Expert: Mel - 2/8/2008

Question
Hi Mel! I was wondering if you could give me the dialogue from Dylan's intervention. I would like it for my favorite transcripts that I'm collecting.

Answer
Hi Kaelyn,

Here is the transcript from Dylan's intervention ("Intervention", 5.09).

Dylan is passed out on the futon.  He wakes up, after a while, to a knock on the door.  

Dylan: (opening door while putting on shirt) Hi ...
Cindy: I'm, uh, sorry to wake you.
D: Why did ya?
C: Look, I know this is unexpected and I would have called, but I didn't think you'd talk to me.  May I come in?
D: Yeah. Yeah ... (cough)
C: You know, it's funny.  All these years, this is the ... first time I've been to your house.
D: Yeah, well ... it's kinda ... messed up. Here. (takes some clothes of the futon)  Have a seat.  
C: Thanks.  (both sit) Look, Dylan, I know this is a rough time for you, but are you alright?
D: I'm gettin' by.
C: 'Getting by' ... is no way to live.
D: Yeah, well, we don't always have a choice.
C: You're not ALONE, Dylan.
D: (sigh) I appreciate the sentiment.  But, uh, what I got broke, here, you can't fix.  (cough)
C: Look, I came over today because I - because Jim and I feel ... that's it's time to start over.  To put whatever's gotten in the way of our relationship behind us.  And he stayed home from work today so that he could talk to you.
D: I got a phone.  He knows the number ...
C: PLEASE, Dylan.  I have asked you for very few favors along the way.  But I am asking now ... please, just come back to the house with me.  
D: Why are you doing this?
C: Because I CARE about you.  We care!  

(long pause)

D: Just let me get cleaned up.
C: Sure.

Dylan goes to the bathroom and does a line of cocaine.

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They enter the Walsh House.

Dylan: I guess some things never change ...
Cindy: Let's, uh, go in the living room.

D: (seeing all his friends) What?  It's an ambush.  You lied to me.
Ellen: (approaching) Dylan ... my name is Ellen Marks.  I'm an alcoholism counselor.
D: And your parents must be so proud.  Don't tell me - this is the part where I say, 'Hi, I'm Dylan.  I'm an alcoholic.'
E: Your friends are worried about you.
D: Who asked you?
Brandon: Come on, man.  Why don't you sit down?
D: Mind your own business, Brandon.
E: Dylan ... it took a lot of time and effort for everyone to come here today.  
D: You know what?  If I need help, I'll go to A.A.
E: It took a lot of courage for everyone to do this.  I think you at least owe it to them to listen.  Don't you?
D: I don't even know you, so where do you get off telling me ... who I owe what to?  Hmm? (camera moves to different sections of the room)  ... This better be good.  Better be entertaining.  Or I'm leaving.
E: (turning around) Who'd like to start?
B: (sigh) Look, Dylan, you might have given up on yourself, but I'm here for a very selfish reason.  You saved my life once.  We were up on a mountain when we were camping that time, you remember?
D: Yeah, I remember.  So what?
B: So when I see you getting all boozed up and all geezed up on coke or whatever you're killing yourself with ... I can't help thinking ... what's gonna happen next time, if you're not there?
D: You fall off the mountain.  I'm not in the saving business, Brandon.
David: Yeah, well, I can't agree with you on that one, Dylan.  Did you forget about the little incident that happened over at the beach apartment?  I was wasted on meth, cops were banging on the door ... you saved me then.
Andrea: Look ... David buried a friend in High School.  Brandon just buried another one.  Dylan, we don't want to bury you.
D: So put your shovels away cause no one's dying, here, alright?  I'm fine.
B: You're not fine.
D: I'm FINE!  
B: People who get high and play with guns are not fine.

