DEGRASSI: GLORY DAYS - S02E15 - RUNNING WITH THE DEVIL

DISCLAIMER: I DON´T OWN DEGRASSI OR THE CHARACTERS FROM IT

Author´s Note: There´s already been enough death on the series this season, but this episode is dedicated to the great Eddie Van Halen, who lost his long battle with cancer on October 6th, at the age of 65. Words can´t begin to describe, what Eddie meant as an icon to my generation of guitar players and he meant even more to the one, that came before me. Basically every Hard Rock/Metal guitar player is still trying to copy, what he was doing better than them, 40 years ago. He innovated electric guitar playing in a way, that is really only rivaled by Jimi Hendrix. I sadly never got to see him play live, but I can pay tribute to him with this episode. It´s named after Van Halen´s breakthrough song, that came out the year before this episode takes place. R.I.P. Eddie. Thanks for the countless memories and this one is for you and the guys, you created musical magic (and had a hell of a lot of fun along the way) with.

1. Int. Michelle´s House. Evening.

Troy and Mike are rocking out to "Running With the Devil" by Van Halen. They both have beers and stop rocking for a second to toast, when the chorus starts.

Mike/Troy (singing along):

Running with the devil ...

Running with the devil ...

The chorus ends and they toast. Mike just takes a sip, but Troy downs his, even if it was almost full.

Mike:

Take it easy, man. It´s not a contest.

Troy:

We´re going to a Van Halen concert! What better excuse can you do some running with the devil?

Mike:

I plan on dancing the night away.

Troy:

While I enjoy a rock eruption?

Sandra and Michelle come in, looking dressed to kill.

Michelle:

How many more bad puns can you come up with, that involve Van Halen song titles?

Troy:

Well, I Ain´t Talking ´Bout Love, Baby!

Sandra:

It sounds like, you´ve hit the bottom of the barrel.

Troy:

Yeah, that one could have been better. They need to put out some more songs!

Mike:

I don´t know. I mean, how are they ever gonna top, what they´ve done on their first two albums?

Michelle:

You´re almost as big a fan, as Harvey is.

Sandra:

I don´t know, if that´s true. To be honest, I want to get this over with, just so he´ll stop raving about how much he´s looking forward to it.

Mike:

Afterwards, you get to hear me rave about how great it was.

Sandra:

Not to be morbid, but I´m almost glad, that Lynyrd Skynyrd´s plane crashed and the band broke up. If we´d gone to see them, you never would have stopped talking about it!

Mira comes in and looks stunning. Neither Mike or Troy can help making eyes at her.

Sandra:

She plays for the other team, so forget it.

Troy:

That doesn´t mean, we can´t tell her, that she looks nice.

Mira smiles.

Mira:

Thanks, boys. Shall we be getting the heck out of here, so we don´t miss the show?

Michelle:

We shall. See ya there.

Sandra:

And don´t be a square!

The girls leave and Troy opens another beer.

Mike:

You know, they do have beer there.

Troy:

Yeah, but it´s way more expensive than store bought.

Sandra:

No arguments there.

Troy:

Guys, I have a feeling, that tonight is going to be one to remember.

He opens his beer a swills down half of it.

Troy:

Because tonight ... I´ll be running with the devil!

He drinks the rest of it and crushes the empty can against his forehead. Sandra and Mike look worried about him.

OPENING CREDITS

2. Ext. Arena. Evening.

Amber and Samira are walking up to the arena, that´s already crowded with people going to the concert. Samira looks nervous, where as Amber looks excited.

Samira:

We can still back out and go back to your house.

Amber:

I thought, we were over this!

Samira:

Every time, I lie to my parents and do something, I´m not supposed to, they end up finding out.

Amber:

And how many times have you done it?

Samira:

Twice.

Amber:

Then, the third time will be the charm! We have the chance to, for free, see the hottest rock band in the world! Have you been to a rock concert before?

Samira:

No, the idea of them kind of scare me. People acting all crazy and stuff.

Amber:

Then think of this as an exercise in Sociology. You´re here as the good Christian girl, to observe all the sinners, as they go crazy!

Samira:

That doesn´t sound reassuring! They have a song called "Running with the Devil", for Christ sake! Pardon my French, but doesn´t that tell you enough?

Amber:

It´s not about the devil, it´s about living the crazy life. They also have songs called "Dance the Night Away" and "Ain´t Talking ´Bout Love". Love songs.

Samira:

Well, I usually like love songs.

Amber:

This is something, we have to experience for ourselves and I´m going in, with or without you. Are you coming?

Samira:

Okay, but don´t stray too far away from me.

