[PTA Meeting]
(The schoolboard is seated in front of a large group of parents. People are
yelling and fighting. Dawson, Pacey and Joey sit dejectedly in their seats,
observing.)
Dawson: This isn't going well, is it?
Pacey: Well, that depends on who you ask.
Joey: Yeah, if you're an enraged parent with misguided agenda, it's going
great.
Man: I mean, correct me if I'm wrong, Superintendent, but I don't recall the
Board of Ed passing any rule that allows a lunatic to start passing death
sentences just because one of our kids acted like a kid!
(Crowd applauds)
Superintendent: Please, please, please. As I've mentioned--
Pacey: This is unbelievable.
Superintendent: We strongly urged Principal Green to reconsider his
decision, but as much as I wish it weren't so, Principal Green has final say
in all Capeside High disciplinary matters.
(Mr. Caulfield stands up)
Mr. Caulfield: Dr. Fielding- Dr. Fielding, may I?
Superintendent: Yes, please. Please, Mr. Caulfield.
Mr. Caulfield: You consider yourself a member of this community?
Superintendent: Yes.
Mr. Caulfield: Are you going to let the prejudices of an outsider ruin my
son's future?
Joey: I cant take this any longer I have to say something. (stands) This is
ridiculous, this whole thing has been blown out of proportion.
Superintendent: This is a PTA meeting, young lady, not a pep rally. Now
you'll have your seat please.
Joey: Well, isn't anyone going to defend Principal Green for everything he's
done?
Mr. Caulfield: Miss Potter, my son tells me that you are the one whose mural
was destroyed.
Joey: This has nothing to do with me, okay?
Mr. Caulfield: You're exactly right. What this has to do with is the
scare-tactics of a man whose extremism and notions of justice are better
suited for an urban war-zone than our civilized community!
Joey: You did not just say what I thought you said.
Mr. Caulfield: What I'm saying is that if this educator were doing his job
in any capacity none of us would have to be here tonight
Woman: And if you were doing your job as a parent, Mr. Caulfield, maybe your
son would still be in school right now. (Transcriber's note: Amen!!)
Pacey: Hear, hear.
Woman: He has a file in the guidance office over an inch thick.
Joey: Look, Principal Green is a fair man.
Mr. Caulfield: I'm sure he seems that way to you, dear, and maybe to some of
the other students whose families don't--
Joey: Don't what?
Mr. Caulfield: Don't embrace the values--
Pacey: Oh, come on!
Mr. Caulfield: --that we as a--
Dawson: (rising) Where do you get off attacking her family? You don't know
anything about her family!
Superintendent: (slams gavel) People, that's enough! (rises) As of this
Friday at three o'clock, if Principal Green has not reduced Matt Caulfield's
expulsion to a more reasonable sentence, I will ask him to tender his
resignation.
(Joey sits and shakes her head)
Pacey: Did what I think just happened happen? Fielding's gonna railroad
Green into changing his ruling?
Dawson: Either that or out of town.
Joey: (she rises and begins to walk away) Come on.
[commercials and credits]
[After the PTA Meeting]
(Shot of Sherry through the lens of the camera)
Sherry: He'll be expecting Green's resignation. For now, this is Sherry
Eisler of WKWB reporting from downtown Capeside. (She finishes and sighs,
fixing her hair by looking at her reflection in the lens)
Gale: (from behind her) Hello, Sherry.
Sherry: Miss Leery, I mean Gale, it's great to see you! You look terrific!
Gale: So do you. Hey, congratulations on making field reporter. That's a
long way from the shy intern that I hired.
Sherry: Well I could say I owe it all to you. The new generation of female
reporters would be nowhere without veteran trailblazers like yourself.
Gale: (slightly offended) So, what's your story?
Sherry: Well you were inside there, didn't you see?
Gale: I saw a bunch of out-of-control parents which, for this town, is
hardly news.
Sherry: Oo, maybe but what about the principal expelling a kid for the rest
of the year. He sounds like a real whacko to me.
Cameraman: Come on, Sherry, we've gotta move.
Sherry: Ah, we've gotta get going, got a deadline to make. You remember
those days. It was great seeing you, Gale.
Gale: You too, Sherry.
[The Docks at night]
(Joey and Pacey walk quickly, wrapped up in warm clothes)
Joey: I mean, what happened in there was so unjust, not to mention
personally demoralizing.
