Emmett Foley Quotes in Chattahoochee (1989)

Emmett Foley: When you come back a certified hero... it kind of raises people's expectations. Makes them think you're a big guy.

Emmett Foley: [singing] Jesus loves me! This I know, For the Bible tells me so. Little ones to Him belong; They are weak, but He is strong. Yes, Jesus loves me! Yes, Jesus loves me! Yes, Jesus loves me! The Bible tells me so!

Emmett Foley: I got one for you, Baker. There's these two goldfish, see, having this argument. And then one of them gets madder than hell. He gets so mad, he just swims away... and sits there for a long time in the corner of his goldfish bowl, sulking. And then all of a sudden, he gets this real smirky look on his face. So he sidles up to this other fish... and real smart-like, he says: 'Oh, good. If there's no God, then who changes the water?'

[in the shower, Emmet Foley is having an erection unwillingly and turns his back to the others, Walker next to him]

Walker Benson: Turn it on cold.

Emmett Foley: Huh?

Walker Benson: It will help.

[with lower voice]

Walker Benson: Your wife must have been one happy woman.

Emmett Foley: Huh?

Walker Benson: [louder again] I said, you'll most likely drown. We've had a lot of unexplained deaths around here. But we ain't had no one yet drowned hisself in the shower. You would be the first.

Emmett Foley: I don't understand.

Walker Benson: What?

Emmett Foley: It jumping up like that.

Walker Benson: [soft, trying to ease the situation a bit] Maybe it thinks that I'm pretty.

Dr. Debner: Why did you do it, Mr. Foley? Why did you want to be dead?

Emmett Foley: [from the off] What could I say? I couldn't bring myself to tell him the real reason. Couldn't even tell you, my own sister.

Emmett Foley: [almost asking] The neighbors.

[smiles a bit]

Emmett Foley: They're real pushy. Always asking Mae to take them everyplace. All the time. Which is all right. They began to do it regular. I mean, almost every day. Two or three times, "Take me here, take me there." Got to where she had no time at all, like being some kind of taxi. Finally, I put my foot down. I told her, if she wanted to do it... she'd have to charge them gas. It got to be over a tank a week. So, she did.

Dr. Debner: And?

Emmett Foley: And they stopped talking to her.

Dr. Debner: Stopped asking for rides?

Emmett Foley: Then their kids... put tacks in the driveway, you know. Ruined a whole set of tires.

Emmett Foley: [Beat - looks at the doctor, who looks like Is-that-all? That's not enough, so he adds pointing with his hand] And let the dog out.

Dr. Debner: Is that all?

Emmett Foley: [tries a bit more] I was real upset. I can tell you that.

[last lines]

Emmett Foley: Well, I don't reckon I'm a hero. Sure don't feel like one. I just did what I could. One thing at a time. Step by step.

Emmett Foley: I'm competent.

Dr. Harwood: You're sane?

Emmett Foley: Yes, sir.

Dr. Harwood: Then, can you tell me why, in the five years you have been here, you've never seen fit to escape?

Walker Benson: [Inquiring about Emmett's wife] Is she pretty?

Emmett Foley: Mmmm-hmmm.

Walker Benson: Big tits?

Emmett Foley: [Pausing] Pretty big.

Walker Benson: How big?

Emmett Foley: [Musing] Big.

Walker Benson: Big hanh?

Emmett Foley: [Hesitatingly] Like...

Walker Benson: Like what?

Emmett Foley: [Clearing throat] Like... I don't know what.

Walker Benson: What?

Emmett Foley: Like... nothin' else.

Walker Benson: [Clearly aroused] That big!

Emmett Foley: Ain't there no God in this place?

Walker Benson: [Giving him some pills] Here, try these.

Emmett Foley: What are they?

Walker Benson: [as Emmett chews the pills] Well, they ain't dancin', and they ain't gamblin', and they ain't drinkin', cussin', fightin', fuckin' out of wedlock. They ain't even mentioned in the Bible, but they will get yuh real close to Heaven.

Emmett Foley: They put me in here because everything went kerbloowie.

Emmett Foley: Why'd they put him in overalls? He can't get out of them.

Walker Benson: Helps keep the shit off the floor.

[first lines]

Emmett Foley: When you come back a certified hero, it kinda raises people's expectations. Makes 'em think you're a big guy.

Mae Foley: It started off like any other Sunday as far as I could see. I can't even remember what I did that morning. You always think, I guess, that, well, if you seen it coming, you coulda done something. But I don't know what it woulda been. He seemed normal enough the last time I seen him. A little tight around the eyes, but nothing worth mentioning. Kinda like maybe he looked right after he came back from Korea.