Amber:

I promise, I won´t. We have to go to the side entrance, so my neighbor can let us in.

Samira:

That´s nice of him!

Amber:

It wasn´t for free. I had to give his little brother his first kiss.

Samira can´t help laughing.

Samira:

How old is he?

Amber:

14. He has a crush on me. Look, I´d rather just forget about it.

Samira:

I´m sure, he doesn´t feel that way!

They head for the side entrance.

Samira:

So, are you gonna date him?

Amber:

Please! He´s got braces and a million zits!

Samira:

If you´re lucky, he´ll spend his entire allowance on taking you to the movies!

Amber:

Will you stop it?

Samira looks cheered up.

3. Int. Arena. Evening.

The warm up band is rocking along, but a large part of the crowd are just waiting for the headliners to take the stage. Troy and Mike are in line to the concession stand.

Troy:

2 bucks for a beer? You gotta be kidding me!

Mike:

That´s the way it is. They get you in and then they rob you blind!

Troy:

I only have 30 bucks to my name. I still have to eat tomorrow.

Mike:

Still no luck in the job hunt?

Troy:

No, not yet. I have to file for unemployment on Monday. That´ll be yet another thing to strike off my dad´s list of reasons, to be disappointed in me.

Mike:

You´re just in a slump. Considering, what you went through with Wendy ...

Troy:

Can you not mention her tonight? I´d like to have an evening, where I can get my mind off of it.

Mike:

Sure, man. Listen, there´s nothing wrong in asking for help, when you need it.

Troy:

Not according to my old man. If you asked him, he always handled everything by himself, like a real man would.

Mike:

Hey, I beat mine to death with a baseball bat!

A couple of concert goers behind them look shocked and one of them lets out a gasp. Mike quickly turns to them.

Mike:

By accident.

He turns to face Troy again.

Mike:

My problems with my old man couldn´t be fixed, but yours still can.

Troy:

I´ll start dealing with it tomorrow. Tonight is about rocking!

Mike:

Hell yeah!

They get to the front of the line.

Troy:

Three beers, please.

Mike:

Same here and a small popcorn.

Troy tries to look like he´s okay, as he gets the money from his very thin wallet.

4. Int. Backstage Area. Evening.

Amber and Samira are walking through the backstage area and look lost.

Samira:

I told you, we should have taken a left back there.

They see Eddie Van Halen talking to Doug, a large man.

Amber:

Let´s ask those guys.

Samira:

They look kind of dangerous.

Amber:

Who here doesn´t?

Samira:

Good point!

The girls walk over to them.

Amber:

Hi, we were hired to be servers and what do you know, we got lost back here.

Eddies turns and smiles at them.

Eddie:

I didn´t know, servers were allowed back here. Did you, Doug?

Doug:

No and I´m head of security! You´d think, I´d know, wouldn´t you?

The girls see that they´re busted.

Samira:

We snuck in! We´re going to jail, aren´t we?

Eddie and Doug both laugh.

Eddie:

I would be doing life, if you got locked up for that!

Doug:

Me too!

Amber:

Please, we´ve never been to a rock concert before and we can´t afford tickets. If we could, we would have bought them.

Eddie:

Just tell me one thing. What´s your favorite Van Halen song?

Amber:

"Dance the Night Away".

Eddie:

Do you dance to it, when you´re alone?

Amber:

I do.

Eddie:

You´d better show these girls out to the arena, so they can enjoy the show.

Amber and Samira both look grateful.

Samira:

Thanks, Mister.

Eddie:

You´re welcome. Enjoy yourselves.

Doug:

See you after the show, Eddie!

Eddie:

Let´s hope it goes better than last night!

Doug leads them away and it starts to dawn on them, who they just talked to.

Amber:

Was that Eddie Van Halen?

Doug:

You´re lucky, that he´s a nice guy.

Samira:

I guess so!

The girls look giddy.

5. Int. Arena. Evening.

Everyone is waiting for the band to take the stage and there´s an air of expectation. We see Troy, who´s standing with Sandra and Mike, drinking the last of a beer.

Troy:

Dammit! I gotta drain the lizard again.

Sandra:

You´d better hurry. It won´t be long, until they go on.

He tries to make his way to the bathroom, through the thick crowd.

We cut to the front rows, where Samira and Amber are trying to see, but there´s a couple of tall guys in their 20´s in front of them.

Samira:

Well never be able to see anything!

Amber:

Why do we have to be so short?

One of the guys turns around and they make room for them.

Man #1:

There you go, girls.

The girls look pleasantly surprised.

Samira:

Thanks. I always thought that heavy rock fans were rude bullies. I guess, I was wrong.

