Jimmy Cooper had been working hard to do something for his daughter as well. He wasn't able to pay the loan shark, but is able to convince him to lend him that $100,00 he thinks will get Marissa into school. Wnen he comes to Julie with the check, you cam imagine the feeling he went through when he heard Marissa had ruined it all. He could either be elated that he never had to spend the money, or pissed off that he was going to be out another 10 points for that hundred grand. What he definitely wasn't expecting was Julie to walk off with the check to pay the gardener, pool boy, and maids. But once you're in, you might as well go all in. He's going to have to pay back the money or die, and the easiest way to get that kind of cash is going to be marrying Julie and waiting for Caleb's will. Now I believe that Jimmy and Julie really would be happy together, but I am not sure Jimmy was going to plan on marrying her so soon. She said yes, and now he just has to sit and hope that he still has kneecaps when he gets all of the money coming to him.

Sandy was indeed invited to visit Lake Arrowhead, and when he got there, Charlotte was staring at him from the bushes, looking like she was trying to figure what caliber pistol would make the least amount of mess if she were to shoot him several times in the head. Although they have never met, their first encounter is not too positive. Sandy wants Kirsten to come home to her kids, where she has family support, and Charlotte actually makes a good point that if she is not ready, she will relapse, and that would be even worse. Before anything happens to Sandy, Kirsten comes down and we don't hear from them until the end of the show. I guess dinner was awesome and Kirsten knows how to cook? Maybe we'll learn next week.

At the kickoff carnival, everything is a success, except, of course, Marissa isn't there. Summer actually did something constructive and she only has her boyfriend to celebrate with. She can't even relish the moment when she rubs it in to Taylor about how awesome everything turned out. When Taylor counters that it must suck to miss Marissa, Summer says that Marissa will be there, as if saying it alone will make her feel better.

In fact, Marissa did come back. Earlier, Ryan had invited her to to the carnival, but instead they got into a huge argument about Trey's shooting. Sandy had made it back from Arrowhead in time to give him advice to go back and listen, so that is what he does. He and Marissa kiss and make up, and they head to the kickoff carnival. And since we know how much they love Ferris wheels, that's the first ride that they go on, and Seth and Summer join them.

Before we finish up with the carnival, I have to mention the crazy scene at the lake. Kirsten is walking around outside and she hears Charlotte crying. We aren't sure why she was walking outside, but when she finds her friend, she has a flask in her hand. Charlotte is babbling on and on about how depressed she was because Kirsten was going to leave her, and how was she going to survive, and she was scared to go drinking. Kirsten promises not to go anywhere until Charlotte is ready, which is the exact thing Charlotte wants to hear. As Kirsten leaves, Charlotte tells her that she will catch up. After all, she needs to have time to give the camera a diabolical "you're mine now" smile, and take a real swig from a secondary hip flask she had stashed in her alcoholic marsupial pouch. This whole thing is starting to get an older, female version-of-Oliver vibe, but I am actually really interested to see what happens next.

OK, back at the carnival, everybody is on the Ferris wheel. Seth is complaining that his stomach is too Jewish for the rides, but I am not sure why that is so funny. B-Side proved earlier this year that he can hang with the best of us roller coaster freaks, even if it took some prodding (and I was the one throwing up afterwards to tell you the truth). Before he can get too annoying, the roller coaster stops. It's at the bottom and there is Dean Hess. Taylor narced on Marissa, and he was there to take her away from a school function. Ryan tried to keep it cool and says that Marissa is his guest, but Dean Hess really isn't about helping kids as much as he is about making grandiose showings of force to get people to kowtow to him.

Hess grabs Marissa, and since Ryan is wearing his James Dean black leather jacket of toughness, he is not about to let that go lightly. The Dean is actually hurting Marissa, and when he doesn't stop when Ryan asks, Ryan simply punches him in the face. Dean Hess was upset about the punch, but probably more upset that his cornflower cotton sweater will now have to be dry-cleaned. The punch was good because now he has the perfect excuse to kick Ryan out as well. He tells them they are never to be around school again, or they will call the police. "Harbor's Most Notorious Couple" looks like they are going to public school, and Taylor Townsend is right there to watch it all happen.

Posted by J-Unit on September 16, 2005 2:12 AM