Boardwalk Empire Recap: Year of the Pig

Once Al’s gone, O’Banion hot foots it to the door to lock it then thank Van Alden for standing there and looking scary. He’s so happy that he’s going to make a bouquet for Nelson to take home to Sigrid. In fact, he’s so happy not to be dead, he buys two dozen of Nelson’s irons and tells him that if he ever wants a job, to come see Deanie O’Banion.

Back at the Thompson’s. Cantor and Billie are performing a burlesque routine about King Tut and grab Nucky along the way while the New York crew and Remus discuss Billie in rather vulgar terms. Except for Rothstein. He calls her “not a typical chorine” and says she’s a tenant of his. But this has to mean something and that something usually means boning.

Bobby Cannavale’s finally back, in a tux and carrying the Good Samaritan’s dog. He’s Gyp Rosetti and an acquaintance of the New York crew. Nucky comes and greets them but when he hears that Gyp got a flat tire he wonders if he was in Tabor Heights. Gyp neither confirms nor denies, he just says he was washing grease off his hands.

Menacing, even with an adorable little pup.

There’s banter about the dog being Gyp’s date and that Charlie reminds her of her brother then they exposit about how Gyp needs to get have a little whiskey to warm up his blood but he’s got ice water in his veins (yeah, not so much) but Remus tells Gyp that Remus has the good stuff.

Gyp ignores Remus to zero in on Nucky. He says he needs rum and…Cantor ignores the confab and tries to drag Nucky back to “Cleopatra.” Oh. No. Do not disrespect the Gyp. He doesn’t take it very well. Although in this instance he just snots that he didn’t want to finish his thought anyway. Nucky tells Gyp to relax, it’s a party. Then pinches his cheek. Oof. As Nucky makes a toast, every one cheers the New Year while Gyp’s eyebrows of doom and bulldog face scowl at a cellular level.

They’re also having a party at Farraday Electric Iron company and celebrating the end of the sales contest. Nelson’s all pleased with himself because he sold the two dozen to O’Banion and spouts another Stuart Smalleyism but his boss lets him know that he’s too late. Contest ended at 9:00. Nelson sees that Phil, the winner, only had 17 and thinks he can still sneak in his 24 sales but no go. He’ll get the commission but Phil’s the contest winner. Nelson tries to reason that he and Sigrid wanted to buy a house with that money but his boss is like “Just get drunk like the rest of us.” Sadly, Nelson remembers what happened the last and only time he got drunk so he’s SOL.

DIS-A-POIN-TED!

Margaret and a woman at the party are discussing how free it must be to fly, alone, across the continent. 30 straight hours. Margaret thinks just being alone for 30 straight hours is all the freedom she needs and the first, brief moment of giddy female bonding she’s ever enjoyed is broken up by Owen being a dick and trying to hit on Margaret, by coyly telling her it’s already New Year’s back home. While they’re at the party. With an extra blatantly eavesdropping in the background. In the home she shares with Nucky. Does he have a death wish for himself and Margaret, because I doubt what’s good for Nucky’s gander is good for Margaret’s goose. Margaret, to her credit, knows full well which side her bread is buttered on and tells Owen to give her best to Katy. Ooh, burn.