Pacey: You know how this system works, Jo. Convicts, mental defectives, and
people under the age of 18 are routinely denied the chance to participate in
decisions that affect their everyday lives.
Joey: Well the problem is that the squeaky wheel gets all the grease. I
mean, while these idiots rant and rave about low test scores, the people who
are perfectly happy with the way things are just sit back and mind their own
business.
Pacey: True. Happy, satisfied people rarely attend emergency PTA meetings.
Joey: And teenagers. I mean come on, they'd have to be coaxed and prodded
before they'd actually set down their Playstations, turn off TRL, and do
something about something.
Pacey: You said it, Sister. So who's gonna rally the troops?
Joey: (shrugs) Obviously nobody.
Pacey: You could.
Joey: (laughs) Yeah, Joey Potter against the system. What am I gonna do,
paint another mural?
[Joey's House]
(Joey's on the phone with AJ)
Joey: I don't even know why I bothered to go. I mean, it was a total waste
of time, there were barely any students there, and I got two sentences out
before I was attacked.
AJ: Joey, you can't just expect people to rally around a cause that doesn't
exist. They need leadership, they need--
Joey: That's what Pacey said.
AJ: Pacey? What kind of a name is Pacey?
Bessie: (to Joey) You're gonna want to see this.
Joey: I'm on the phone!
Bessie: (going into the other room) No really, I think you're gonna want to
see this.
Joey: (to AJ) Hold on.
(She follows Bessie and sees Sherry on TV reporting on the story)
Sherry: Concerned parents demanded actions and answers tonight from Capeside
School Superintendent Byron Felding.
(Dawson watches from his room)
Sherry: The uproar started when a high school girl painted a mural that was
intended to bring unity, (we see a shot of Joey's defaced mural) instead all
it brought was discord.
(Nikki watches with concern and glances at her father in the other room)
Sherry: And a potential resignation of a high school principal under siege.
(shot of Principal Green looking angry) Howard Green has thus far refused to
comment publicly on his controversial decision to expel Matt Caulfield,
(Matt's dorky high school picture is shown) a senior accused of vandalizing
the so-called unity mural and fighting with another boy
(Pacey watches and shakes his head)
Sherry: who took exception to the prank. The other boy was let off with
only community service
(Gale watches with disapproval)
Sherry: leading some people in this community to question Green's motives
and wonder whether he let some kind of personal agenda affect his judgment.
(Back to Joey who is watching, the phone still in her hand, Bessie and Bodie
standing behind her)
Sherry: Joey Potter, the girl who painted the mural, was present at
tonight's meeting and summed it up best when she said this about Caulfield's
harsh punishment.
Joey: (shown on tv from the meeting) This is ridiculous! This whole thing
has been blown out of proportion.
Joey: (watching) I never said that!
Bessie: We believe you, Sis.
Joey: (to AJ) I mean, I said it, but not in that context. I mean, this
isn't fair! No one is ever gonna give me the chance to say everything that
I want to say.
AJ: You're right, they won't. Not unless you stand up and demand to be
heard, show them you won't be ignored.
Joey: What are you suggesting?
[Capeside High Hallway]
(Joey tapes a poster to the wall)
Pacey: Well, Norma Rae, looks like you took my advice after all.
Joey: And what advice is that? (tapes a poster)
Pacey: This meeting, rallying the troops. I have to say, this is a big step
forward for you. I mean, I'm known as the Capeside crusader far and wide,
breaking down sexual stereotypes, eradicating robed teachers, but you,
you're definitely more the rebel without the cause type. So look, I just
wanted to say, don't hesitate to ask for any help that you might need,
seeing as this whole thing was my idea in the first place.
Joey: (patronizingly) You were encouraging, yes, Pacey, but this meeting was
hardly your idea.
Pacey: If that's the way you wanna play it, fine. If you wanna pretend like
you devised this whole-
Joey: I didn't. (she goes around a corner and walks up to AJ)
AJ: All out.
Joey: Me too. (Pacey watches uncomfortably and clears his throat) Oh that's
right, you guys have never met. Um, Pacey this is AJ. AJ, this is Pacey.
AJ: Right, the one with the peculiar name. How you doing?
Joey: AJ came down to help us rally up the troops.
AJ: Yeah, give Capeside a small taste of some tried and true college protest
action.
Girl: Quick! Green's coming inside… and you guys have to see this.
(Joey goes out the door followed by AJ and Pacey. People are picketing and
chant with signs, "Green too extreme!" Principal Green walks through them,
up to the door. He stops in front of Joey.)
