Home > Breaking Bad

Half Measures

[THE ASSOCIATION'S "WINDY"

PLAYING]

♪ Who's peekin' out

From under a stairway ♪

[INAUDIBLE DIALOGUE]

♪ Calling a name ♪

♪ That's lighter than air ♪

♪ Who's bending down

To give me a rainbow ♪

♪ Everyone knows it's Windy ♪

♪ Who's tripping down

The streets of the city ♪

♪ Smilin' at everybody

She sees ♪

♪ Who's reachin' out

To capture a moment ♪

♪ Everyone knows it's Windy ♪

♪ And Windy has stormy eyes ♪

♪ That flash at the sound

Of lies ♪

♪ And Windy has wings to fly ♪

♪ Above the clouds

Above the clouds ♪

♪ Above the clouds

Above the clouds ♪

♪ And Windy has stormy eyes ♪

♪ That flash at the sound

Of lies ♪

♪ And Windy has wings to fly ♪

♪ Above the clouds

Above the clouds ♪

♪ Above the clouds

Above the clouds ♪

♪ Who's tripping down

The streets of the city ♪

♪ Smilin' at everybody

She sees ♪

♪ Who's reachin' out

To capture a moment ♪

♪ Everyone knows it's Windy ♪

Hey, guys.

[♪♪♪]

So if it's okay,

I was thinking about using this one for the test.

Mom's brakes are very sticky, and you barely press down on them and it's like a screech.

Sure.

But I'm good?

Yeah, you're great. Why?

Um-- Are my feet okay?

Ah.

I looked it up.

New Mexico says all I need is a note from a doctor.

I know it's not the right way and all, but once I get my provisional,

I can keep working at it.

Well, as long as it gets you safely from point A to point B, then who am I to argue?

[HOLLY COOING]

Hi.

You're a sweet girl.

Yes, you are. Yes, you are.

I know.

[CAR APPROACHING]

Here you go.

Here you go.

All right.

Thank you.

Got it?

Yeah.

Okay. All right.

Ah.

So 9 a.m. Saturday?

Yes, 9 a.m. Saturday.

So which means pick me up about 8:30?

I'll be here with bells on.

What?

Um-- It's just a saying.

Don't worry, I won't be wearing bells.

Hey.

Hey, Mom.

Hi. Um-- Do you have a minute?

Yeah.

Could you keep an eye on your sister for me?

Sure. See you, Dad.

Thanks.

Bye, son. Hey, good work today.

WALT JR.: Thank you.

Have you thought any more about what we discussed?

"Thought any more" meaning reconsidered? No.

So show me the flaw in it.

Uh-- Flaws, Skyler.

Flaws. Plural, not singular.

[SCOFFS]

Where do you want me to start?

Hey, I don't love this situation, all right, that you put me in.

However, let's just stick with what makes sense here.

You took the seed money you won gambling, you invested it in the car wash that you helped run.

You hired your wife as a bookkeeper, because, guess what, she's a bookkeeper.

That is a story an auditor can believe. What am I missing?

You're missing that you should take this money that I give you and not look too closely at it.

So if,

God forbid, I get caught, you maintain plausible deniability.

Okay, my estranged husband who, when he was working, made $43,000 a year, starts shoveling money at me.

And when the police come,

I'm supposed to say:

"Gee, I, never thought about it, officers.

Made sense to me." Really?

That, in your mind, is plausible deniability?

I'll tell you what, Walt,

I'd rather have them think

I'm Bonnie what's-her-name than some complete idiot.

So you're promoting caution here.

And you want a believable story.

That, it seems to me, is the safest way to make the best out of a very bad situation, yes.

Ah. But I'm noting a little hole in your plot though.

Why would your estranged husband be doing all this for you?

Because he loves his family and desperately wants a reconciliation, though it may be hopeless and futile.

Then again, he'd try anything.

I'm just not buying it.

No, I think it would be better if the husband were no longer estranged.

Mm.

Yeah.

Maybe if he were back sleeping in his own bed.

Wow.

It's suddenly a fantasy story.

I am at least gonna be a part of this household.

Dinner with the family every night of the week.

Not every night, no.

Six nights a week.

You get one night off.

Dinner two nights.

Not weekends.

With 24 hours' notice.

Five nights a week, with no notice.

Three. Six hours' notice.

Five nights a week, two hours' notice.

Four. Don't push it.

And I want my own key to the house.

No.

