3.15 “The Kindness of Strangers”

2.10 “Necessity is a Mother”

Brenda: So there I am sitting at the Senior Breakfast and I’m thinking about Minnesota. And I wanted to say, “Hey, everybody, I got in.” But something held me back.
Dylan: Maybe you thought that they would try and convince you to stay.
Brenda: Oh maybe I was scared that they wouldn’t.
Dylan: What do you wanna do?
Brenda: I’m torn.
Dylan: My surefire remedy in a case like this is to just flip a coin.
Brenda: Is that what you did with me and Kelly? Sorry, that didn’t come out right. You don’t have to answer that.
Dylan: No, I want to. What I think you’re really asking me is if there were no Kelly, would you and I still be together?
Brenda: The thought has crossed my mind.
Dyan: The truth is, I don’t know. I loved you more than I ever thought I could love anybody. Maybe that was the problem. It was just too intense for both of us.
Brenda: Yeah, I guess right from the start it was — It was just so volatile.

[flashback] ——

Brenda: We did have some good times, though. Like that weekend in Baja, and you taught me how to surf and we danced all night.
Dylan: Not all night.
Brenda: Too bad my dad couldn’t understand what we were all about.

[flashback] ——

Brenda: I guess that was the beginning of the end.
Dylan: Yeah. For us to live together at that point was a huge mistake.
Brenda: And you got so incredibly offended when I tried to clean this place up.
Dylan: Well, hey, dust adds a little character.
Brenda: I guess Kelly doesn’t mind it, huh?
Dylan: I guess not.
Brenda: Was that her on the phone before?
Dylan: Yeah.
Brenda: Why didn’t you tell her I was here?
Dylan: She didn’t ask. But I have a question for you, Bren. Why did you come over here/
Brenda: I guess I wanted to say goodbye, in private.
Dylan: How private?

Brenda: You know what I’d really like?
Dylan: Let me guess.
Brenda: What I really wish is that I didn’t have to go home so early.
Dylan: So why don’t you forget your curfew?
Brenda: Oh, yeah, right. “Mom, Dad, I’ll be home whenever I feel like it.” I don’t think so.
Dylan: What about Baja?
Brenda: What about Baja?
Dylan: I’m going this weekend. You want to come with?
Brenda: They’d never let me go in a million years.
Dylan: Which I don’t understand, because they let you come over here all the time. I mean, what’s the difference?
Brenda: The difference is that I come home at night. And when I’m tucked in my bed, I am still their little girl.
Dylan: So tell them you’ll be gone for 36 hours. We’ll leave Saturday morning, come back Sunday night.
Brenda: Dylan…
Dylan: Doesn’t hurt to ask. I mean, you never know, they might surprised you, say yes.
Brenda: Maybe they will. I’ve really got to get home.
Dylan: Forget your curfew.
Brenda: You’re right. As long as I’m close, they don’t care.
Dylan: Good.
Brenda: Besides… I tiptoe.

Dylan: I’ve got to remember to lock that door.
Valerie: Are you alone. ‘Cause if not, I’ll go.
Dylan: And what if I am? Will you still go?
Valerie: Look, I just want to talk to you.
Dylan: I think you’ve done enough talking lately.
Valerie: I don’t know what you mean.
Dylan: I mean I got a visit from Jim Walsh I could live without.
Valerie: Can I help it if he got a fax about you and started nosing around?
Dylan: You don’t gotta give me crap about a fax. I know you told him that I’m broke. You don’t lie very well. I hate a liar.
Valerie: Well, you’ve been lying to everybody for months. Pretending you’re still Richie Rich. Why were you trying to hide it anyway? It was only a matter of time.
Dylan: So, what — you did me a big favor by expediting the inevitable? I don’t think so, I think you’re mad ‘cause you came in here and caught me with a girl the other night.
Valerie: You don’t know how intimidating Jim Walsh can be.
Dylan: Oh, I know exactly how intimidating Jim Walsh can be. What did he do, bully you?
Valerie: What am I suppose to do? I’m living in his house.
Dylan: Hey, stand up to him. I mean, Bren did. In fact she got pretty good there in the old end, you know, standing up to Big Jim.
Valerie: You know the Walshes were really concerned about you.
Dylan: Yeah, well, if they cared so much, tell me this, why was I never good enough for their daughter, huh? At least Brenda had the guts to call ‘em on it.
Valerie: You know, I am not Brenda! I will never be Brenda! Don’t talk to me about Brenda!
Dylan: No, you’re not Brenda. You’re just pretending to be and I think you like it. I think, I think you like living in Brenda’s house, you like sleeping in Brenda’s bed, you got Brenda’s brother and Brenda’s parents all there in that nice cozy little package, instant family!
Valerie: What’s wrong with that?
Dylan: Nothin’.

Dylan: You can’t tell me you believe that crap.
Kelly: I didn’t say I believed it. I was asking for your opinion.
Dylan: You want my opinion? All right, I’ll give you my opinion. It never happened.
Kelly: Well, Steve said —
Dylan: I don’t care what Steve said, Kelly, he’s going out with Brenda’s understudy. The man is not thinking with his head. He’s thinking with his zipper.
Kelly: Oh, and you don’t think that Roy Randolph has a zipper?
Dylan: I thought you said you didn’t believe it.
Kelly: I don’t.
Dylan: Let’s change the subject.
Kelly: Okay, fine.

Dylan: I didn’t think you were gonna come at all.
Brenda: Yeah, and did you miss me?
Dylan: Yeah. Come here.
——
Dylan: Babe, I can tell you brushed your teeth, but you still reek of cigarette smoke.
Brenda: Well, I was in a confined space with a lot of smokers.
Dylan: Bren, I have never had a long-term relationship with a smoker. I don’t intend to start now.
Brenda: Fair enough. Tell you what. I’ll quit smoking forever, on one condition.
Dylan: And what might that be?
Brenda: That you take your SATs this Saturday. Dylan, just consider it.
Dylan: Deal. I’ll consider it.
Brenda: Now you come here.
——
Dylan: Not until you get out of those smoke-ridden clothes.
Brenda: You just wanna see me slip into something more comfortable.
Dylan: Absolutely.

Dylan: You okay?
Brenda: Yeah, a little scared. One night in jail was definitely enough to make me realize I don’t wanna go back.
Kelly: You should have thought of that before.
Dylan: Kel.
Kelly: What? I’m sorry, I don’t know what you expect from me.
Brenda: What about friendship?
Kelly: What about friendship? How far is that supposed to take us? What, do you just expect us all to jump in the jail cell with you, keep you company?
Dylan: What is your problem?
Kelly: You wanna know what my problem is? I am sick and tired of stepping aside every time Brenda comes running to you with another crisis. Every time you call, he runs. Whether it’s Palm Springs in the middle of the night or jail. Wherever it is, he runs. He’s not your boyfriend anymore.
Brenda: And obviously, you’re not my friend anymore. Thanks again, Dylan. Bye.
—-
Kelly: What?
Dylan: You got lousy timing.

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