Principal Green: Joey, after you.
(Joey looks uncomfortable and goes inside, followed by Principal Green,
Pacey and AJ.)
[commercials]
[Gale's yet-to-be-named Restaurant]
(Gale and Dawson watch the news)
Sherry: Concerned parents showed up at Capeside High today to express their
outrage at a principal that many think has gone too far.
Gale: Thanks for helping out tonight, Honey.
Dawson: Don't thank me, thank Dad. He's the one who indentured me to this
servitude.
Gale: And not a moment too soon. I must say, this restaurant stuff, it's a
lot more work than I expected.
Dawson: Sorry I couldn't be here any sooner.
Gale: Oh, what happened at that meeting at Joey's tonight?
Dawson: (smiles) You should've seen her: totally confident, totally
inspired.
Gale: You're proud of her.
Dawson: Yeah. How could I not be? She's finally standing up for herself
and fighting back the way I always knew she could, you know? I can't help
but feel a part of that. She's organizing an action tomorrow outside of the
superintendent's office.
Gale: Well she's got a tough road in front of her. (she looks at the
television) Especially with that spokesmodel-turned-journalist
misrepresenting her story. (Dawson turns off tv with remote) You know, what
kills me is an important story done badly simply because the person covering
it has no idea how to decipher truth from popular opinion.
Dawson: Sounds like you miss it.
Gale: I'd be lying if I said I didn't, but hey, I've got this place right
now. (She rises) Onward and upward (Dawson follows her) What if you tried to
tell the real story about what's going on?
Gale: Relive my glory days as a field reporter?
Dawson: Well all you would need to get back in the game is a camera.
Gale: And a crew.
Dawson: In these days of digital video, a crew is one person.
Gale: And just who would my one person be?
Dawson: You have one indentured servant at your disposal.
Gale: I don't know, Honey, you know, even if we did this and did it right,
there's no promise that the station would run it. They've made it clear
many times over that my services are past their prime.
Dawson: Well we're not doing it for the station, we're doing it for you, and
for Principal Green, and for Joey.
[Outside the Superintendent's Office]
(Joey stands with Dawson and Gale, who are setting up their camera)
Joey: We barely have enough people to field a softball team, let alone
change the world.
Dawson: Rome wasn't built in a day, Joey.
(AJ and Pacey stand nearby. Pacey gives AJ a mug)
AJ: Thanks for doing this. Hot coffee is great for morale.
Pacey: Oh, no problem. So, where's Jo?
AJ: She's getting ready for her close-up. She's great isn't she? Born
leader.
Pacey: Ah, she's a peach, alright.
Gale: (to Dawson) Ask her a series of questions about the nature of the
protest and where they're picketing from and then I think we should
concentrate on-
(Sherry and her crew come from behind)
Sherry: Gale, what's this?
Gale: I'm doing a story on the Green situation.
Sherry: For cable?
Gale: I don't know, truth be told. I was thinking about submitting it to
Roger at the station.
Sherry: Hm. Good luck with that. Joey, I would love to get a follow-up
interview with you.
Joey: In your frosted blonde dreams, Barbie. (Sherry walks away) You don't
think I was too hard on her?
Dawson: Sounds about right to me.
(The Superintendent looks out the window at the group below)
Joey: (to AJ) What is it?
Pacey: Superintendent Fielding wants to see you.
Joey: Me?
AJ: First signs of resistance falling.
Joey: Why don't I get that feeling?
Pacey: Because Fielding's an unscrupulous ineffectual jerk who cares more
about job security than about what anybody out here thinks. He's only gonna
threaten you, Jo. I don't think you should go in there.
Joey: (to AJ) What do you think?
AJ: I'd go.
(Joey goes inside. Pacey stares at AJ)
[Superintendent Fielding's Office]
(Joey walks into the office, right beneath a large elk head)
Fielding: Ms. Josephine Potter, correct?
Joey: Yes.
Fielding: Have a seat. I assume you know who I am.
Joey: The man who shows up at football games and graduation?
Fielding: I appreciate a sense of humor, though I prefer to think of my
involvement in your life as a touch more personal than that. I hear you're
responsible for that dissonant clamoring outside. Is that true?
Joey: Well parents can picket a school, students can picket a
Superintendent's office.
Fielding: Fair enough, and just what is it you intend to accomplish with
this first amendment display?
