Boardwalk Empire Recap: Breathe, Nucky

She tells Tommy to take off his jacket and hang it up neatly so he can have ice cream later and as soon as the boy leaves she calls the goons stationed outside the door to come in and witness her berating Richard that he didn’t understand her that morning because, as she has to remind herself, he’s not a “complete” person. Richard tells her Tommy doesn’t belong there but she thinks he does because it’s the only home he has. Not the one in Richard’s fantasy.

Gillian throws out some bullshit that Gyp wants Richard gone but the goons don’t care because Gyp didn’t say anything to them. Gillian says he was clear to her then turns to Richard and makes it all his fault because “he lied to her” and that’s what hurts the most like she could give a rat’s ass about Richard other than as Tommy’s caretaker so she doesn’t have to deal with the child. Richard looks over at one of the goons who hilariously shows the sniper/assassin his gun because no one really appreciates Richard’s gifts and since Richard can’t really laugh anymore, he just walks off while Gillian looks terrified. Hmmm.

HAHAHAHAHA. He’s got a gun. Boo! Scared of you.

Over at Chalky’s beach house, his men are getting drunk by a bonfire and thinking about just how much money $25K is. Nucky’s watching through the window and getting freaked. Luckily, Eddie’s waking up, but still speaking German. Nucky walks over and Eddie becomes lucid as he offers to bring around Nucky’s car. Nucky tells him he doesn’t need the car but Eddie doesn’t know how Nucky will get to the theater. Nucky says he’s not going to a show that night so Eddie tries to get up to see about Nucky’s dinner.

With the full force of his dickishness unintentionally thrown back in his face by sweet, delirious Eddie, Nucky tries to comfort Eddie and says it’s all right. He can have the night off. But Eddie says no because there’s still so much to do. Nucky’s feeling good and awful right now and asks if Eddie has a family. Ja, of course he does. A wife and two sons. Nucky can’t believe that and asks where they are. Dreyerstrasse, nummer ziebzehn. #17.

I always thought you just sprouted out of a cabbage patch at midnight.

Nucky’s at a loss but managing not to yell at Eddie for not making any sense until Eddie starts jabbering in German again. Nucky quietly tells Eddie he doesn’t understand so Eddie offers to teach him the “very famous” in English and starts reciting “If” by Rudyard Kipling. I recognized it because every year Chris Fowler tells me its emblazoned over the clubhouse door at Wimbledon. And that’s how I know the word is spelled IMPOSTOR not IMPOSTER, Time Warner Cable.

Anyway, Eddie just quotes the relevant passage from the poem:

If you can keep your head when all about you
are losing theirs and blaming it on you.
If you can trust yourself when all men are doubting you,
but make allowance for the doubting, too.