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By Sars | Season 2 | Episode 21 | Aired on 05.18.1999
In the kitchen of the Bad Hair Youth Hostel (formerly the No-Fault Hacienda, formerly -- formerly -- waiter! Three more espressos!), Jen calls her parents. Jen's side of the convo: "Mom. Hey, it's Jennifer. [Don't most parents know their children's voices?] Yeah -- yeah, um, I figured she might have called you. I'm just, I'm staying next door with the Leerys', they've been really great. No, no, they don't seem to mind at all, um, actually that's what I'm calling about, um, I was wondering if the -- I mean, it's, I know it's been a while since we talked about this, but I was just -- curious [Jen's eyes fill with tears] as to what the situation is with me -- coming home? [pause; Jen fidgets and paces] To stay. With you and Dad." After a long silence, Jen's face falls. Hear that sound? That's Jen's parents, sucking.
Cut to an overly sweaty Dawson, attempting to join floorboards while hammering his thumb and yelling "ow!" Joey sneaks up behind him and kisses him, and says, "You know, I've decided that, um, this whole new macho working-man thing? Definitely a turn-on." I kid you not. Dawson: "Really." Joey: "Mm hmm." Sars: "[Retch.]" Kissing, lip mics, whatever. Joey thinks maybe Dawson needs a makeover, and as the free world shouts, "Word!" Joey suggests "the rebel look -- tight t-shirt, denim, leather jacket, you know, grease the hair back." Dawson says he "could do that," and Mr. Potter fortunately saves us from further musings in this vein by coming in and announcing, "Okay, I'm ready." Dawson goes to "set things up" as the Potters stare at the crappy job Dawson did on the floorboards, and Mr. Potter says, "That's not gonna work," and Joey says, "I know. Don't say anything."
Over to Mr. Potter, intoning that "everybody makes mistakes -- some of us are just better at it than others," and chuckling. "Everybody" includes, I presume, Mr. Potter's acting coach. Dawson feeds him a line about overcoming mistakes as Joey, seated beside him but with her back to her father, frowns thoughtfully. Mr. Potter says, "Well, at first, I thought I would die of shame, literally," and thumping his chest he goes on, "I, I just, I'd lost everything that I loved, and as much as I didn't want to think it, Dawson, deep down I was a weak man." Joey stares at her dad over her shoulder; Dawson minds the viewfinder. Mr. Potter continues, "It felt hopeless, and, and even if I could turn things around, would my daughters ever forgive me?" Joey's brow darkens, but Mr. Potter isn't done: "Could they ever forget what I did to their mother? How could -- " Joey jumps down from her seat and stalks out. Mr. Potter and Dawson watch her go, stunned.