Previously on Dawson's Creek
I'm in.
Congratulations.
I found out that I got
accepted to Worthington.
Oh, you got in! - I know you're happy for her
but it makes you think about the future, right?
Well, no. It makes me think about her future.
I don't really have to think about my future
because I don't really have one to think of.
We both know there is only one choice, right?
The university of New York.
What would you say if I said that
I just wasn't entirely sure anymore.
Someone needs to deal with her issues.
When was the last time you actually talked to your father?
I can't remember the last conversation that I had with him.
Mmm, where am I?
Whatcha thinking?
Uh, nothing.
Just...Joey.
Uh, she and Jen got on a train for New York a couple hours ago.
Don't they have school in the morning?
No. No, they don't. It's ditch day.
You know, the night before our ditch day,
me, Alice, Carol, Ted, and Bobby
were sitting at my house,
and we didn't have anything to do.
So we got in our car
and we just started to drive south.
We drove all night, all day,
all the way to the Virginia state line,
got out of our car, looked around,
turned back, and drove home.
I've never done anything remotely like that
in my entire life with anyone.
Why not?
Wait, what are we doing?
What about life?
I was about to retire in style.
We're gonna abandon life for a little while.
We're gonna get in the car and drive.
Whoa, Tex. I wasn't making a suggestion,
just basking in a nostalgic impulse.
Doesn't matter. It's exactly what we need.
Why does this sound like a Bruce Springsteen song?
It is, exactly like that.
It's epic and--and romantic
and crazy and perfect.
Plus, I don't think we have a choice
'cause it's not enough just to recognize your fears.
Well, it may be enough for right now.
No, it's--I can't wait.
Time is running out. I mean, don't you feel it,
at least a little bit, the absolute urgency of this moment?
Come on.
You're very quiet today.
I know. I'm sorry.
Don't be.
Tell me what's on your mind.
It's not important.
We'll see.
You know the song Sweet Jane?
Sweet Jane. Cowboy Junkies?
Mmm, it's Lou Reed, actually.
Um, the cowboy junkies covered it a few years ago, but that's the one.
It's stuck in my head.
I used to really love that song.
Learned it by heart.
So, did I perhaps mention
my list and schedule of destinations
I will be visiting in this city
while you are at your boring college meeting?
Several times.
Ok, so I figured out precisely when and where
we need to split up and get back together for dinner at 8:00
if we gotta make the train at 11:00.
You are flirting with maniacal, sweetie.
Well, do you know where the admissions office is
at the university of New York?
Yeah, I'm sure we'll figure it out.
Well, don't you think we better get heading downtown
in order that you have plenty of time to find it
in the maze that is Greenwich village?
You don't want to be late.
This is a very, very fast-paced city.
I'll try to keep up.
Witter.
What the hell are you doing here? It's ditch day.
Well, I heard you'd be here, Drue.
And far be it for me to miss out
on even the smallest morsel of your flamboyant wit.
Thank you. The administration
has kindly informed me that, uh,
given my questionable attendance and disciplinary records,
that participation in potential ditching
would result in failure to graduate.
So I told them to stick it.
And yet you're still here.
Funny how that works.
Yeah. They called my mother.
Look, Drue, I have this quiz right now,
and it's really more of a test than a quiz.
He just likes to call them quizzes.
I also have a lot of studying to do, so--
So what do you say,
after this quiz of yours,
whence our attendance is duly noted,
you and I blow off afternoon classes
and we go get dangerous?
Boy, that sounds real tempting, but no.
Witter. Sometimes...
You just got to say what the hell and live a little.
Yes, but, you see, I have this test today,
and then I have another test tomorrow
that's twice as big.
Ouch. Hate to be you.
Does make you wonder, though.
Wonder what?
What it is Joey's doing at this moment
as you rot away in academic prison.
Jen Lindley?
I'm so glad you're here.
Ohh!
Ha ha ha! Princess of soho,
love of my life.