Man #2:

What gave you that idea?

Amber:

Yeah, what did give you that idea?

Samira:

I don´t know. The media?

Man #1:

Don´t believe everything, you hear, Sweetheart.

They let the girls come up front and they´re now right by the stage. They look full of anticipation.

6. Int. Bathroom. Evening.

Troy comes in and finds a guy selling drugs to another guy. The drug dealer stares him down.

Dealer:

What are you looking at?

Troy:

What do you have?

The other customer leaves.

Dealer:

Uppers. These will make you feel, like you´re on top of the world.

Troy:

I just want to get wasted. With the beer prizes here, it´s hard to afford it.

Dealer:

I know. Do they think, we´re all millionaires?

Troy:

How much?

Dealer:

I´ll sell you two for ten bucks. Try one first and if you don´t feel wasted enough, take the other one.

The quickly make the transaction.

Dealer:

Have a good concert!

Troy:

You too!

The dealer leaves him and he stares at the pills in his hand.

Troy:

Let´s boogie!

He puts both of them in his mouth and swallows them.

7. Int. Arena. Evening.

The concert is rocking along and the band is playing their version of "You Really Got Me". David Lee Roth´s hips are gyrating like there´s no tomorrow and the band is rocking, as Eddie is firing off his solo.

We cut to Samira and Amber is the front row, having the time of their young lives. Roth comes to the front of the stage, dancing right in front of them and Samira is mesmerized.

Samira:

Oh ... my ... sex-god!

Amber:

See something you like?

Samira:

Me and every other girl in here! WOO!

Amber is pleased to see Samira dancing and enjoying herself.

We cut to a very stoned looking Troy trying to find Mike and Sandra again in the crowd. He loses his balance and stumbles, but is helped up by someone, before he can be stepped on. It was Harvey, who´s with Michelle, Mira and Dave.

Harvey:

Are you alright?

Troy:

Yeah. The floor must have been slippery.

Michelle can see, that he´s wasted.

Michelle:

You´ve really been hammering them down, haven´t you?

Troy:

It´s Rock N´ Roll, Baby! Woo!

He tries to dance, but almost trips over again.

Troy:

It seems that my motor skills aren´t what they used to be!

Mira:

I´d stick to quietly rocking along, if I were you.

Troy:

Thanks, roomie! You know, it sucks to sleep on the floor, but I like having you as a roommate! We should get our own place together, when I get some money again!

Mira:

Let´s wait and see, if you still feel that way, when you´re sober.

Troy:

I will, my dear! And I won´t mind if you bring your girlfriend over either. Have you seen Mike and Sandra?

Mike:

They´re over there somewhere.

Troy:

I´ll try to find them.

He half way stumbles through the crowd.

Mira:

He´s had a few, hasn´t he?

Michelle:

That must mean, it´s a day that has "day" as it´s last sillable.

They try to forget it and go back to rocking along.

We cut to the stage, where the band has finished the song. David Lee Roth wipes his head in his scarf and steps up to the microphone.

Roth:

How are you doing out there?

He gets a large pop from the crowd.

Roth:

Eddie wants me to dedicate this song to the two girls, who got lost backstage, before the show. We hope, you´re having a great time.

We quickly see Samira and Amber cheering at their "sort of" mention, before cutting back to the stage.

Roth:

Are you ready to dance?

He gets another big pop from the crowd and Eddie starts off with the opening riff to "Dance the Night Away".

We cut back to Samira and Amber dancing.

Samira:

Is that your song?

Amber nods and continues dancing.

We cut to Troy, who´s trying to fight his way through the crowd. He finally reaches Mike and Sandra.

Troy:

I thought, I wound never find you.

He rudely presses his way through the crowd and knock into a large guy, who looks a bit like the guy from the bar on the fateful night, when Wendy was arrested. He drops his beer because of him.

Guy:

Hey, watch it!

It´s like it triggers something in Troy´s mind and he gets a crazy look on his face.

Troy:

My girlfriend is dead because of you!

Mike sees that trouble is brewing and tries to get through the crowd to them.

Guy:

I have no idea, what you´re talking about!

Troy:

She never would have gone to jail, if it wasn´t for you!

He tries to hit the guy, but he easily avoids it. Mike gets to them and steps in between.

Mike:

Please excuse him. His girlfriend was murdered a few weeks ago.

Guy:

Just get him out of my face, so I can enjoy the concert!

Mike:

He won´t bother you again.

Troy:

Like hell, I will!

Mike:

If there´s the slightest bit of brain in there, you´ll come with me.

Troy makes eye contact with him.

