Dawson and Joey are making out at the ruins. Joey stops and asks what they are doing? “What does it look like we are doing?” “Can’t we go somewhere else?” “We can’t go to your house, we can’t go to my house.” “I’m a twentieth century girl. In order to make out, I need some music, mood lighting and climate control.” “Where’s your sense of romance? We’ve got gorgeous moonlight, stars overhead, crickets chirping, wind in the trees, and if you get cold, you’ve got me to keep you warm.” “You are so cheesy.” “You don’t like it?” “Are you kidding? I find it unbearably sexy.” They continue to make out.
Dawson and Mitch are walking down the street. Mitch says he’s meeting a woman to discuss buying her warehouse for his restaurant. Ms. Jacobs runs into them. She tells Dawson to call her Tamara. Tamara is the one selling the warehouse. She’d in Capeside for a few days to sell the property. Dawson goes off to school.
Dawson needs to tell Pacey this news. Pacey assumes Dawson and Joey are having problems. “Joey is being sarcastic and oversensitive, and you are being self-absorbed. There ya go. Problem solved.” “It has to do with you. My dad and I were downtown today and we ran into somebody.” Andie goes to her locker beside Pacey’s. Dawson doesn’t want to talk about this in public. Pacey has to get going. Can’t talk after school. Joey and Dawson have an “art thing”. “The sacrifices we make for young love.” Pacey runs off.
Joey tells Jack that Bessie can’t work, and she has to go to that art thing, so they’re closed. Jack says he can handle it. Joey gives in and says he can open. “It’ll be a test. Just don’t set the kitchen on fire or anything.” “Thanks for the confidence.”
Abby waves a fistful of money in-front of Jen. She feels like shopping. Jen doesn’t feel like shopping. “You don’t feel like shopping and you call yourself a woman?” She’s hung up on Dawson. Jen misses being with Dawson, Pacey, and Joey.
Andie drops some movies in class. Pacey picks them up. Ghost; The Way We Were and Dumbo. Pacey loves Dumbo! He cried when he saw it as a kid. The other elephants make fun of him, then his mother died. One of the saddest movie ever. Pacey asks if she wants to go walk around down town. She accepts. “Your not going to throw me infront of a bus or something like that?” “Interesting idea.”
Dawson and Joey are at an art presentation by Laura. Dawson doesn’t seem interested. Joey is into it. Abstract expressionism isn’t his thing. It’s unresolved. It’s just a blob of paint that asks more questions than answers. Laura asks if they would like to attend her art class. Dawson has to work. Joey’s artistic expression peeked in grade 3. “It’s a beginners class.”
Andie and Pacey are downtown. Her Saab’s back in the shop. She hit a truck. Tamara meets them on the sidewalk. Pacey is speechless. When he does speak, he mixes his words up. She continues on her way. “What’s the matter? You look like you’ve seen a ghost. Did she flunk you or something?” Pacey says he has to go, then runs off, leaving Andie alone. He follows Tamara to the warehouse.
Laura likes Joey’s work. She has a gift. Joey wanted to be like her mom. She was an artist, until she died of cancer. She did it for fun. Art must be in her jeans. Laura says she should take some more classes. She has talent. She shouldn’t let it go to waste.
Dawson is carrying a pile of clothes when the doorbell rings. It’s Andie. She came to see what the English assignment is. She wants to ask Dawson something, but he has to keep it a secret. She asks if Pacey mentioned anything about liking someone, like her. Dawson doesn’t recall. Andie goes to leave, but Dawson says he may like her, just hasn’t said anything to him. Dawson asks, “Do you like him?” “Me? Like Pacey? Noway... well... maybe... possibly.” “Why don’t you just tell him?” “Never! He’s a pig. He’s obnoxious. No way. You have to swear to me not to tell him either.” “Why do I feel like I’m in the second grade?” Dawson says that Pacey’s obnoxious pig behavior is an attempt at flirtation, sometimes. Andie leaves, but not before handing Dawson’s boxers back, that she’d been fumbling with the whole time.
Abby has blown her entire monthly allowance in less than 20 minutes. She’ll tell her parents the usual. She got mugged. Jen finds being the bad girl better. Abby notices “the biggest babe I’v ever seen” sitting behind Jen. Abby calls him hers. He’s like twice her age. He’s almost mature enough to handle her. She asks him his name. Vincent. Abby introduces herself and Jen. He’s a fisherman. Abby offers to show him around Capeside. He asks for Jen’s name again.
Joey is sketching a bowl of fruit. Dawson wants to see it. He goes a far as to proclaim himself “madly enthusiastic fan of her new hobby.” Joey asks why his obsession with movies is his life passion, while her interest in art is a hobby? Dawson tries to fix his mistake, but Joey just leaves it unresolved. “Why don’t you just consider me a non-specific, incoherent, expressionistic painting? Have a great day Dawson.”
