Dawson Leery quotes from Dawson's Creek

Joey

So what was yours, by the way?

Dawson

What was my what?

Joey

Your all time most life altering moment?

Dawson

For all I know, it could be this one right now... saying good-bye to you.

Todd

So what do you want to be when you grow up, Dawson?

Dawson

What else? A director.

Todd

Yeah? What are you doing about it?

Dawson

USC Film School.

Todd

Film school is for pussies. What are you really doing about it?

Dawson

I, uh… I made a documentary last year about A.I. Brooks.

Todd

Who?

Dawson

He was this pulp director from the 50s. It’s an amazing story, actually. I could show it to you.

Todd

No thanks.

Dawson

Okay.

Todd

Look, you’re what, like 18?

Dawson

Yeah.

Todd

Chances are, it’s bad. And if I take a look at it and it does indeed suck, than I have to come up with some sort of B.S. so you don’t feel bad. And if on the off chance it’s actually good, what do I need that for? Why would I want to be jealous of some 18 year old kid that makes better flicks than I do? Do you see my predicament?

They’re ready for you, Todd.

Todd

Welcome to Hollywood, Dawson.

Dawson

Todd? What I said was “screw you”. You should be ashamed of yourself, man, and not because you treat people badly, cause a lot of people do that. You should be ashamed of yourself because you have an amazing privilege and you don’t even take it seriously. You get to make movies. You get to do this for a living and you don’t even appreciate it. This movie is probably gonna suck. I know that, you know that, and the entire crew knows that. And your next movie is probably gonna suck too. Somebody gave you the keys to the kingdom and you’re blowing it. I feel sorry for you. If I ever get here, I’m gonna do things a lot differently.

Todd

You’ve got balls, kid. Now get off my set. You’re fired.

Dawson

Well, I went to go take the tour, turns out that Audrey is the tour guide.

Joey

Audrey is the tour guide?

Audrey

Yeah the pay sucks, but it allows me to combine two of my passions. Performing in front of a small audience, and getting strangers to fall in love with me.

Dawson

And what does matter?

Joey

You. That’s why I got upset this morning, Dawson. I had spent the entire weekend thinking that you had heard everything I had to say on that message and that you came anyway. That you understood me.

Dawson

Joey, as long that I live, I will never understand you. I mean, I had this fantastic weekend. Hanging out with you. Hanging out with my friends. Questions whether or not, I even wanted to go back to LA, and then I wake up this morning to find out that the girl that was so upset that I couldn’t come, could actually kiss me off in the waning hours of Friday night.

Joey

Dawson, I never said it was going to be easy.

Dawson

Then tell me one thing that you do know.

Joey

I know that I wanted you there. At the end of the day, when I got back to my room, I wanted you there.

Dawson

Why?

Joey

I don’t know why. I don’t know what I meant. I just know that I wanted you there.

Dawson

Joey, I am here. I’ve been here for two days, and only now are we finding a way to talk about stuff that really matters. Like why you left that message. All right? And you know, maybe that is the ending we are supposed to have. Maybe every other attraction that we feel each other is just, fear of moving on, fear of growing up.

Joey

Is that what you really think?

Dawson

I don’t know, but I do know that if I get on this plane, I am never going to find out. All right, because, we’re gonna, we’re gonna move on, we’re going to grow up, and four years from now we are going to wake up, and we are going to be complete strangers to each other. The only thing that I know for sure, it that I don’t want that to happen. Do you?

Dawson

Um... guys, USC is not for me. I want to drop out. I know this comes as a surprise to both of you, but I spent the whole summer in L.A., And I went to every single one of my classes, and the main thing that I learned about L.A. is that L.A. is just not where I want to be right now.

Gail

And Boston is?

Dawson

All my friends are in Boston.

Gail

Oh, honey. You'll make new friends in California. It just takes some time.

Dawson

Mom, it's more than that. It's more than that. I'm... I'm at a profound crossroads in my life, and I know that if I don't choose this path, I'm going to have significant regrets.

Gail

Hmm… Where would you live?

Dawson

Uh, with Jack and Jen at Grams'.

Gail

What would you do?

Dawson

Find a new school.

Gail

Oh, Dawson.

Dawson

Mom, I know I sound like a complete flake, but I promise you, I've given this a lot of thought.

Mitch

I've given this some thought myself, and I've decided... you're not dropping out.

Dawson

It doesn't work like that, dad.

Mitch

If you're going to stand here and talk to me about crossroads and paths so you can drop out of school and go crash on a sofa, then don't presume to talk to me like you're an adult.