Troy:

Mike, I think there´s something very wrong with my brain and it´s not just the drugs.

Mike:

What kind of drugs?

Troy:

Uppers. I´m really high.

Mike:

We need to get you outside, so you can get some air.

He helps Troy get through the crowd.

8. Ext. Arena. Evening.

Mike practically drags Troy out of the arena.

Troy:

Let me go! I want to kick his ass!

Mike:

You couldn´t kick a fly´s ass right now! Best case scenario, you´ll end up getting arrested.

Troy breaks free from his grasp and makes eye contact with him.

Troy:

So what? I don´t have anything left to lose anyway!

Mike:

Of course, you do!

Troy:

What? I have no job, no money, my family has all but given up on me and I´m sleeping on a floor, because it´s all I can afford. And I couldn´t save Wendy.

He looks annoyed with himself. Mike looks at him with sympathy.

Troy:

I thought, I could go one night without thinking about her. Just one stinking night! Is that too much to ask?

Mike:

It wasn´t that guy, who killed her. It was a girl, she had prior beef with.

Troy:

I know, but I should have saved her! If I´d only dragged her out of that bar, she never would have been arrested and nothing would have happened to her.

Mike:

You can keep blaming yourself, until the cows come home. It won´t bring her back,

Troy:

I should have gone to her funeral, but knowing her brother would be there, you know.

Mike:

Yeah, I do. Her whole life was a tragedy, but you were one of the bright spots in it. If she were here, I´m pretty sure, that´s what she would want to tell you.

Mike gives him a hug and Troy cries his eyes out.

9. Ext. Degrassi. Morning.

The students are arriving for school. Samira is trying to describe the concert to Iz.

Samira:

I never knew, music could make me feel that way! For the first time in my life, I felt free and didn´t care about any of the things, I usually worry about!

Iz:

You´ll have to see, if you can sneak me in next time.

Samira:

Did I tell you, that we met the guitar player backstage?

Iz isn´t buying it.

Iz:

In your dreams!

Samira:

Do you want proof?

Iz:

Show me your proof, then!

Samira shows Iz her new necklace. It has a copper guitar pick with a small hole drilled in it for the charm. She takes it off and hands it to Iz.

Samira:

He handed it to me after the show. Look what he wrote on the back.

Iz:

"Don´t get lost again. Love, Eddie". You could have written that yourself!

Samira:

i swear to God, that I´m telling the truth!

Iz:

You actually met him, huh?

Samira:

Sure did. Me and Amber. They even dedicated her favorite song to the two girls, who got lost backstage!

Iz:

What was he like?

Samira:

Very nice. Not someone you should be afraid of at all.

They head inside.

10. Int. Social Services. Morning.

Troy is awaiting his turn among the others, who are definitely among society´s weakest.

Secretary:

Troy Papa ... something!

Troy stands up and walks over to her desk.

Troy:

Papadopoulos?

Secretary:

Yeah, what ever! Down the hall, office number five.

Troy walks down there and into the office.

11. Int. Office. Morning.

Troy is sitting across from a male social worker.

Troy:

It´s only until I find a new job. I don´t expect it to be too difficult.

Man:

In this economy and without skills and experience! Ha!

Troy:

I have a little experience.

Man:

Which ended, when you got fired. People in the business talk and you can quickly find yourself blacklisted.

Troy:

You can´t tell me, that it´s hopeless.

Man:

Not at all, but if I were you, I´d consider getting an education. What´s your situation right now?

Troy:

Why does that matter?

Man:

There´s always a reason, why people get themselves fired. For some it´s just bad luck, but for most, there´s an underlying problem.

Troy:

My girlfriend was murdered. Two weeks ago.

Man:

Well, that´s certainly a reason! You have my deepest condolences.

Troy:

Thanks, I guess.

Man:

How are you dealing with such a traumatic event?

Troy:

Gone on living? It´s not like I have any other choice!

Man:

It explains part of why you´re here. Economic stress often follows in the wake of a tragedy.

Troy:

Right now, I´m close to broke and sleeping on my friend´s floor in a room, I have to share with someone. I don´t think, I can get lower than I am.

Man:

Believe it or not, you haven´t started to hit rock bottom yet. Have you thought about seeing a therapist?

Troy:

As in a Shrink? Isn´t that super expensive?

Man:

I can help you get access to one for free, if I recommend it. We don´t just want to help you right now, by handing you a check. If you don´t deal with this, it will affect the rest of your life.

Troy looks like he´s ready to make a change.

Troy:

Just tell me, where we start and we´ll take it from there.

Troy takes a deep breath and leans back in his chair.

CLOSING CREDITS