For emergencies and appearances.

I am going to babysit my daughter,

I'm going to help my son with his homework.

I am going to be a part of this family.

And that is how we'll sell your little fiction.

How about we stop somewhere afterward and get a beer?

Uh...

No. Thanks, though.

Maybe some other time.

Seriously.

Get a beer with me.

[RED GARLAND'S "SOFTLY BABY"

PLAYING OVER SPEAKERS]

What?

What the hell are you doing?

That's ours, right?

Look at it and tell me if that's ours.

Yes, it's ours.

Now put it away.

What the hell is wrong with you?

Where did you get that?

Did you take it from the lab?

I bought it from the two guys who killed Combo.

They had Combo shot down in the street, and now it's our product they're selling.

Which means they work for our guy. Right?

What? No. What is that?

That's hearsay.

Do you have any proof?

I heard it from the sister of the kid who shot him.

Hear how I just said "kid"?

This kid, he's 11 years old.

Shot Combo on orders.

These two scumbags, they got him dealing.

They got him--

And you know he's not the first.

They use kids because, hey, why not?

Easy to control.

Easy to fool.

All they get is juvie if they ever get caught.

Hearts and minds, right?

Get them young and they're yours forever.

These guys killed Combo.

They used this little kid like some puppet.

They used him to shoot my friend.

[SIGHS]

So why are you telling me this?

[WHISPERING]

I need your help.

[WHISPERING]

How?

I need ricin.

Oh, my God.

Oh, my God.

Look, these two--

Hey.

No.

Hey, they gotta go.

All right?

I got the entire thing figured out.

No.

The delivery method, everything.

All I need from you is the poison, that's all.

No--

Look.

Otherwise, you don't gotta lift a finger.

No. You don't even know what you're talking about.

Not even--

Look, you don't get how right this is?

You don't get how the whole entire world would be better off?

No. We're not even talking about this.

I know a woman who buys from these two once or twice a week.

She brings them hamburgers.

They sit in their car and get hungry, so she brings them food, and they knock a few bucks off her price.

There's your delivery system right there.

I could be a mile away.

Jesus.

A meth-head you're trusting to do this?

Know what? That meth-head stood up to your brother-in-law.

He questioned her for five hours. She didn't give it up.

You know how it is you know it?

Because you're not in prison right now.

Well, I know I would be in prison after this.

Prison or worse.

And I'd be right alongside you.

No, Jesse, you cannot be serious.

This is a ridiculous idea.

It's ridiculous? What, so you're saying it's not gonna work?

How about back when it was your plan?

Back when we were gonna use it on Tuco.

Apples and oranges.

Guy eats ricin, two or three days later he gets the flu or a heart attack or something and he keels over.

That's what you said.

Untraceable back to us.

To-- To me.

Not even that other scumbag we work for is ever gonna figure it out.

Yo. It was a good plan back when it was Tuco, and it's a good plan now.

Tuco wanted to murder us.

These guys don't.

Apples and oranges.

Do I really have to sit here and explain the difference to you?

Combo was us, man.

He was one of us.

Does that mean nothing?

Why didn't you go after these guys two or three months ago?

Because I just found out about them.

What's to find out?

It's a dispute over turf, right?

I mean, how hard could it have been for you to track them down on their turf and kill them months ago?

Because back then, you were too busy getting high, feeling sorry.

Now, murder is not part of your 12-step program.

This is not some amends that you have to make.

What you are talking about here is pointless.

This achieves nothing.

It accomplishes nothing.

If you don't see what it accomplishes, then there's no way

I can explain it to you.

Jesse, listen to me.

You are not a murderer.

I'm not, and you're not.

It's as simple as that.

Jesse.

I'm doing it.

With or without you.

[MARIE HUMMING]

Knock, knock.

Chrissakes, Marie, you don't say

"knock, knock," you...like that.

Well, I like saying it.

Well, that's not the rules.

Okay?

You knock your way, groucho,

I'll knock mine.

But look, see? I win.

Not so fast.

Christ, again?

That's three in a row.

Got a fricking Paul Newman over here?

Have you been playing cards with your dad?

No. Why?

How is your old man?

Back teaching?

No. Uh-- I don't think either of them are working right now.

Yeah. How they swinging that?

WALT JR.: I don't know.

Hey, did you know the doctors told your Uncle Hank that he can get out of here anytime he wants?

Oh, yeah? That's great.