Look at you. What did you do to your hair?
Joey, this is typo. Typo, this is Joey.
Typo. You happen to be looking at
one of the very best people in a city of 12 million,
not to mention the future of the expressionist movement.
She knows that flattery will get her everywhere.
So what brings you two ladies to the city?
Well, uh, Joey's taking care of me. She's my keeper.
Well, you always needed one of those.
Hey!
She's also just never seen New York.
Never?
What kind of young lady's
never been to Manhattan?
I can't imagine where you buy your clothes.
Ok, come on, sit down for a second.
I want to know everything about everyone.
What's everybody doing?
Who's married? Who's pregnant?
Anyone die?
We're all still here.
Some we don't see so much anymore.
Really? I still try and meet Ben and Monica
for lunch at Barney Greengrass on Wednesdays.
Today. Today's Wednesday. I know.
Joey, I cannot wait to show you this place--
Jen, aren't we forgetting about that meeting
you have with the admissions guy
from the university of New York?
You're applying to the university?
Oh, actually, I got in. I just gotta go meet the guy.
Baby, is it possible that we're gonna get you back?
I'm contemplating it. What do you think?
Dumb question.
Well, I can't believe it.
I mean, it's so far away from where we live, Jen.
I mean, honestly,
I can't believe there is even any debate
about whether or not you wanna go back.
What about that thing that they always say,
though, you know, that you can never really go home again?
Mr. Witter.
My favorite and only senior.
Far as I know, all the college acceptance letters
have officially been sent.
How are your options?
They are narrowing by the minute, sir.
Well, relax.
This quiz is the first quiz
of the rest of your life.
Well... This happened.
That's it?
That's all you have to say?
After 6 hours on the road?
"This happened"?
Aren't you supposed to have a spare?
Supposed to, yeah.
Have? No.
I gave it to some kid who needed a ride home.
Well, I'm excited.
I mean, this is exactly the kind of unforeseen complication
that makes trips like this an adventure
and not just an excursion.
What was that for?
Inspiration.
And now I'm gonna go use my body
to hitchhike us a ride.
But you better hide, 'cause nobody's gonna pick up
a babe and her boyfriend.
You know what? I'm not so crazy
about the hitchhiking idea.
Why not?
You ever see The Hitcher?
Rutger Hauer? Mm-hmm.
Just trust me, we'll regret it.
Ok, well, what, then?
Uh...
Walking distance.
Come on,
you're up for adventure.
Mr. Witter?
Jen, um, what did they say
the name of the admissions guy was?
Uh, Thomas, uh, Stevenson--ton.
Because you said Steve Thompson
the last time I asked,
and the time before that you said Thomas Stetson.
One of those. I--I forget.
You don't have a meeting at the university of New York, do you?
What are we doing here?
I gotta see my dad.
I've just been thinking about things lately,
why things are the way they are,
and, uh, I think I'm just not gonna know
until I see him.
But you should take in the city.
You only got one day and you got so much stuff to see.
And I’m, you know, I'm gonna be fine.
Most likely.
You just got to meet me at 8:00
in front of the Mercer hotel for dinner, ok?
You were paying attention to my schedule.
Be careful out there.
I feel like I'm not gonna see you again.
You will.
Yeah, I will.
What?
I'm coming with you. I'm your keeper.
Is it just me or does this seem
eerily like The Twilight Zone?
It is.
There anyone here?
Uhhh-huh.
Hello? Is anybody here?
Hello there. How goes it?
That must be Irv.
That's me. Irv of Irv's garage.
How can I be of service to you two today?
Well, our tire blew out
about 6 miles down the road.
Son, this is your lucky day, ain't it?
I've got some tires in stock.
Great. We'll take one of those.
Be my pleasure.
And, uh, a ride back to our car.
Oh, boy. Now there we've got a problem.
The only vehicle I got to take you there
is my truck here, Eleanor Roosevelt,
and unfortunately Mrs. Roosevelt's taken ill.