Joey: Well it's our belief that Principal Green was right in expelling Matt
Caulfield and he shouldn't be forced into changing his ruling simply
because--
Fielding: No one's forcing him.
Joey: Pardon me, Dr. Fielding, but you threatened to ask for his
resignation.
Fielding: That wasn't a threat, that was a direct request.
Joey: As a representative of the student body, I'm telling you what is
happening to Principal Green is wrong.
Fielding: As far as I know, all you represent is that meager handful of
students out there right now and that's it.
Joey: (lying) Well, there's more of us.
Fielding: Oh really?
Joey: (gaining confidence) A lot more. In fact, we have a student-signed
petition with 300 signatures.
Fielding: 300?
Joey: Mm-hm. And there's gonna be a rally tomorrow night, I mean, if you
think the crowd last night was vocal, you just wait until tomorrow.
Fielding: I didn't know about this.
Joey: Make no mistake, Dr. Fielding, there's a voice that doesn't agree with
what's happening here, and that voice will be heard.
Fielding: I'm all ears. (He sits) Now I suggest that you and your friends
hurry back to school before that principal that you love so dearly has to
serve you with detention for cutting class.
Joey: Who's cutting class? I'm out sick with a cold.
[Principal Green's House]
(Principal Green goes to answer the doorbell. Gale and Dawson are there.
Nikki stands behind her Dad)
Principal Green: Dawson, Mrs. Leery, to what do I owe the late-afternoon
honor?
Dawson: For your interview.
Principal Green: Interview? What interview?
Gale: For the story I'm hoping to run on channel three about the situation
in the community as a result of Matt Caulfield's expulsion.
Dawson: I talked to Nikki this afternoon, she said it was okay.
Nikki: I just wanted you to have an opportunity to speak. For everyone to
know your side of the story.
Principal Green: I know my side of the story and that's all that matters.
I'm sorry, but my daughter misinformed you.
Dawson: Principal Green, for what its worth, people have severely
misinterpreted you in this entire situation. Are you sure you don't want a
chance to explain your actions?
Principal Green: It's not my job to prove to people that I'm a fair and
decent man. If they don't know that by now, some sound byte on a television
show is not gonna help.
Nikki: When you see a good fight, get in it. Dr King's words, but your
lesson to me.
Principal Green: This is not a good fight, Nikki. The more I try to prove
myself, the more I empower this insane notion that I'm an enraged man on a
bigoted tirade. I'm sorry, but I cant grant you the interview. Have a nice
day.
[Joey's house]
(Lots of people stand around, preparing for the rally. Andie walks by on
the phone while Pacey talks to Joey and AJ)
Pacey: I'm just saying it might've been nice to have a little heads up
before you invented a petition with over 300 signatures. I don't even think
we have 300 students at our school!
AJ: She had to bluff, how else was she gonna get the guy's respect?
Joey: Right. Look, it'll be fine, Pacey. Just tell us what we're doing to
get people to come to the rally.
Pacey: Well that bluff's gonna be a little bit harder to pull off. I mean,
a petition is easy enough to fake. You just convince kids you're
campaigning for extra chocolate milk days in the cafeteria, but for a rally
you gotta produce actual bodies.
AJ: (dramatically) Those are problems, we need solutions.
Jen: (coming up to them) All right, which we have. See, Pacey here said
think internet, so Jack is right now putting an announcement out on the
Capeside web site and Andie is getting word out the old-fashioned way.
Andie: (on the telephone) Okay, well if you don't come then you can forget
about me participating when it comes to putting all those little names and
faces together in the yearbook, okay? Great. (She hangs up) Personal touch
is always nice when it comes to blackmail. (the phone rings) Oh! Hello?
Hello? No, oh hold on one second. Bessie!
Bessie: Yeah?
Andie: For you. (hands her the phone)
Jack: (comes up to Joey with a laptop) Joey, we designed a new flyer, for
your approval of course.
Joey: (nods) Great.
Jack: (smiles) Good, because I already ordered 500 copies.
Joey: How are we gonna pay for that?
Jack: We're not, actually. Pacey managed to convince a civil minded copy
shop owner to run them for free.
Joey: He did?
Jack: Yup.
Jen: Yes. He did.
Joey: Okay. Okay, attention everyone! Look, I know you're all working very
hard and we're only 20 people right now, but by tomorrow night we have to be
200 at least, so keep up the hard work. We've got many miles to go before
we can sleep. Great job.
(applause)
AJ: Are you sure you've never done this before?