Yeah, I'm not so sure about that.

WALT JR.:

Why not?

What? That's what they said.

Because they want the room.

They hit the sheets with Lysol, reset the meter, and wheel the next slob in here.

We went over this,

Marie. Drop it.

Are-- Are you not well enough?

Jesus, kid, you too?

Do I look well enough?

I'm shitting in pans, peeing in pitchers.

I can't move my legs. Got it?

So people in wheelchairs should be in hospitals?

What about people on crutches?

Maybe I should be in here too.

That what you're trying to say?

That's exactly what I'm saying.

Deal, you little prick.

Pssh.

Bitch.

You know I'm hourly, right?

He promised me that he would be here.

Oh, he promised.

Why didn't you tell me?

Let's wait then.

That's a joke.

The kid ain't coming.

Okay, so, what's plan B?

I don't know.

I really don't.

Well, let's brainstorm.

You really think he's serious?

That's why I'm here, Saul.

The way he was talking, he is going to do it.

Or try, at least.

Okay, so, well, we pay him off.

No, no, it's not about money.

It's about getting him off the streets.

Getting him to calm down.

Maybe...

What if we, maybe--?

Could you get him arrested?

You--?

You want your criminal associate taken into police custody?

No, now listen. I know--

I know it sounds risky.

It wouldn't be anything that would get him into real trouble, and nothing that could lead back to our business.

Just some minor offense.

Pinkman in jail?

I don't know.

I'm picturing it and--

No, not jail as in "jail" jail.

I'm talking about one of those situations where you're in an orange jumpsuit picking up litter along the highway.

That's jail.

You're talking about a level-two joint.

Something that keeps him off the street for, say, 30 days.

Then by the time he gets out, tempers have cooled and hopefully we can move on.

Well, Roswell Correctional's pretty low impact, you know.

In the past,

I've recommended Springer, but I'm hearing chancy things about their bathrooms since they renovated.

So...

So it--

It's possible, right?

Yeah. Well, it falls under my Premium Services Package, but you can afford that.

I'll call my PI.

JESSE:

You understand what you have to do?

And you can never talk to anyone, right?

I mean, ever. Understand?

Yeah.

I found this stuff on the Internet.

Takes days to kick in.

Just keep quiet and this won't ever come back to you.

You okay with this, right?

Just think of it like it's the same thing as always.

You're just delivering some hamburgers.

It's not just delivering hamburgers.

Hey. You got a kid, right?

What's his name?

Patrick.

All right, imagine these two guys had Patrick working as a mule.

Making him kill people.

Wouldn't you do anything to protect your kid?

Of course I would. I do all kinds of things for him.

Okay, so, these guys are using kids like that.

They gotta go. Right?

Good.

[♪♪♪]

Tomorrow.

I'll be in touch.

WALT:

Yeah. I bet that tastes good, huh?

[MAKES EATING SOUNDS]

[KNOCK ON DOOR]

Hey.

Come here, baby.

Okay. Here we go.

Here we go.

What are you doing? If you need to talk, use the phone.

This isn't a phone talk, Walter.

Your wife's out, right?

Aww. Ha-ha.

Isn't she something?

I got a granddaughter a few years older.

What can I do for you?

Oh.

Have a seat, Walter.

I spoke to Goodman about Pinkman and this plan of yours.

And?

Well, I'm not gonna do it.

Why?

Because it's moronic.

Saul said you've done things like this before.

That's not the moronic part.

Okay.

So, what's the problem?

The problem is the boss wouldn't like it.

Saul?

My boss.

Your boss.

Mm.

This is a professional courtesy.

No one knows I'm here.

Understand?

But our employer would find out, like always.

And if Pinkman were arrested, he'd take it as a problem.

Walt, you got a good thing going here. We all do.

You wanna risk it all on one junkie?

Now, I realize you two have a history, but this kid's been on the bubble a while now.

It's a long time coming.

What is?

[CHUCKLES]

Um...

[SIGHS]

I used to be a beat cop, a long time ago.

And I'd get called out on domestic disputes all the time.

Hundreds, probably, over the years.

But there was this one guy, this one piece of shit that I will never forget.

Gordie. He looked like

Bo Svenson. You remember him?

Walking Tall?

You don't remember?

No.

Anyway, big boy, 270, 280, but his wife--

Or whatever she was--

His lady was real small.

Like a bird.

Wrists like little branches. Hmm.