See, she's got a busted carburetor.
I'm the only one here to do any work all alone
and it'll be most of the day
before I get her up and running again.
Well, what if I helped you fix the car,
you drive us back to our flat.
I'd like to learn something about Eleanor Roosevelt.
That is the most generous thing I've heard all week.
Thank you, son. Now, you just step in there.
I'm gonna show you the secrets of an automobile.
Come on. You see, this here is the air filter.
All right, uh, you guys have fun.
There's nothing better than a man who smells like motor oil.
I'm gonna find us something to eat.
Ok.
W-What's your name, son?
Dawson.
All right, now, this is the air filter, Dawson,
and right down there is the carburetor.
Whoa, whoa, whoa, Jen, Jen!
Look...
What?
After urgent realization and revelation,
you travel all the way to New York City
to see this man,
to confront him about something
in what I'm feeling will be
one of the seminal moments of your entire life.
I've been there...
At least close enough to know
that it only happens once,
so you'd better take a second
to think about what that's gonna be.
Ok.
So how about we talk about that quiz?
Piece of cake. Never even broke a sweat.
So you think you aced it?
Oh, no problem. It was so easy.
I didn't even study last night.
You think his next one's gonna be as easy?
Yeah.
Jen, what happened to you?
God, I used to hate Capeside.
When I was a little girl, like 12, I--
God, I just hated it.
And I know it sounds ludicrous now,
but it was because of my Grams.
I was totally petrified of her.
So whenever my mom would want us to go visit,
I'd just...
I just completely didn't want to go.
Um, and there was--
there was this one time, it was a Friday,
and, um, we were supposed to go up there
for the weekend, just me and my mom
because my dad had all this work to do,
and I just complained
and--and fought with her in the cab
all the way to the station.
And we get to the platform,
and for some reason,
I still don't know why,
but she just turned to me and said,
"Jen, you don't want to go? Fine.
Stay here. Go home and be with your father."
And I just remember, um,
being shocked that--that I'd won.
That instead of going to Capeside
I got to go spend a whole weekend with my dad.
Heh! I really loved my dad, but--
Hi there.
What do you want?
Uh, let me have a tuna--
We're out of tuna.
Ok. Uh, how about the chicken salad--
We're out of chicken salad, too.
Egg salad?
Nope.
What do you have? Beef.
Roast beef? Sort of.
Ok, uh, I guess I'll take 2 of those,
and can I get a couple of cokes?
Pepsi. Right.
Excuse me. There are 2 young women here to see you,
and one of them is saying she's your daughter.
Angel, I am so glad you're here.
Hi, Dad.
Hello there. You a friend of Jennifer's?
Yeah, this is Joey Potter from Capeside.
Joey Potter from Capeside, a pleasure.
Nice to meet you, Mr. Lindley.
Please call me Theo.
Tell me what brings you and my daughter to Manhattan.
Well, I've never, uh, been here,
and Jen was...
Jen got accepted to the university of New York.
Donna?
Yes?
My daughter was accepted to the university of New York.
Congratulations.
Cancel the rest of my day and make reservations for 3
at the Westside Grille in 30 minutes.
Dad, you don't have to--
My daughter was accepted to college.
Doesn't even matter which one.
That's a big event in any father's life,
huge even.
It's way more important
than some lame business meeting.
We're gonna celebrate.
Mos Eisley.
You will never find a more wretched hive
of scum and villainy.
We must be cautious.
Hey, Mack, did you miss me?
You, Gilbert? Always.
Heh heh heh!
Gilbert?
Shut up and take this.
Uh, look, Gilbert, this is a picture
of a short, balding Asian man in his 40s.
He's not exactly what you call my doppelganger.
Are you kidding? That guy could be your twin brother.
Besides, they don't even look at the picture
in this place. They don't even really care.
They just want to see something. Hi.
Who's your friend, Gilbert? He got an I.D.?
David Kebo of Rhode Island?