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Ellen: (walking) Most interventions, I try and encourage people to write down and to reflect on how the other person's drug abuse has affected their lives.  But from what your friends have told me, it doesn't seem as though you've hurt anyone in this room half as much as you've hurt yourself.
Nat: I take exception to that.
E: Go ahead, Nat.  
N: You know, partner ... (walking) I could forgive almost anything except stealing.  (face to face with Dylan) You didn't think I'd notice the night you told Steve his count was off ... when we closed the Peach Pit AfterDark, that you would STEAL from ME, after everything we've been through.
Dylan: I'll pay you back, Nat.
N: It's too late for that.  You better get your head screwed on straight and fast.  Cause you keep goin' like you're goin', you're gonna die.
D: (puts a hand on Nat, speaking softly) I'm not gonna die.  (looks out to everyone else, louder) I'm not gonna die ... (growing angry) You know, I appreciate this, you guys getting together like this, but it's getting kind of ridiculous now, so I'm going.  
E: Dylan!  Wait.  Listen.  If you have one ounce of self-esteem left, one breath of the instinct for SURVIVAL ... then you'll turn around and then sit down and listen to what your friends are trying to tell you.  Because the moment you cross over that threshold, there IS no turning back.  
D: Well then I must not have any cause, like I said, I'm leaving.  

Dylan starts to go.

Steve: Good ... Personally, I think this is a huge waste of time.  Drunk or sober, I still think my good buddy Dylan McKay would find some way to hit on Valerie.  
D: Come on, Steve!  Look -
S: No, YOU look!  I don't think you're worth the bottle you're trying to crawl out of, pal!  And if you're not leaving, then I am.  
D: (both at the door) What? Y - You think that's the way I wanted it, man?  It was all her fault!  I told her I didn't want you to get hurt in that.
S: (sarcastically) Oh, well that's very big of you.
D: Steve, go ... Go back in there and sit down.  I'll - if you stay, I'll stay.  I'll listen ...

They both walk back towards the group.

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Donna: I never had any brothers or sisters.  In High School, Dylan, I always thought of you as a big brother.  And I guess that's why it's so hard for me to say this ... but that night you crashed my mother's fundraiser, I lost so much respect for you.  
Dylan: Look, Donna ...
D: You know, everyone there at the hotel that night is gonna remember you as the obnoxious drunk who put his cowboy boots up on the table and tried to pick a fight with his best friend.  Well, I'm sorry, but I don't want to remember you that way.
Dy: So don't.  Why don't you remember me as the guy who drove to your house the next day to apologize?
D: Yeah, I do.  And I remember you also promised to meet me at registration so we could take some classes together.  
Dy: Look, my not going back to school had nothing to do with you, okay?
Andrea: That's right; it was the drugs.  Otherwise, why would a person with your passion and intellect for learning turn your back on everything that you know and love?
Dy: Well, you know how it is, Andrea.  You always hurt the ones you love, right?
A: I guess that's why you never came by to see Hannah.  
Dy: I've been busy.

Andrea looks sad.  Kelly leans forward.

Kelly: Look, Dylan.  I know we didn't have the easiest time together.  But at least, when you were sober, you had more dignity than the guy I found licking salt off the neck of a glorified hooker.  What, did you do that to humiliate me?  To pay me back for falling in love with someone else?  ... Cause if you did, it worked.  I was humiliated.

Dylan takes a long pause, looking away.

Dy: Can I go to the bathroom?  Is that allowed?
Ellen: Sure.  We're not going anywhere.

He goes to the bathroom, takes out a packet of cocaine, contemplates taking it, then decides not to, wrapping it back up.  

Dy: (coming back out) Alright ... So what's the game plan?  Is this the part where all your little guilt trips you laid on me are supposed to culminate in the, uh, big realization 'I'm a bad guy'?  I'm supposed to beg you all for forgiveness?  Don't hold your breath.  It ain't gonna happen.  
E: What IS gonna happen?
Dy: Well I don't know.  You're the professional drug lady.  Why don't you tell me?
E: Well ... we've packed a bag for you.  And there's a bed waiting for you at a very good hospital.
Dy: (looking scared) ... That's not gonna happen.  I'm not going to the hospital.  I'll go to meetings, I'll talk to people, but I'll handle it myself.  
E: I'm not so sure of that.
Dy: YOU'RE not so sure?  Is that what you want, all of you?  Are you 'sure'?  Can you 'fix' my problem?  Cause I can do that.  I can go to rehab.  I can do two weeks in rehab standing on my head.  What you gotta be ready for is the result of your little experiment when I get out, cause you know what I think you're gonna see?  I think you're gonna see that you all need me to be sick.  Yeah, cause that way, you look a lot better.  See, your lives, they all look perfect and shiny, but only compared to my pathetic little existence, right?  ... Well, I'm sick of giving you the satisfaction.  Yeah, I'll go.  Grab the bag.  (camera moves to stunned and/or subtly joyful expressions from all)

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Thanks for the question!

All the best,

Mel