Episode Report Card Wing Chun: D | 1 USERS: A YOU GRADE IT Parental Discretion Advised
By Wing Chun | Season 2 | Episode 22 | Aired on 05.25.1999
Over at the Potter Den of Iniquity, Mr. Pothead is looking at a framed photograph of a much younger Joey with her mother. Joey walks in, her entire body tense. "Dad," she says. Mr. Pothead asks where she ran off to this morning. Joey sort of sidles up to the doorway between the kitchen and the living room and says, "I was with the police." Mr. Pothead says, "Oh," without much inflection. Joey asks, "Are you dealing drugs again?" Mr. Pothead's face breaks, and he starts to sob, and says, "Yes." Joey starts crying too, and says, "Why?" Mr. Pothead says, "Joey, I wish I had an answer for you. I wanted to provide for my family -- not just survive, but provide! I thought if I just made a little extra money, to get ahead, then maybe there would be a chance for us." Joey yells, "Yeah, but you served your time! I mean, you were supposed to start a new life!" Mr. Pothead says, "I wanted to, Joey, but what you don't understand is the burden I felt." Joey says, "We were a burden?!" Mr. Pothead says, "Not you! You girls are my gift! The burden was self-inflicted! Ever since I moved back in here with you, I have been haunted by the knowledge that I have failed you!"
Joey walks toward him, saying, "Then why didn't you tell me about this? I mean, we could have found a way -- we could have done something!" Mr. Pothead gets up and chokes, "I was just too weak, Joey!" He reaches for her shoulders but she shrugs him off. Mr. Pothead says, "I have been up night after night after night, wondering what compelled me to take that road -- both times. And I just don't have any answer for it." Joey says, "But I trusted you, and you lied. And you ruined everything Bessie and I have worked so hard for. I mean, we could have died in that fire and it would have been your fault!" Mr. Pothead babbles, "I know, I know, I know, and I hate myself for it so much that I wishI had died in that fire! I just don't know what to do. I don't know how to fix this. All I know is that I am so, so sorry." Joey fixes him with a dead-eyed stare, and then says, "I'm sorry too." As the camera cuts to her waist, she pulls up her shirt, revealing a wire taped to her stomach. She says, "I took care of it for you." He looks at her as if to say, "Et tu, Joey?" or maybe "Ruh roh!" Starting to cry anew, she whispers, "I'm so sorry." He says, "Don't be."
Cut to the outside of the trailer. Mr. Pothead walks out with his head held relatively high under the circumstances. Joey follows a pace behind him. He looks behind her silently. She holds his gaze a moment, and looks away. At least three police cars are parked on the lawn, which seems excessive for just one guy. Bessie stands in front of one of them, holding Alexander. He looks at her with supplication, and then sort of scrunches up his lips as if to say, "I screwed up!" She turns away. The Sheriff leads Mr. Pothead into one of the cars and they drive off.