What can I get you, Dave?
Can we get 3 rounds of your finest Tequila,
and I'd like to start running a tab, please.
Thank you.
My father's idea of a birthday present. Creative, isn't it?
When was your birthday?
You know why I brought you here, Pacey?
Uh, because you didn't want to drink alone.
Well, yeah, but there's more.
The bar that we're sitting in right now,
the big ace saloon,
lies in the shadow of your local community college,
which as I understand it,
is becoming an increasingly likely
alternative for you.
Heh! Yes.
You know, man,
when I was in school today
I just couldn't help but feeling
that the place is getting a little lonely, you know?
I mean, everybody's gone.
It was ditch day.
Well, I know.
Look, I don't think I'm ready
to have this conversation yet with anybody
and especially not with you.
Hmph! That's fine.
I just thought that you should see this place, you know.
But, hey, despite the stigma of failure and loss,
we're surrounded by good people, you know,
smart people, people of substance.
Let's toast, shall we?
Mm-hmm. To the future.
And my grandpappy had this car, big car.
You understand back in those days
a car like that was a precious commodity.
Still is. Yeah.
You're right there, little girl.
Now, I'm gonna get yours all fixed up
and then you two lovebirds'll be on your way.
Where you headed?
Uh, hard to say, Irv. It's hard to say.
Anyhoo, grandpappy and me were heading through Texas--
Irv? What's that, dear?
How much is this gonna cost us?
Cost? You mean money?
Gretchen, that's not really a polite question.
Irv here is doing us a tremendous favor--
60 bucks.
Excuse me?
60 bucks for the tire,
then another 20 bucks for the ride here.
Honey, give him the money.
Ok, I'm confused.
Didn't I just spend all morning helping you fix your truck?
Yes, you did, Dawson. That was mighty nice of you,
and you're gonna make a crackerjack mechanic, boy. Crackerjack.
But you're not gonna help us?
Of course I can't help you
when you don't have any money.
What about generosity?
Good luck to you two lovebirds.
Well, that happened, too.
I got it.
Hey, Henry, how's it going?
Let me get a Glenlivet on the rocks, splash of water.
I want to get your best Shirley Temple for my daughter,
and whatever Ms. Josephine Potter would enjoy,
and I'll tell you what else, Henry,
tell him that we're here. He'll know what to make.
Dad?
Yes, sweetheart?
Eh, uh, nothing, nothing. I forgot.
Mr. Lindley, she's too modest to say it,
but Jen was accepted to 5
out of the 6 colleges that she applied to.
Honey, that's fantastic! That's really excellent.
See, when I applied to school,
I was only accepted at one, you know. Princeton.
But it made the decision-making process a lot easier.
Well, Jen has a lot of choices.
She also has impeccable judgment.
So, what about you, Joey?
You know where you're headed?
Uh, I think I'm headed to Boston.
Oh, jeez! What about New York?
This whole city is an education
and an inspiration. What do you think about that?
I don't know. I think it's kind of big.
Big? Yeah, no kidding it's big.
It's the biggest city in the country.
Even though the island itself
doesn't have that much space.
But it's amazing, you know,
I have lived here for 30 years,
and, uh, it still continues
to surprise me every day.
How?
How what?
How does it surprise you every day?
Good question.
A city like New York
where everything's moving all the time
at this constant driving pace, right?
It's like a living organism
breathing and changing,
and over time your relationship to it
becomes like this incredible romance,
you know?
At first, it's intoxicating,
irresistible,
and then slowly it becomes
comfortable and safe.
You have this cellular connection to it,
as if you've known each other forever,
like your oldest happiness,
and sometimes you're on the outs,
and sometimes you're making up,
and every now and then you catch yourself
in this transcendent moment
where you think to yourself,
"Oh, my god,
"I'm madly in love with you,
and I always will be."
And I think that's when it surprises me.
Whoa, that's a good answer.
I can't think of anything.
Well, that's just too damn bad, isn't it?