Anyway, my partner and I'd get called out there every weekend, and one of us would pull her aside and say:

"Come on, tonight's the night we press charges."

And this wasn't one of those

"deep down, he loves me" setups.

We got a lot of those, but not this.

This girl was scared.

She wasn't gonna cross him.

No way, no how.

Nothing we could do but pass her off to the EMT's, put him a car, drive him downtown, throw him in a drunk tank.

He sleeps it off, next morning, out he goes.

Back home.

But one night, my partner's out sick, and it's just me.

And the call comes in and it's the usual crap.

Broke her nose in the shower kind of thing.

So I cuff him, put him in the car and away we go.

Only that night, we're driving into town, and this sideways asshole is in my back seat humming "Danny Boy."

Heh. And it just rubbed me wrong.

So instead of left, I go right, out into nowhere.

And I kneel him down and I put my revolver in his mouth, and I told him, "This is it.

This is how it ends."

And he's crying, going to the bathroom all over himself.

Swearing to God he's gonna leave her alone.

Screaming, much as you can with a gun in your mouth.

And I told him to be quiet.

That I needed to think about what I was gonna do here.

And, of course, he got quiet, goes still and real quiet.

Like a dog waiting for dinner scraps.

Then we just stood there for a while.

Me, acting like

I'm thinking things over, and Prince Charming kneeling in the dirt with shit in his pants.

And after a few minutes,

I took the gun out of his mouth, and I say, "So help me, if you ever touch her again,

I will such and such and such, and blah, blah, blah."

It was just a warning?

Mm-hm.

Of course.

Just trying to do the right thing.

But two weeks later he killed her.

Of course.

Caved her head in with the base of a Waring blender.

We got there, there was so much blood, you could taste the metal.

Moral of the story is,

I chose a half measure when I should have gone all the way.

I'll never make that mistake again.

No more half measures, Walter.

[DOOR CLOSES]

JESSE:

Man, I don't get this.

I don't get this at all.

All I'm seeing is the kid.

So where are they?

I don't know.

They're always around.

Burgers are getting cold.

So is it, like, fast?

Don't sweat it. All right?

You're just doing what you do.

Hey, nobody's gonna know anything.

Can I have another bump?

Look, you had your bump.

Get this thing done, then you can have all you want.

[KNOCK ON WINDOW]

Gonna need you to come with me.

Take a walk.

Where we going?

[DOOR OPENS]

Sit down.

I understand that you have a problem with two of my employees.

It is true that they killed one of your associates.

It is possible they acted rashly.

But, on the other hand, there was provocation.

The man was selling on their territory.

There is blame on both sides.

This will go no further.

It will be settled right here, right now.

You told him?

Wait outside.

Listen to me.

You have one friend in this room. This man.

Those men outside are my trusted employees.

And when I learned what you intended to do...

If it wasn't for this man and the respect I have for him,

I would be dealing with this in a very different way.

You don't look at him.

You look at me.

This is what happens now.

My men will come back inside, and you will shake their hands and you will make peace.

And that will be the end of this.

No.

Jesse.

Pardon me?

They use kids.

These assholes of yours, they got an 11-year-old kid doing their killing for them.

You're supposed to be a reasonable businessman.

This how you do business?

You okay with this?

You got anything to say here?

Bring them back.

No more children.

Understand?

And you... you keep the peace.

Say it.

Yeah. I'll keep the peace.

Shake hands.

Jesse, your actions, they affect other people.

Sometimes compromises have to be made for the best of reasons.

Jesse. Jesse.

[GRUNTS]

[TIRES SCREECHING]

Marie, let the people who get paid to do this do this.

The people who get paid to do this do a lousy job.

[SIGHS]

So I guess this is what you want, huh?

Just lying in a hospital bed getting sponge baths from nurses.

Marie.

It's time to go home, Hank.

How many times I gotta tell you,

Marie? Not till I'm well.

Hey, hey, hey. What-- What--

What are you doing?

I'm just seeing.

Seeing what?

Seeing what I see.

I'm not at my best here, Marie.

We'll see.

Nothing's gonna happen.

I say it will.

No. I'm in this bed for a reason.

It's a waste of time.

Besides, what if someone comes in?

I don't care if someone walks in.

Marie, what's wrong with you?

I'll tell you what.

If I can get the groundhog to see his shadow--

It's not gonna happen.

I'm sorry.

I'm betting it will.

And if he does, you check out of here.