Joey: Yeah, and I can't believe I'm doing it now.
AJ: Well believe it, cuz it's happening.
Joey: Thanks to you. I mean, you're the one that convinced me to do it in
the first place, came all the way down here. I couldn't have done it
without you.
(They kiss. Pacey watches and shakes his head forlornly. Jen sees him and
comes up to him)
Jen: You okay?
Pacey: Yeah. Yeah, I'm just gonna hang some of these fliers up. (he leaves)
Bessie: (coming up to Joey and AJ) Okay, I just got a phone call.
Joey: What is it?
Bessie: Some concerned citizen wanting me to know that letting High School
students using my place of business as their point of attack against the
system is not the best way to keep my business afloat.
Joey: I don't get it.
Bessie: You don't, do you? You never do. (She exits leaving Joey looking
crestfallen)
[commercials]
[Joey's kitchen]
(Bessie chops vegetables while talking to Joey and Bodie)
Joey: Bessie, it was probably just a stupid little prank and I wouldn't be
surprised if Matt Caulfield did it himself.
Bodie: Bess, relax, I'm sure its no big deal.
Bessie: What if it wasn't a prank? We can't afford to antagonize the people
who hold the mortgage on this house. Or at least Bodie and I can't, we'll
still be living here when you go to college.
Joey: So I'm just supposed to sit around and wait patiently until I get out
of this town? I'm not allowed to criticize it or even try to change it in
any way?
Bessie: I didn't say that.
Joey: Look, I can't stop now, Bessie. Is that what you want me to do?
Bodie: Jo, Jo, Jo, no ones' asking you to stop. I think Bessie just wants
you to be realistic about the situation.
Joey: I am being realistic!
Bessie: Spending a lot of time and effort defending a man who won't even
defend himself? How is that realistic?
Joey: He shouldn't have to defend himself, he didn't do anything wrong!
Bessie: And you're sure of that? You sure this kid doesn't deserve another
chance?
Joey: Of course I am! Everyone at school knows that Capeside High is a
much better place without Matt Caulfield. The students know it and the
teachers know it.
Bessie: So all these parents that are so up in arms, they're just wrong?
Joey: Yes! You weren't at that meeting, you don't know what Mr. Caulfield
said, okay? He's got his own personal agenda and I'm not just talking about
saving his son's ass.
Bessie: What do you mean?
Bodie: She means all these concerned citizens wouldn't be fighting this
decision so hard if Principal Green were white.
Bessie: (stubbornly) They would still be upset.
Bodie: Upset, yeah. And they might try and take action about it, but not
like this. There wouldn't be this level of anger and hostility and
misunderstanding and they certainly wouldn't try and threaten the family of
some teenage girl trying to speak her mind.
Bessie: I give up. Joey you want to change the world from our living room,
fine. Whatever.
(Bessie exits in a huff. AJ enters looking penitent and Bodie exits)
AJ: Sorry.
Joey: It's okay. I'm glad you're not a paying guest, this scene would have
been even more heinously awkward.
AJ: Look, this is probably not the best time to say this but, uh--
Joey: You're leaving?
AJ: Yeah. I figured since I've alienated you from your sister and
completely undermined the financial liability of your family business, my
work here is done.
Joey: You can't leave, I mean we just started! I could give you another
room maybe, something without nautical wallpaper.
AJ: No, I've gotta go. I've got papers to write, actually papers to grade.
Listen, Jo, you think you need me, but you don't. You're surrounded by a
lot of people who believe in you, good people, smart people. I mean, Pacey
turned out to be not such a bad guy.
Joey: What gave you that idea?
AJ: I'm an excellent judge of character. I found you, didn't I?
(Joey shrugs)
[Docks at night]
(Pacey furiously staples a flier onto a pole. Jen comes from behind him)
Jen: Pacey? I think you got that one covered. A hurricane won't take it
down. You know, it might make you feel better if you talk about it.
Pacey: Talk about what?
Jen: About what's bothering you.
Pacey: There's nothing bothering me.
Jen: Oh, fine.
Pacey: Okay, so I do kinda have a problem.
Jen: Yeah, I noticed.
Pacey: It's that obvious, huh?
Jen: Yeah, it's becoming so.
Pacey: So you think it would be at all possible to, I don't know, pretend
like it wasn't that obvious?
Jen: Only if we pretend to have a conversation about it.