Please?
Heh heh! I'm sorry.
I love traveling with you,
but I simply cannot give you your sandwich
until you figure out a way to fix this situation
and get us moving again.
It's a perfect opportunity for you
to rise to the occasion.
You know I'm starving.
Mmm. I can imagine.
You haven't had your beef sandwich,
and did you know Willowby was famous
for their beef sandwiches?
Ok, we'll walk back into town,
call my parents, have them wire us money.
Ok, first of all, do you have any idea
what it means to wire money?
I--I've seen the commercials.
It's the fastest way to send money.
Heh! And second of all,
how did your experience of Willowby
so radically differ from mine
to the point you believe they actually have
a 24-hour western union?
Gugggh!
Hand over those dollar bills, boys,
you're playing with Daddy now.
Ohh!
How you boys doing?
Quite well.
You having a good time?
Mighty big fun, Mack. Mighty big fun.
Dave? Dave!
Yeah. Yeah, Dave.
You're from Rhode Island, right?
Yes, I was born and raised in Rhode Island.
Hey, me, too. What brought you to my establishment?
I was in search of, you know,
good folks, good fun,
and you, sir, have plenty of both.
Well, thanks, Dave, I appreciate that,
really, but, um, that's not really what I meant.
What I meant was what highway
brought you from Rhode Island to my establishment?
Uhhh, that--well, we took
the Chesapeake highway down to the Sam Adams turnpike,
and then from the Sam Adams turnpike
you just--you get onto Clayton road, you take that south--
You know what? You have to excuse
my friend Dave right now.
He's a little drunk and--
Your $100 bill is spent, Gilbert.
Ok.
And Dave? Mm-hmm?
I don't know any of those names.
Well, that's too bad.
You calling me a liar?
Ho ho ho!
Heh heh heh!
Ladies, I just got some bad news.
It's nothing serious, but I have to head back
to the office to take care
of some stupid business stuff.
Um, I'd love to stay, but you know.
Go ahead and order anything more you want.
Joey, I know that your taste buds
have yet to be satisfied. It's all paid for.
Henry will take care of you guys.
I want you to take your friend out
and show her an amazing night in New York, ok?
Show her some magic.
Joey, you're never gonna find
a better tour guide than my daughter.
She knows this town better than anyone.
It's great to meet you.
It was nice meeting--
Jennifer, I love you. You get more beautiful all the time.
Uh, I'll see you around. Have a safe trip home.
I'll call you.
So, below us is Wall Street.
World Trade Center, Tribeca, Lower Eastside,
SoHo, Washington Square Park,
Flatiron, Union Square,
off on the distance that's Midtown,
Rockefeller Center, The Theater District,
Radio City, and, uh, The Empire State Building.
God, I do love this town.
So this is New York City.
No. This ain't the half of it,
and it is so much better up close.
Yeah, but still, Jen, I mean,
thank you. This blows my mind.
You blow my mind.
Aw, thank you.
Thanks for coming with me today. I needed you.
I know.
Hey, Jen?
Yeah?
What happened after your mom left you
on the platform at grand central station?
Um...
I--I spent that weekend wandering around the city,
just walking by myself.
Where did you sleep?
For the first night, I slept in the parking lot
of this office building that I always used to pass
on my way to school. Um...
Next night, I fell asleep
in the V.I.P. Room of, um,
this club called...
Heh! Purgatory? Ha!
And the last night, um...
I slept in the dorm room of this guy
that I met at a bar.
And why didn't you go home to be with your father?
I did.
Uh, I have to go.
I know.
I'm sorry. Are you gonna be ok?
Hey, I'm gonna be fine. Are you gonna be ok?
Yeah. Yeah, maybe for the first time.
I feel like...
What?
I still feel like we're not gonna see you again.
We'll see.
Jen, the train leaves at 11:00.
Make it. I mean, we need you back there.
I take back every obnoxious thing I've said.
Ever?
No, just today.
