Karl Childers quotes from Sling Blade (1996)

Karl Childers

Some folks call it a Sling-blade, I call it a Kaiser Blade. Mmm hmm.

Karl Childers

I guess I am going to have to get used to lookin at perty people, and perty people going to have to get used to lookin at me.

Karl Childers

I don't reckon you have to go with women to be a good daddy to a boy. You been real square-dealin' with me. The Bible says two men ought not lay together. But I don't reckon the Good Lord would send anybody like you to Hades. That Frank, he lives inside of his own heart. That's an awful big place to live in. You take good care of that boy.

Karl Childers

I like them French fried potaters.

Karl Childers

There were these two fellars standin' on a bridge, a-goin' to the bathroom. One fellar said, "The water's cold" and the other fellar said, "The water's deep". I believe one fella come from Arkansas. Get it?

Karl Childers

I don't think anything bad ought to happen to children. I think the bad stuff should be saved up for the people who's grown up. That's the way I see it.

Karl Childers

Some folks call it a sling blade, I call it a kaiser blade. It's kindly a long wood handle, kinda like an axe handle, with a long blade on it shaped kindly like a bananer. Mmm hmm. Sharp on one edge, and dull on the other 'un. Mmm hmm. It's what the highway boys use to cut down weeds and what not, y'know.

Karl Childers

Don't you say another word to me. I ain't listenin' to you no more.

Doyle

Was you in the nut house for hackin' somebody up with a hatchet?

Karl

I never used no hatchet that I remember. Mmm hmm.

Doyle

So you're just crazy in a **** kind of way, huh? Wouldn't matter to me if you did do violence on someone. I ain't scared of shit. You're just a humped-over ****, seems to me. I'm just kiddin'. Welcome to our humble home, Buddy.

Will you ever kill anyone again, Karl?

Karl

I don't reckon I got no reason to kill nobody. Mmm.

Frank

You ever have any brothers or sisters growing up?

Karl

I had one there for a little while. But, uh, it didn't get old enough for me to play with it.

Frank

Why not? It die?

Karl

Yes, Sir.

Frank

Why?

Karl

It got born too early. My mother and father made it come out too early some how or other.

Frank

So it died when it came out?

Karl

My daddy came out to the shed and got me. He said, "Here, take this and throw it away", and he handed me a towel with something or another in it. Well I started for that barrel and I opened up the towel 'cause there was a noise. Something a-moving around in there. The towel was all bloody-like all around it there. It was a lil' ol' baby not no bigger than a squirrel.

Frank

A girl or a boy?

Karl

It was a little ol' boy.

Frank

You threw it in the trash barrel?

Karl

Well that didn't seem right to me, so I went in the shed and got me a shoe box and emptied out all the washers and nuts and screws and whatnot that were in it and I takened the little fellar and put him inside the box and buried him right there in a corner of the yard. That seemed more proper to me, I reckon.

Frank

Was it still alive when you buried it?

Karl

I heared it a-cryin' through that box.

Frank

That don't seem right. Seems like you would have kept him and taken care of him if he was your brother.

Karl

I wasn't but 6 or 8. I don't reckon I knew what to do. I didn't know how to care for no baby. My mother and father didn't want him and they learned me to do what they told me. These days I reckon it's better to give him back to the Good Lord anyhow.

Frank

Ever think of killing yourself on purpose like my daddy done?

Karl

I studied about it. The Bible says you ought not to. It says if you do that, you go off to Hades. Some folks call it Hell, I call it Hades.

Frank Childers

I told you I ain't got no boy, now why don't you get on outta here and let me be. You ain't no kin to me.

Karl

I learned to read some. I read the Bible quite a bit. I can't understand all of it, but I reckon I understand a good deal of it. Them stories you and Mama told me ain't in there. You ought not done that to your boy. I studied on killing you. Studied on it quite a bit. But I reckon there ain't no need for it if all you're gonna do is sit there in that chair. You'll be dead soon enough and the world 'll be shut of ya. You ought not killed my little brother, he should've had a chance to grow up. He woulda had fun some time.

Doyle

What'cha doin' with that lawn mower blade Karl?

Karl

I aim to kill you with it.

Karl

Just 'cause I ain't gonna be around no more, maybe, don't mean that I don't care for you.

Frank

I care 'bout you too, but you'll be around. Don't say that.

Karl

Doesn't matter where I was to be. We'll always be friends. You and me made friends right off the bat. Don't nobody ever change that. I kindly want to put my arm around you, then I'm gonna get up out of here and leave. [Puts his arm around Frank] I love you, boy.

Can I help you, sir? Can I help you, sir??

Karl

I was kinda wantin' somethin' 'nother to eat, mmm-hmm.

Well, uh, what would you like?

Karl

You got any biscuits for sale in there?

Well no, this here is a Frosty Cream. We don't serve biscuits. We got a lot of other stuff, though.

Karl

What you got in there that's good to eat?

Well, we got Big Chief burgers, Bongo burgers, foot longs, corny dogs, Frosty shakes, creamy bars. Uh, did you want me to go through the whole list?

Karl

Reckon what you like to eat in there?

Well, the french fries are pretty good.

Karl

French fried potaters?

Yup, the french fries.

Karl

How much you want for 'em?

Well, they're .60 for the medium and .75 for large.

Karl

I reckon I'll have me some of the big uns.

Alright then, one large french fries?

Vaughan Cunningham

You seem like a thinker, you know. You seem to always be deep in thought. Okay, tell me something. What are you thinking right now?

Karl Childers

I was thinking um, I'm gonna take some of these potaters home with me.

Vaughan

Oh. How about before that?

Karl

Let me think, mmm. Before that I was thinking I could use me another six or eight cans of that potted meat if you got any extra, mmm.

Karl Childers

Everything's gonna be all right, boy. I kind of want to put my arm around you for a minute. Then I'm gonna get up and leave out of here.

Frank Wheatley

Okay.

Karl

I love you, boy!

Doyle Hargraves

What the hell you doing with that lawn mower blade?

Karl Childers

I aim to kill you with it.