Pacey visits Tamara’s old house to find her watching the ocean. Pacey tells her that when they met it felt awkward. She tells him it was supposed to feel awkward. She tells him it was supposed to feel awkward. This is too. It’s a classic “Pinter” moment, English teachers call it. Everything is said in silence. The emotion is too strong. They stand silently. “Who is this Pinter guy?” “Stay in school, Pacey.” “Yes, Ms. Jacobs.”
Mitch explains to Dawson that the root of Joey and his problem is something unexpected. Probably not about art. Pacey arrives as Mitch leaves. He tells Dawson he should have told him about Tamara. He realized last night that he’s not entirely over her. “Pacey, I’m your friend, and I want to be supportive and helpful, but... the only thing I can think of to say to you in good conscience is stay away. You haven’t even fully recovered from the gossip fallout completely illegal interlude. There are girls your age. There are girls who like you.” “Like who?” “Like the one who came to my house yesterday and told me she liked you.” He tells him it was Andie. Pacey thinks she hates him. When a girl hates you the way Andie hates you, it really means she likes you. “Andie’s a girl. Tamara’s a woman.” “You should be with a girl.” Dawson tells him not to go there.
Joey asks Bessie if she can go to the art exhibit, and leave work. She agrees, but she has to bring Jack. Jack’s pouring stuff into cups. Joey asks him if he knows what an art exhibit is. “Do you wanna go to one?” “Sure.” “This should be entertaining.” As Jack leaves, he wipes his hands on the butt of his jeans.
Mitch is at the waehouse with Tamara. They mention their scandles.
Abby and Jen are pacing the docks for Vincent. Abby realy likes him.
Joey thinks that this art thing must be boring for Jack. We learn that he loves art. He even teaches Joey a few things. Jack tells Joey if you just glance at a painting, it can be meaningless. But if you really take the time you can see they’re filled with great power. Joey apologizes for not knowing the true Jack.
Abby and Jen find Vincent. Abby invites him out for a few drinks. He passes. He doesn’t want to be a blue-collar pin-up for some over-sexed, condescending, teeny-bopper. Abby leaves. Jen explains to Vincent to give Abby a break. He says he doesn’t like Abby, but he likes her. He offers to take her out. Before she can answer, Abby calls Jen away. Vincent says good-bye to Jen and thanks her for coming by.
Jack asks if he can see any of Joey’s sketches. All she’s done is fruit and she isn’t that inspiring. Jack says she should draw what’s important to her. Dawson shows up. Jack has to go. Dawson asks Joey if she wants to go to see the exhibit. She already has. He offers to see what she liked. She says he earned his point just for coming. Dawson says they can analyze paintings just like movies. Joey isn’t happy. “What’s changed?”, Dawson asks. “Nothing!” They are the same as they’ve always been.
Pacey finds Tamara in the warehouse. He’s looked up Pinter. King of Sub-text. “We’re big on that here in Capeside.” He tells her that he’s over it. “I’m fine. I’v grown up.” They say good-bye and turn to go their separate ways. Only steps apart, they turn around and kiss madly. When they stop, Tamara tells Pacey she better go. She has a buyer coming along. “Is this subtext again?” “No.” Pacey knows it’s over, but he wants to know if she misses teaching. “Yes. Very much.” He misses her teaching. Pacey walks off.
Abby is mad at Jen for stealing Vincent from her. Jen says she didn’t do anything. Jen doesn’t want him. “Don’t get mad at me ‘cause you got rejected.” “I didn’t get rejected. That’s your specialty, not mine.”
Dawson is scared to say anything to Joey because it will lead to a fight. Dawson is important to Joey. Art is too. Dawson’s glad for her. He doesn’t want to loose what’s great between them. Joey’s been his partner for so long. He’s everything to her. That’s how their relationship works. Her entire life is attached to Dawson. She drew what she loved. Dawson was all she could think of. She hands him a sketch of him. Good work Joey. If she ever lost him, she’d have nothing. “First of all. I’m not going anywhere.” He just wants her to be happy. Part of Joey wanted to send him off. The other part wanted to hold him so tight. “Which part won?” “I don’t want to sound like a blob of paint, but can we let this one remain unresolved for now?”
Pacey sees Andie in a coffee shop. He sits across from her and takes a bite of her meal. “Dawson told you didn’t he? Don’t play dumb. When dumb people play dumb, it’s very disconcerning.” “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” She says her feeling for him have passed.” Don’t you know that woman?”, she says as we see Tamara getting into her car across the street. “I did, but not anymore. So, anyway....”
