Preston Burke quotes from Grey's Anatomy

Burke

[to Cristina and Meredith] This is the men's room. Either whip one out, or close the door.

Dr. Grey made a huge error.

Burke

And she reported it.

Too late. And in front of the patient's husband.

Burke

But she reported it. She spoke up. Five years ago, as a CT fellow, I had a nagging feeling that I didn't check the body cavity of a lung patient closely enough before I closed. The patient seemed fine post-op and I was in a hurry. And yesterday, you and Dr. Bailey pulled a towel out from under that patient's lung. Why didn't I report it at the appropriate time? Maybe because I was afraid that I would be called into a meeting where some hospital lawyer's fear of liability could end my career. Even great doctors make mistakes. And when we do, we've got to have a chance to be able to speak up without fear of retribution. Or everyone suffers. Dr. Grey spoke up.

Burke

Cristina, you paged me?

Cristina

If I don't find this leg, the chief is going to cut me from this program, and I cannot go back home, Burke. It is too sunny in Los Angeles. It's sunny every day.

Burke

You paged me because?

Cristina

I need you to help me find the leg! I checked the board, you're not in surgery, right? You're my boyfriend! I mean, I know I don't have much experience with this kind of thing but, aren't boyfriends supposed to help in situations like this?

Burke

Cristina, when we're on duty I can't be your boyfriend.

Cristina

OK, so, uh, when we're on duty, I can have sex with someone else?

Burke

[pause] Dr. Yang, I'm walking away now.

Burke

I believe there's a mind-body-spirit connection. And if Justin really doesn't want this heart, his body will reject it.

Cristina

Okay, let me get this straight. You don't just celebrate Christmas, you actually believe in Santa Claus?

George

Really? I guess I just think I believe in Karma. You know I mean good people deserve good things. At least that's how I thought the universe worked.

Cristina

How can you think that and practice medicine?

George

Why... I'm not saying that everybody who gets sick or everybody who dies is bad. I'm just saying that, uh, I think that there's a balance. Or there should be balance! I should...there should be some sort of balance. That's...

Burke

Good god, O'Malley, what the hell did Grey do to you?

Alex

So this whole lying thing, this is working out for you?

Excuse me?

Alex

You're going to die and soon. You get that, right? There's no rosy picture to paint here.

You're not a mother. You don't know what its like to hold your newborn baby in your arms and smell the top of her head. And know your only job in the world is to protect her.

Alex

You think you're protecting her?

I am protecting her.

Alex

Well, I guess you can call it what you want. But you should just know you're leaving behind a kid that will probably hate you the rest of her life.

Burke

Ahem... Dr. Karev.

Alex

No, I'm talking this time.

Burke

Excuse me?

Alex

I tell the truth. It's what I do. It doesn't make me a bad doctor. Everyone walks around this place lying. Look we tell the patient that's dying that there's hope when there is no hope. Maybe I'm a pig, maybe I'm an ass, and maybe I'm a varmint like everybody says. But I tell them the truth. It's the one thing that I've got going for me. And you don't get to take that away from me and call it a lesson. Sir.

Meredith

Human beings need a lot of things to feel alive.

George

Family...

Cristina

Love...

Izzie

Sex.

Derek

But we only need one thing...

Burke

To actually be alive.

Cristina

We need a beating heart.

Addison

When our heart is threatened...

Alex

We respond in one of two ways.

George

We either run...

Derek

Or...

Izzie

We attack.

Webber

There's a scientific term for this:

Alex

Fight...

Addison

Or flight.

Bailey

It's instinct...

Meredith

We can't control it.

Izzie

Or can we?

Bailey

Where is Christina? Where are... where are all of the suck ups?

Burke

Excuse me?

Bailey

My interns. My ass-kissing, surgery hungry, competitive suck ups? Where are they? Why aren't they here fetching you ice chips and morphine? Why aren't they here sucking up? [Burke avoids her eyes and doesn't respond] You know something.

Burke

I'm a patient.

Bailey

Preston Xavier Burke, what have you done with my suck ups?!

