Date: January 10, 2022 07:04 pm Title: Fools and Clowns
*“Not saying you can’t but Pam, you have to know he still likes you.”
“And he still knows I’m engaged.”
“Yeah, well, you were engaged once before, too.”*
Oh, OUCH, Jim. OUCH. But I get it. I don't understand the argument (not by you, but by others) that Pam would easily leave Jim for Alex or Brian or whoever because she did it before. I'll never see or understand that argument. Jim is the One for her, and she wouldn't have done that for anyone else.
*She’d done nothing wrong. If anything, it was him who had crossed the line years before, but if given to do it all over, he would do it again. Was this what Alex was doing now?*
This is a perfectly reasonable thing for Jim to be feeling in this moment, but again, once his fears are quashed I hope to never see it from him again.
Their hot makeout sesh finally knocking the clown down was PRICELESS.
Author's Response:
Pam and Jim, while seemingly perfectly compatible are still a regular couple who I imagine would have their fights, and I always wanted to write that into a story but could never quite think of what they would fight about.
As I wrote this chapter, just as a fight would this just came up - irrational I know but isn't that usually the case with a fight.
Don't worry as I mention in the notes, Alex kind of fades off into oblivion (just like on the show) after this.
Tying it all to the clown painting was really satisfying and I'm glad you enjoyed it so much.
THANKS!
1 [Report This]Date: July 18, 2021 01:23 pm Title: Fools and Clowns
Ah, very timely with the Alex reference. I have often thought that Jim's range of emotions about her life/friends in NY is not nearly explored enough. From what he overheard of Alex's speech to the whole car turn around and 'I am not that guy and we are not that couple'- So much interesting stuff there.
"Sometimes Jim would recline in the papasan chair she brought from her place and watch her work, plying her with silly questions about her techniques and muses until she would throw him out for asking too many and keeping her from her craft." Okay but I really love this visual of him so thank you.
I really love the mention of the creepy clown, and the Valentine's day lunch with Phyllis and Bob- they were both very clever tie-ins. This was a great chapter! :)
Author's Response:
Had I not responded to this - I thought I did.
I agree - not matter how much he deep down knew she was his there is no way he wasn't affected in some way by her having gone off to explore her art (and herself) in NY. Glad you felt it was apt.
Well I loved writing that scene - there was a very specific vision in my head and glad it translated for you.
That clown, I never really got it until I wrote this chapter and then I understood exactly what it was there for (even if it was never intended by the writers). You gotta love Phyllis.
Thanks so much. Your comments mean the world.
1 [Report This]Date: July 17, 2021 11:26 am Title: Fools and Clowns
I love this story! Thank you for writing it.
Author's Response:
Well thank you for sharing your review and that you love it. It really means a lot to hear from you. I've been having a lot of fun writing it but knowing it is entertaining to others really does make my day.
1 [Report This]Date: July 13, 2021 05:26 pm Title: Fools and Clowns
That was a really nice culmination of clown and green eyed monster. I share the same sentiment about Jim being a little insecure, no matter what how confidant he plays.
I really liked how you presented Alex and Pam's friendship being platonic despite of Alex's unspoken feelings. I liked how they made up, the little tense morning and Phyllis being Phyllis even when she was not around. And Bob Vance, Vance Refrigeration being so in character.
Thanks for the update. Your work is great.
Author's Response:
How could he not be a little insecure, aren't we all in some way?
But he waited so long for her, he couldn't help but react as he did.
And I know some people are not fans of Phyllis (and she has her slightly mean moments) but I am a fan.
thanks so much. getting your review was a real joy.
1 [Report This]Date: July 10, 2021 12:37 pm Title: Fools and Clowns
Oh, I enjoyed this!
I liked what you did with Beth, Phyllis and Bob (I have to stop myself typing that as Bob Vance, Vance Refrigeration.)
I think you captured Jim's insecurities about Pam's friendship with Alex perfectly. And I think Jim would be right to be nervous, he recognises Alex's interest and you captured that beautifully.
There is a lot to love about this chapter, but what I loved most is what you did with them to get rid of the clown painting is totally in character, feels like it would have been canon and even something that might have been in a deleted scene from that episode (if The Office was on HBO, obviously.)
Author's Response:
I'm so glad you did. In case you didn't know that clown shows up again in garage sale episode so there is confirmation it came down. And I love to make up the back stories to those little throwaway things others may not even really think about. It was just a matter of figuring out how to get it down and as the idea came so did the idea to make it a stand-in for some unspoken thing that was still out there following him overhearing Alex.
Phyllis and Bob Vance, Vance Refr. - they are the other clowns the title refers to, and are just a hoot to write. But her heart is just so big too.
Thanks for all your great reviews always and your support.
Date: July 10, 2021 10:53 am Title: Fools and Clowns
The metaphorical use of the clown photo for their forward progress as a couple was pretty cleverly done! I'm a sucker for circularity, and I thought you brought this around well, and dovetailed a couple of storylines together effectively that were mainly disconnected in canon.
It does seem like a call at that particular time would be likelier to produce a bad reaction in Jim, the kind he might be able to keep to himself at other moments. I thought you captured how their fights would go, too... a little dose of past angst, a few clever, snippy comments that ended up getting out of hand.
Interesting seeing Pam wanting to stay connected with Alex, which is something I don't think I've seen pop up in fic... and justified very effectively with their shared background and the lack of art community for Pam. I thought you did well making the point that all declarations of love (or "you should pursue your art no matter what your relationship status with your fiancee") are not created equal, and that Jim's mattered not because he said it but because Pam felt the same way.
I am unabashedly Team Phyllis and pro-Phyllis as shipper on board, so I appreciated the way you used her here. It's very in character - she's had her own live soap opera playing out right in front of her for years, and the only downside is NO ONE TO TALK ABOUT IT WITH, so obviously she's going to be eager to go through it with Beth! (Speaking of people who've written Jam fanfiction.)
Also, much rejoicing at the Vances sneaking off to hook up mid-meal. Glad to see they don't just do it in company.
Author's Response: I do enjoy circularity too and love when I can make it work in my fics.
Date: July 09, 2021 10:57 pm Title: Fools and Clowns
I think you brought a lot of realism into this chapter. Clearly Jim has some issues with Alex and yeah as you so excellently wrote here he sees a lot of the past seeming to repeat itself. Pam is engaged. A guy who is not her fiancé is interested in her. That guy keeps calling or trying to make connections. What's to stop history from repeating itself? So their fight about it felt very realistic. It can't be sunshine and rainbows all the time and that was a good way to bring that in.
Though the way he first gets out of the doghouse by literally falling at her feet and her joking about it was a great way to ease off a lot of the tension.
Love that Beth is so over the moon about their engagement. Great visuals there.
The heart-to-heart about everything was just what they needed to patch everything up. Pam finally gets through to him that there's nothing to worry about. He finally gets it too. So the rush to get home felt earned in that regard.
That's how they got the clown painting off the wall? Wickedly delightful there. Loved it.
Author's Response:
I've been wanted to write about a Jam fight for a long time (because like you say it isn't always sunshine and rainbows) and just never seemed to be able to think up a realistic and interesting thing for them to fight about. When I began this chapter it just sorta happened (just as in life). I'm glad you felt it was realistic and how it ended. You can imagine what happened next.
Thanks as always for the read and review.