Pacey: You really wanna make me do that? Okay. Okay, um, let's just say
for the sake of argument that I had gotten myself into an impossible
situation. That I had, hypothetically speaking, fallen for, or was in the
process of falling for, the worst possible person that I could ever fall
for. What would you tell me to do?
Jen: I guess I would tell you that impossible situations are only made
better by doing something about them.
Pacey: So I should just go and declare myself to her so that she can laugh
in my face? That's a great idea.
Jen: How do you know that's how she'd react?
Pacey: Well, I have it on pretty good authority that my rough charms don't
really register on her rarified romantic palate. I mean, let's face it.
I've got Duckie written all over me.
Jen: Duckie?
Pacey: Yeah, Duckie. Molly Ringwald's best friend from Pretty In Pink. The
guy who definitely does not get the girl.
Jen: Yes, but he makes the girl feel good about herself. He does, he stands
by her through innumerable fashion emergencies, he even humiliates himself
by lip-synching in a public place, and he takes her to the prom.
Pacey: Where she promptly dumps him for another guy.
Jen: Alright, the question is, Pace, this girl that you have developed
impossible feelings for, are you going to stand by her in a very Duckie-like
fashion, or are you going to let hurt feelings and pride prevent you from
being the friend that you so innocently purport yourself to be?
Pacey: (staples a poster and sighs) I guess it just hurts, that's all.
Jen: Well that just means that it isn't pretend anymore.
[Outside Superintendent Fielding's Office]
(Dawson and Gale sit waiting for an interview)
Dawson: Mom, why are we doing this? If Green won't talk, why are we
interviewing Fielding?
Gale: Because there's two sides to every story and it's not our job to
editorialize.
Dawson: Well I'm sorry, but it's my editorial opinion that the world's heard
enough from his side.
Gale: Honey, if I didn't do this interview, I'd be just like Sherry, picking
the news that I want to tell.
Dawson: Well why shouldn't you? Everyone else does these days.
Gale: No, not the best journalists. The best ones just ask the right
questions. That's the only way that the truth can surface.
Secretary: Dr. Fielding will see you now.
[Superintendent Fielding's Office]
(Shot of Superintendent Fielding talking through Dawson's camera)
Fielding: What we're asking Principal Green to do is not an unreasonable
request. Simply readmit one student who may have caused a little trouble
here or there.
Gale: Yes, but most of Matt Caulfield's fellow students side with Principal
Green on this one.
Fielding: Green could offer to shorten the school day by fifteen minutes,
they'd follow him anywhere.
Gale: They can make a lot of noise, though. This rally, for instance?
Fielding: They can rally all night for all the good its going to do them.
Howard Green has until Friday at three o'clock to rescind his ruling or its
going to be his last day at Capeside.
Gale: It would seem to me that firing Principal Green is as extreme as him
choosing to expel Matt Caulfield. Now are you really sure that firing
Principal Green is what's best for our students?
Fielding: It's what's best for the community.
Gale: Ah, and that's who you're responsible to, the community.
Fielding: Ultimately, yes.
Gale: Could I ask you to read something for me, Sir?
Fielding: Of course.
Gale: Could you please read line-item number one for me, on that page?
Fielding: (reading) I hereby to declare to, above all else, protect and
serve the welfare of each student in this district (slowing) to the best of
my ability. (Dawson smiles) What is this?
Gale: A contract for Capeside's Superintendent of Schools, the one which
states what he's hired to do. In fact, that's your signature at the bottom
of the page, Mr. Fielding, is it not?
Fielding: Yes it is.
Gale: So what you're holding is a contract which you've signed which states
that your number one priority should be to these students and their welfare.
In fact, it doesn't say anything about the community anywhere in that
contract, Sir, correct?
Fielding: (rises and storms off) This interview is at an end.
(Dawson pats Gale on the back)
[Principal Green's House]
(Nikki tries to sneak by her father, who's reading in a chair)
Principal Green: Nikki, can a concerned father ask where his daughter is
going in such a hurry?
Nikki: He can, but he's not going to like the answer.
Principal Green: Joey's rally?
Nikki: You could come with me, you know.
Principal Green: You already know my position on that.
Nikki: I'm not sure I know your position on anything anymore. You spent so
much time trying to protect how you're seen for fear that they're going to
paint you as some angry man.
Principal Green: I am angry, and why shouldn't I be? Nikki, do you have any
idea how much it hurts to know that I did the right thing and I'm doing the
right thing and because of someone's deep-seeded fears. it's not working?