Cristina

Your mother wants to have coffee with me!

Burke

And?

Cristina

And, she thinks I'm a racist. Oh, and a stripper. She thinks I'm a racist stripper!

Erica

So how have you been, Preston? Last time I saw you, you stole my patient's heart, and then you got shot. Karma rocks.

Burke

What brings you all the way from Seattle Presbyterian to Seattle Grace?

Erica

A consult, and knowing how much my being here would annoy you.

Burke

Oh, on the contrary. It's always a pleasure, though not as much as when you leave.

Bailey

These are your letters of support for my free clinic. Sign them.

Burke

Why do you want this clinic so badly?

Derek

You're a surgeon.

Bailey

Because I need something more. I know you all have your messy love lives and your secrets and your silliness, but I want more. I need something to hold on to. I need a reason to believe that medicine can do more than stitch you up and, and send you away. I need to believe that medicine can not only save lives, but, but change lives! I need... I need... I need to believe in something the way I used to believe in you all. Sign the papers! Besides if you really want to be considered a candidate for Chief of Surgery, pioneering a pilot program, like a free clinic, will look very good on your resume. Sign the papers!

Derek

What's different?

Webber

Nothing.

Addison

Leave him be.

Derek

What happened to your hair?

Webber

Nothing.

Derek

Mm-hmm.

Derek

[whispers to Addison] See. Look. Watch.

Burke

What happened to your hair?

Addison

Ahem. Leave him be.

Mark

He dyed it.

Derek

But why? [Addison smacks him with a magazine] Ow!

Addison

[hisses at Derek] Leave him be.

Derek

[whispers] What are you doing?!

Addison

What?

Burke

[looks back at Richard] OK, but why?

Richard

Men who have gray hair are noticed less than men who don't.

Derek

By who?

Richard

Well...

Burke

By the ladies?

Derek

It looks good, chief.

Burke

Very natural.

Mark

Ladies will love it.

Addison

[to the guys] He is alone. All alone. Do any of you even know what that's like? [looks at Burke] Lives with Cristina. [looks at Derek] Dates the perfect twelve-year-old. [looks at Mark] Man whore! His wife left him after 25 years of marriage. So if the man wants to dye his hair for the ladies, let him dye his hair for the ladies. Leave him be.

Burke

What is your problem?

Cristina

You know everyone's back. Everyone's back except her. And I listen to her. Everyday, about her McLove life, her McDreamy, her McCrap. And the one day, the one day I have a thing she disappears...

Burke

Meredith, this is about Meredith.

Cristina

She doesn't know yet.

Burke

Meredith?

Cristina

She's my person.

Burke

Right. And if Meredith doesn't approve, then what?

Cristina

This, this is not about getting her approval, it's about...

Burke

What?

Cristina

Telling her makes it, makes it... If I murdered someone, she's the person I'd call to help me drag the corpse across the living room floor.

Burke

Ok, so now, you're likening someone here to a corpse. I'm done.

Cristina

She's my person.

Burke

You know, some do come back from this.

Cristina

You know what? I am not a civilian. I know the science here. It's drinking time.

Burke

Not yet. You have a responsibility to Meredith.

Cristina

No. Uh-uh. I don't do this stuff. You should know. I don't go to great lengths.

Burke

Well, you were there for me.

Cristina

After. After I knew you were going to make it. Hey, I'm not proud. Okay, I just... I can't. I can't go back there. I can't. I can't go back there and watch her.

Burke

Listen to me. This is about you and the woman you call your person. And you do know the science here. And if she dies, and you are sitting here when that happens, I can't see you coming back from that. Come and say goodbye to your friend.

Burke

That's Colin Marlowe.

Alex

Like the Marlowe transplant?

Burke

Like the greatest thing in cardiothoracic surgery in a generation. Dr. Marlowe. I'm, I'm Preston Burke. I'm a great admirer of your work, sir. Particularly the...

Yes, thank you I... Would you excuse me for just a second? [walks over to Cristina, group of interns backs away] Well, you going to give me a hug or what? [hugs Cristina, and squeezes her ass]