he hands the prison records back to Johnny, whispers:]
- Nick: This is between us.
- Johnny: Thank you. I won't... Would you close your ears, Pooky?
- [she smiles and does so again]
- Johnny: I won't fuck up.