Now I don't want to leave these kids and I don't want to leave this town and
I certainly don't want to put you through this. So yes, I am angry. But if
men like Robert Caulfield see one flash of this anger, they will use it
against me.
Nikki: The people tonight aren't like that. They're on your side, they
support you, they're fighting for you, for us. And they need to know that,
win or lose, you support them.
(He turns back and sits down without answering her. She leaves)
[Capeside High Auditorium]
(Joey's Rally. Dawson walks with camcorder in hand through the auditorium
and sees Nikki sitting in a seat. Jen and Joey talk by the podium on the
stage.)
Jen: I'd say that Pacey did a pretty impressive job of getting the word out
to the people, don't you think?
Joey: Yeah. Speaking of Pacey, I haven't seen or heard a word from him all
day.
Pacey: (at the podium) Testing, testing, one, two, testing, uno, dos, okay…
As you can see, we're not having any technical difficulties, so I'd like to
turn it over to the lady who's responsible for gathering us all here
tonight. Let's give her a nice, warm round of applause shall we? Miss Joey
Potter. (Applause. Joey goes to the podium)
Pacey: (whispers as he walks away) Think I warmed them up for you?
Joey: Well, uh, everyone's been coming up to me in the last week asking me
why I'm doing this, even people in my family. I've certainly asked myself
plenty of times. And it's not because Matt Caulfield trashed my
extracurricular art project and I've sworn eternal vengeance. It's because
some people in our town seem to think that our principal doesn't know what's
best for us, that he's an outsider. How can he be an outsider when he's
been there walking the halls of our schools with us everyday since
September. When he's taken the time to get to know us, to figure out our
talents whether it be filmmaking or student government or painting, and
supported and encouraged all of us who don't even know yet what our talents
are. How can he be an outsider when he's been there with us everyday,
trying to make our lives better. I thought that's what we could do tonight:
talk about how Principal Green has made our lives a lot better. (There's
silence in the crowd) Okay, no hands. Uh, I'm starting to feel like I'm
back in Mr. Peterson's English class. (A few hands raise) That's better.
Andie.
Andie: Well, the two most important things that I learned from Principal
Green were that mistakes and setbacks aren't necessarily irreversible and
that if you can't learn from yourself, then you can't learn from anybody.
Girl: And he doesn't treat us like children, even if we act like 'em.
Boy: He treats us with respect and listens what we have to say. We've been
trying to form this committee of students who--
Nikki: I don't know very many of you, I'm the new kid and all, but what I do
know about you is what my father tells me at home over dinner, while we're
watching TV, when we're doing the dishes. Because that's what he talks
about, that's all he talks about. (Principal Green walks in from behind her)
His students, his school. (She turns to see him and smiles. Joey smiles
also. He comes up to the stage.)
Principal Green: I had mixed feelings about coming here this evening, but
after sitting at home and thinking about some of the things my daughter said
earlier, it was clear that I needed to come. She said, "Dad, those people
are on your side, they're fighting for you." And so I wanted to come and to
say thank you for your support. Now, neither myself nor Dr. Fielding seem
to be willing to budge on this particular issue, so it looks like I'll be
leaving. (Members of the audience look around in confusion) But as I look
around this evening, I'm motivated because I see a room full of people who
have chosen to harness their inner power as individuals. But regardless of
the outcome of this situation, know that I thank you, all of you. Thank
you.
(Everyone looks upset from their seats. Pacey looks at Joey, who looks
distressed)
[commercials]
[Capeside High Auditorium]
(After the Rally. Jen approaches Pacey at the podium)
Jen: So you did it. You rallied to a certain someone's side in a very
Duckie-like manner.
Pacey: Yup, mission accomplished.
Jen: How do you feel?
Pacey: To be honest, I feel like dog meat. She didn't even thank me.
Jen: She will. One day.
Pacey: How can you be so sure?
Jen: Because every dog has it's day, just ask Henry.
(Pacey watches her walk away and smiles)
(Joey and Bodie walk to the exit)
Joey: Ready to go?
Bodie: Whenever you are.
Joey: Think she'll let us in the house?
Bodie: Bessie? If she doesn't, well uh we'll sleep in the car. Wanna
drive? (holds out the keys)
Joey: Stick shift? No thanks, think I've had enough-- (She sees Bessie
standing by the door holding Alexander) challenges this week.
Bessie: Backing down from a challenge? That doesn't sound like the Joey
Potter I know. Certainly wasn't the one in front of all those people
tonight.