[LAUGHS]

I'm not gonna bet on whether I can get a boner.

There's no bet. There's no bet here. No bet.

You afraid you'll lose?

You know what, you're just--

You're just being foolish, you know?

Come on. What's the point?

The point is you're not completely hopeless.

We have a bet?

You know what?

If it'll get you out of here quicker.

You got one minute.

One minute?

Yeah.

All right. That's a cakewalk.

You know, this is just...

This is just sad. I mean...

I really feel sorry for you,

Marie, you know?

I really do. It's just, uh...

Heh. It's pathetic.

[SOFTLY]

That's good, keep talking.

Protest. Struggle.

Marie, give up.

I mean, seriously, it's... not... gonna happen.

[CHUCKLES]

Bad day?

I don't even know.

Anyway, it's better now.

[PHONE RINGS]

[BOTH GROAN]

[CHUCKLES]

Tell them you're busy.

Hello?

Grandma?

Slow down.

Slow down, I can't--

Oh, God.

Oh, God.

[SOBBING]

Oh, God.

[♪♪♪]

[INDISTINCT POLICE RADIO

CHATTER]

[SIRENS WAILING]

[SOBBING]

ANDREA:

Tomas!

No.

You have to let me in. Please.

[♪♪♪]

JESSE [ON RECORDING]:

Hey, it's me.

Wait for the thing.

[PHONE BEEPS]

Jesse, you are now

42 minutes late.

I'm starting without you.

WOMAN [ON TV]: What is "wasabi"?

TREBEK: Wasabi. Right you are.

Four-letter word for 1200.

TREBEK:

Pilots and musicians

know this word derives--

Dinner's almost ready, okay?

Okay.

TREBEK: Kevin.

What is "solo"?

TREBEK: That's the word.

This guy's good.

KEVIN: Four letter word, 2000.

TREBEK:

"A loud, harsh cry,

Walt Whitman's was barbaric."

"Yell."

What is "yawp"?

TREBEK: Kevin.

KEVIN: What is "yawp"?

TREBEK: Yawp.

KEVIN: Tokyo, 1200.

TREBEK: This crustacean--

What the heck's a yawp?

Hmm? Uh-- A yawp is a yell.

I'll be right back.

That's what I said.

What is crab?

TREBEK: No.

Uh-- Okay to use your bathroom, right?

Yeah, okay.

JESSE [ON RECORDING]:

Hey, it's me.

Wait for the thing.

JESSE [ON RECORDING]:

Hey, it's me.

Wait for the thing.

[PHONE BEEPS]

Look, I hope you're not waiting for an apology because I did not rat you out.

I was looking out for your best interests, as well as my own.

And I stand by my decision

100 percent, so we'll just have to agree to disagree.

Anyway, just call me back.

[TV PLAYING INDISTINCTLY]

So the TV turns itself off?

Yeah.

Oh. I'll get it.

NEWSCASTER [ON TV]:

...the beginning of an early

cold snap.

First, more on our top story...

Where's the remote?

The murder of a young boy

in the South Valley.

Police have yet

to release a statement,

but sources indicate

that 11-year-old Tomas Cantillo

may have been the victim

of a gang-related execution.

An anonymous tip brought

police to a playground

in the 4700 block of Eighth

Avenue late last night.

Paramedics were called

to the scene

but were unable

to revive the boy.

A gruesome crime--

Can you turn that off?

And yet another casualty

in what appears to be

the city's ongoing struggle

Walt?

against drugs and the gangs

that peddle them.

We'll be passing along--

[TV CLICKS OFF]

Hand me your dad...

I'm sorry, it's just, uh, they've been talking about that all day, and it's just...

No. Yeah.

SKYLER:

Hey, uh, did you know your dad and I are thinking about maybe starting a business together?

WALT JR.:

Seriously?

[♪♪♪]

WALT JR.: What kind of business?

SKYLER: Um...

We're thinking maybe a car wash.

WALT JR.:

What do you mean? Like the...?

I'm sorry, I-- I have to go.

[SNIFFING]

[COUGHS]

[CAR APPROACHING]

[GROANS]

[BREATHING HEAVILY]

[SNIFFLING]

[♪♪♪]

[GUN COCKS]

[♪♪♪]

[GUN COCKS]

[♪♪♪]

[CAR APPROACHING]

[GASPING]

Oh, my God.

[GRUNTS]

[GASPS]

Run.

[♪♪♪]