Gail

Did Joey ask you to stay in Boston?

Dawson

No.

Gail

Are you two…

Dawson

Together? No. It makes no logical sense. I know. The past few years of my life, I haven't done anything without a clear-cut objective. I've always been asking myself, "What's my goal? What am I trying to accomplish?" And my whole life, everybody's always been telling me to follow my heart. The irony is, now that I've finally figured out what that means, everybody's telling me I'm crazy if I do it.

Gail

No, honey. I'm not saying not to follow your heart, but... people change, Dawson. It's a fact. You, all of your friends, you're all gonna change. So if you are absolutely sure that you want to be with Joey, just make sure that you are not going to prevent either one of you from growing. And, sweetheart, I am not dismissing this beautiful idea of soul mates, but the reality of eternal coupling... well, quite frankly, it boils down to one thing... faith. So ask yourself this question-- is Joey the kind of person that you are willing to take a very big leap of faith for?

I can't tell you how sorry I am for your loss, Dawson.

Dawson

Thank you, Mr. Brennan. I appreciate it.

He was here, you know. That night. Your father.

Dawson

I know.

I asked him about you. He said, uh, you were a royal pain in the ass.

Dawson

[Chuckles] That's me.

He was proud, though. How do I know that, huh? Well, when I mentioned your name, his whole face just lit up. He said you were this brave kid, but he had no idea how you got to be that way. He said you had a romantic streak a mile long, and he said he was proud to know you. I'm sorry if that makes you sad, Dawson, but I figure if somebody says that about you, you ought to know it. Oh, don't forget your change. And be certain to convey my condolences to your mother, would you?

Dawson

Thank you. I will.

Honey, you don't have to be so strong all the time. You can fall to pieces just about any time you want. There's nothing to be ashamed of.

Dawson

I'm not ashamed. There's... everybody keeps on asking me, "How you doin'? How you feelin'?" Truth is, I don't feel anything. Not a thing. I'm numb. Which, to tell you the truth, is really not so bad.

Um, that's great... until it all comes crumbling down.

Dawson

Well... until then.

Dawson

What the hell are we doing here?

Pacey

I want to show you something. [Waiting for Dawson to get out of the car] Now according to my brother, your father was driving down the road here at about 45 mph, which is granted, a little bit above the speed limit, but not at all unusual for this stretch of road. At the same time, a man name Gary Peters was getting off work, driving down the road a little farther up, just around the bend. Gary Peters is a pretty average guy. 35 years old, wife, two kids, works as a baggage handler for Blue Star Airlines, and Gary had to pull a double shift that day and it must have been a real bitch, because when he came around that bend he was asleep at the wheel.

Dawson

Why are you doing this Pacey?

Pacey

Why? Because I want you to know that it was a man named Gary Peters who killed your father. A guy who should have known better than to get behind the wheel of a car, a guy who for the rest of his life will carry around the guilt of taking Mitch Leery away from his wife and two kids and I want you to know that that guy is not you. It's not you Dawson. Do not blame yourself for this. You want to grieve, go right ahead, be my guest, but do not for one single second think that this is your fault, because it is not your fault. You got your father for 18 years and that is a hell of a lot more than some people get and your father did one hell of a job Dawson. He made you into a man. He made you into a man that people care about and admire and respect and most importantly, love. So why am I doing this? I'm doing this because once upon a time, you and I were best friends and that means that whenever you need me, I'm here; anytime, anywhere, any place, forever. You understand that?

Dawson

We should get going.

Dawson

Mom, you ok?

Yeah, for the moment. [After long pause while staring at Lily] You wanna know what the worst part is?

Dawson

What?

She'll never even know he existed.

Dawson

Not if I have anything to do about it. She is going to hear about her daddy every chance I get.

Dawson

Joey, thank you.

Joey

For what?

Dawson

For taking me in, getting me out. All evidence to the contrary, you really did make me feel better.

Dawson

The truth is, Jo, I don't know what to do with myself.

Joey

Dawson, your dad just died. You've every right to be feeling that way.

Dawson

You know why I came here this weekend? It was to see a shrink. Well, a grief specialist to be exact.

Joey

Well, how'd it go?

Dawson

Didn't. I flaked.

Dawson

Joey, for the past 15 minutes, I've been trying to figure out a way to tell you how sorry I am, and I just don't know how. It's like... English is all of a sudden my second language.

Joey

Aren't we beyond the need for formal apologies at this point? I mean, besides... you were such a jerk last night, I figure you're feeling all kinds of stupid.