For days, I've dreaded writing the recap for this episode, because the writers somehow managed to make it boring and fairly offensive at the same time, and while I could just write the entire recap as one long infuriated sidebar, it's, like, not even worth it. All right, then. Let's get it over with, shall we?
Previously on the Creek: Mr. Brooks had Dawson sign a legal document, which Mr. Brooks said would allow Dawson to get Mr. Brooks's medicines for him; Pacey reassured Anna about Drue; Pacey told Joey that, while he hasn't minded waiting, he wants their relationship to progress to "the level," and if it doesn't, it's not because of him, and Joey made melted-wax face; Dawson found Mr. Brooks passed out on the floor.
Fade up on Gretchen "AARP" Witter telling Pacey "The Rhythm Of The Saints" Witter and Joey "Give It Away, Give It Away, Give It Away Now" Potter, who look bored and constipated respectively, that the Capeside High ski trip is a "rite of passage," and she relates some of the wild goings-on from her senior ski trip. Then she hugs them both goodbye. They didn't get drafted, Gretch; mellow, please. As they head towards the bus, Gretchen calls Joey back and suggests that she give Dawson a call over the weekend: "With everything that's going on, I'm sure he'd appreciate it." Joey purses her lips, then thanks Gretchen and walks off. Gretchen looks pensive.
Elsewhere in the CHS parking lot, Jen "Contract Killer" Lindley tells Jack "Flip-Flop Hooray" McPhee that she probably shouldn't even go on the ski trip; Grams is at the hospital with Mr. Brooks, and she feels bad. Jack says that Dawson can handle that stuff, and that Jen should "have some fun this weekend." I love how Jack is always on about "cutting loose" and "having fun," but when it comes down to going out on a date with a guy, he's all, "Oh, no fun for me, no sirree Bob," like, whatever, Jack. "Fun" = "kissing boys." Look it up. Anyway, Jen deems the prospects of her having fun "not likely," saying that anything you look forward to for too long inevitably winds up a disappointment, and over and above the meta-indictment of this episode she's just delivered, I have to agree with her. Pacey cracks, "The eternal optimist speaks." Jen says she'll try to make an effort. Joey slings her duffel bag into the luggage compartment of the bus, and Pacey expounds on how getting out of town "is exactly what [they] need," and Joey gets all "what does that mean," and Pacey stammers. Oh, you don't get it? Well, see, there's still the elephant in the room with them because of The Sex Issue, so it's all awkward between them and stuff. Do you get it now? Oh, right. You didn't just wake up from a coma. My mistake. Anyway, some asswipe opens a window on the bus and yells, "Everyone who plans on getting laid this weekend, get on board!" The crowd of seniors cheers. A quick cut to Jack and Jen looking tolerantly amused; cut back to Joey heaving a martyred sigh and Pacey looking like he's just eaten a wasp. The four of them head for the bus.
Ski lodge. The Guitar Chords Of Fratty Fun Times crank away on the soundtrack as the seniors file off of the bus. Pacey tells Joey, "Okay, Missy Self-Reliance, please let me give you a hand." Joey, hauling a duffel the size of Gary, Indiana, retorts that she carried it to the bus, so she can carry it to their room. Pacey takes it from her anyway and slings it over himself; Joey smiles tightly in response. On the steps of the lodge, Mr. Kasdan makes an announcement about the room keys and says, to groans from the kids, that it's same-sex sleeping arrangements and the keys to the mini-bars in the rooms "have been duly confiscated." Whatever, Mr. K -- like the kids don't all have bottles wrapped in t-shirts in their bags. Somehow Drue puts himself in charge of key duty, making sure that Joey and Pacey and Jack and Jen (and himself and Anna) get to room together. Jack asks Jen when obnoxiousness "became an adequate substitute for wit," making it two meta-statements for this episode. "Ignore him, we're making an effort," Jen grumbles. It's not that easy, sister. Trust me. Still blathering on in the "we're just gonna have fun" vein, Jen goes down like a ton of bricks in the snow.
Establishing shot of Capeside Memorial Hospital, which must have gotten built since Bessie gave birth to Alexander -- if memory serves, it took an ambulance an hour to get to Capeside from the nearest hospital -- and which looks suspiciously like one of the office-park sets from The Sopranos. Continuity calls from the couch, "Do we have eddy bore Kleedex?" Dawson heads down the front steps of said hospital, but a glasses-wearing doctor stops him to tell him that their files indicate Dawson signed a "health-care proxy" for Mr. Brooks. Dawson says that's true, but it's only so that Dawson could help him get his medications. Dr. Bronin says that the situation has changed, and since there's no immediate family, so have Dawson's responsibilities. "Meaning?" Dr. Bronin looks ill (word, my bespectacled brother) and suggests that Dawson call his parents.
Quick cut to Mitch "The Flash" Leery and Gale "Ew-Tan Clan" Leery as Mitch grunts, "He signed the papers so that he could pick up the guy's medicine." Dr. Bronin says he knows that. A shot of Dawson looking angry and Grams looking headachey. Gale snaps, "That piece of paper should not give a teenage boy the responsibility to decide when and how a man should die," like, give that woman a cigar. "It's state law," Dr. Bronin says wearily. "It shouldn't be his choice," Gale says firmly. Dawson passes a hand nervously over his mouth as Dr. Bronin says that she's right, "it shouldn't be, Mrs. Leery, but it is." He starts to leave so the four of them can discuss the matter in private, and Dawson asks him what chance Mr. Brooks has of waking up. Dr. Bronin doesn't know, but even if he did, it wouldn't make Dawson's decision any easier. Um, what? If Mr. Brooks has, say, a fifty-fifty shot at regaining consciousness, I'd say that makes the decision pretty damn easy indeed. Shut up, Dr. Bronin. Dr. Bronin leaves. The Flash starts ruminating about "the only humane thing to do," and when Gale stops him with a warning "Mitch," The Flash grumps that he doesn't want to talk about it either, "but here we are." Gale turns to Dawson and tells him that he doesn't have to make any decisions, but he says that he does, and asks how he knows what's best. Grams sits to him, her mouth clamped down in a line, visibly trying not to trash the room in response to this entire insultingly ludicrous turn of events. The Flash sighs, "It's not that kind of choice." Profile shot of the nostrils going to Flare-Con 4 as we fade to commercial.