Why?
Because you built a fire.
That's a lot more than most guys
I've been with could do.
Out of driftwood and--and twigs
and, you know, only using wet matches.
I'm impressed.
That's what 3 years of boy scouts will do for you.
It's extremely sexy.
How sexy?
Wait a second.
First you gotta tell me what's going on with you.
Ok, uh...
Today is--is a perfect example.
It's a perfect example of how
our visions for our lives
conflict with reality's.
I still have my distortions and my delusions.
I still think that everything should be perfect,
and that Joey and I
should have slept together for the first time.
What I realized is that
I gotta let go.
You know, I-- it's time.
And there's so much ahead of me.
I mean, there's college,
there's--there's this new baby...
And there's you.
So what are you saying?
I'm in love with you,
and I no longer remember what we're waiting for.
Neither do I.
Jennifer?
I took a cab here.
What?
And all the way I had these visions
of--of coming in and announcing
that I wasn't going to Capeside.
What are you talking about, honey?
You'd smile,
and we'd-- we'd go for a walk.
It's really late.
And I came up the stairs,
I unlocked the door,
and I put my bag down,
and I didn't hear anything,
so I thought maybe you weren't there.
I was just resting. I'm awake now.
And then I he-heard, um, something.
I heard a voice,
a whimper,
very far away.
And then I heard it again.
And that's when I recognized it.
I--I knew that it was Annie.
Who?
Annie Sawyer.
She lived in the apartment
downstairs with her parents,
and she was probably the age
I am right now.
She was my favorite person in the whole world.
And she was in our apartment?
You were having sex with her.
But you were careless.
You left your bedroom door open,
and I could see in from the hallway.
I could see through the opening. It was--
Jennifer, you need some help.
Have you talked to anyone about this?
And I backed down the hall,
and I went down the stairs,
and I slipped out the front door,
and I disappeared onto fifth Avenue
in a big crowd.
It was after that that things started
to get really bad, didn't they?
You have imagined in great detail
something that never actually happened
a very long time ago.
Dad...who are you?
I'm your father.
You knew,
didn't you?
Oh, god, all this time.
My life got uglier and messier,
and then you sent me away.
You--you made me feel ashamed. You--
you punished me for all these things
that were beyond my control.
You saw me standing in the doorway.
Ohh! And you never said anything.
I wasn't--
I didn't--
No. I don't need a confession from you.
That's not why I came here.
I don't need you to apologize to me
for all the pain that you've caused me,
and I don't have to forgive you.
All I have to do
is forgive myself
for these things that I can't change.
Good-bye, Daddy.
What do you got, man?
Picked him up for drunk and disorderly.
You know the drill.
So what are you gonna do, Doug? Arrest me?
I should.
More I’m just curious.
About what?
You're not satisfied
with being a moron and failure.
You gotta add drunk to your list of credentials?
What?
This is it for me!
This is my whole life right here!
This is all I get.
Pacey--
Get off of me!
I want to make love to you so much.
So much.
And I really believe that that was why we came here,
but it's not.
I guess just as much as I want you
and I love you,
we're not gonna do this.
Why not?
Because when we go there,
it's not gonna be because you have something
to prove to yourself.
It's gonna be because we love each other,
and because we're prepared to show each other
what that really means.
Woman on P.A.: May I have your attention, please.
The train for Capeside, Massachusetts,
will be departing off track 23.
Once again, the train for Capeside, Massachusetts,
will be departing off track 23.
May I have your attention, please.
The train for Capeside, Massachusetts,
will be departing off of track 23.
Once again, the train for Capeside, Massachusetts...
So it was good.
I needed to go back, and I did,
and now I'm done.
I got what I needed.
You know you're not done, not even close.
We just opened this door.
We're only just starting to make sense.
No, I'm finished. Jen--
Tom, I get it.
I do, and I appreciate it,
and I'm really glad that we could do this,
but...
I don't have anything else to say.
I'll see you around.