"This is a true story about friendship that runs deeper than blood. This is my story and that of the only three friends in my life that truly mattered. Two of them were killers who never made it past the age of 30. The other's a non-practicing attorney living with the pain of his past — too afraid to let it go, never confronting its horror. I'm the only one who can speak for them, and the children we were."
— Shakes, opening narration.
"Hell's Kitchen was populated by an uneasy blend of Irish, Italian, Puerto Rican, and Eastern European laborers. Hard men living hard lives. [a married couple aggressively yelling in the background] Few women worked and all had trouble with the men they married."
— Shakes narrating.
"I told [Father Bobby] about the torture, the beatings, and the rapes. I told him about four frightened boys who prayed to Father Bobby's God for help that never came."
— Shakes narrating.
"King Benny's sleepers were making their play. "Sleepers" was a street name for anyone who had spent time in a juvenile facility."
— Shakes, Title Dropping.
Shakes: Hell's Kitchen was a place of innocence ruled by corruption.
— Shakes, talking about how his neighborhood protected its children despite being a nasty place.
Stepfather: The little punk. He got out of line, so I put him back on line. No big deal.
Father Bobby: You put him in hospital.
Stepfather: He's alive, ain't he? Look, if he's smart, he learned himself a lesson.
Father Bobby: What are you, about 220, 230 [pounds]? You're a big guy. How much do you think Jonny Reilly weights? 80, 85? That's not even a featherweight. If this were a fight, you'd be way out of your division.
Stepfather: Look, it was a slap. It was nothing.
Father Bobby: Next time, you'll be meeting me. And I may not be in your division, but I do weigh more than 85 pounds. And you won't need a doctor when I'm done. You'll need a priest to pray over your body. [after a brief pause and smiling] See you in church.
Father Bobby: You put him in hospital.
Stepfather: He's alive, ain't he? Look, if he's smart, he learned himself a lesson.
Father Bobby: What are you, about 220, 230 [pounds]? You're a big guy. How much do you think Jonny Reilly weights? 80, 85? That's not even a featherweight. If this were a fight, you'd be way out of your division.
Stepfather: Look, it was a slap. It was nothing.
Father Bobby: Next time, you'll be meeting me. And I may not be in your division, but I do weigh more than 85 pounds. And you won't need a doctor when I'm done. You'll need a priest to pray over your body. [after a brief pause and smiling] See you in church.
— Father Bobby being a Badass Preacher