Joey: You saw?
Bessie: Yeah, well Alexander here, he just insisted on coming. See, he's
extremely proud of his Aunt Joey.
Joey: Really?
Bessie: Oh yeah. When you're not there, he goes on and on about how
talented you are and how smart and how brave.
Joey: On second thought, maybe I will drive us home.
[Principal Green's office]
(Principal Green packs a certificate into a box. Joey knocks at the door.)
Principal Green: Come in. (She enters) Ah, Miss Potter. You haven't been in
my office in a long time. You haven't gotten yourself in trouble, I hope.
Joey: You know, you have a few minutes. You could still change your mind.
Principal Green: Is that what you want?
Joey: No, I-well, maybe. I- I don't know.
Principal Green: Why is that?
Joey: I know that you're doing the right thing. It's just that I can't help
but feel that maybe I failed you. We couldn't stop them. We weren't loud
enough or strong enough. And I'm really sorry.
Principal Green: Joey, look at me. Look at me. (She looks) In all my years
in education, I have never felt more successful than I feel right now. You
understand that? (She nods) Thank you for fighting for me.
Joey: (shrugs) You're welcome.
Principal Green: I guess it's time to go home.
Joey: After you.
(Principal Green looks around and goes out the door, carrying his briefcase)
Joey: We'll see ya, Mr. Green.
Principal Green: See ya, Joey.
(Principal Green turns the corner to find the hall lined with students,
applauding him as he leaves. He puts his arm around Nikki, who is with
them, and they exit together)
[Gale's yet-to-be-named Restaurant]
(Gale is on the phone as Dawson enters)
Gale: Well tell everyone that I can be down there in less than an hour,
okay? Okay, I'll see you then. (She hangs up)
Dawson: That sounds like distinctly good news.
Gale: They're gonna run our story tonight, they want me to race down now and
tape an intro at the station.
Dawson: Mom, that's great!
Gale: Oh, and that's not all. One of the executive producers asked me if I
would be interested in doing a few other special reports in the upcoming
months.
Dawson: That's great! What'd you tell them?
Gale: I told them I'd get back to them in about twenty years when I retire
from the restaurant business.
Dawson: You're kidding. I thought this was what you wanted.
Gale: No, I think what I wanted was just my chance to say no, to leave on my
own terms, start fresh with no regrets. And I can do that now because of
you.
Dawson: What did I do, Mom?
Gale: What you always do, Honey. You inspired me the way you inspire
everybody. You see, as much as you think you've changed, Dawson, you're
still the quiet hero, stepping in at the right time, lending your efforts,
never asking for a reward in return. You're smart and capable and sincere.
Dawson: I think you're editorializing.
(She laughs, hugs him, gives him a quick kiss and leaves)
[Streets of Capeside at Night]
(Pacey runs along, pulling Joey behind him)
Pacey: Come on, just a little bit farther, right up here, a couple more
steps. Right there, whoa, stop right there. Perfect. We're here.
Joey: Pacey, I don't know where you think here is, but it seems to me we're
nowhere.
Pacey: Think back with me for just a second. Remember how this whole thing
started? It started with a girl, a wall, and a paintbrush. (He holds up a
brush)
Joey: You bought me a paintbrush ?
Pacey: No lame-o, I stole this from your permanent collection. (He points at
the wall behind him with the brush.)
Joey: You bought me a wall?
Pacey: Not bought, rented. And this thing didn't come cheap either, it cost
me a hundred bucks.
Joey: You bought me a wall?
Pacey: You said that already. Look, it's a limited time offer, so you
should get cracking.
Joey: Pacey, did you notice the size of this thing?
Pacey: I just thought your next endeavor should be bigger and better than
your last one. It's important that you keep on growing, both as a person
and as an artist. I also got you this. (hands her a bucket of white paint)
Now I know its not gonna cover the whole thing, but as the saying goes, the
journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
Joey: Well, I'm going to need your help on this one.
Pacey: No, no, no, not this time. You're on your own, Sister.
Joey: (laughs) Pacey, you're unbelievable. I mean, as soon as I think I've
got you all figured out, you go and do something so outrageous that
completely challenges me in a way that no one else would even think of that…
(sighs) In case I don't say it enough, thank you.
Pacey: (smiles) It's about time, Potter. (He walks off) It's about time.
(Joey looks up at the wall, almost a little frightened. The camera pulls
back and we see how very small she looks in comparison to it)