Date: March 22, 2020 11:54 am Title: Chapter 14: Lows
Yes, yes, yes. So glad to see Jim is processing what happened and why Pam reacted the way she did.
Halpert Helper?! So cute. Sounds like something Pam for sure would have done.
Thanks for writing!
Author's Response: Thank you! More coming now!
Date: March 22, 2020 10:27 am Title: Chapter 14: Lows
I love the exploration of Jim's guilt. I don't think we see that very often, and I think it's very much a thing he would have gone through. It's like you said-he does know Pam, he does know how hard change is for her, and what really were his expectations? I'm glad to see that addressed! I'm glad that they're having this time alone to figure things out, so to speak. And I'm proud of them both for actually trying, not just wallowing. I feel like Jim so often is written as sitting around getting blind drunk after the events of CN, and I just don't know how much I agree with that. I'm happy to see that he's just hanging around Sydney pounding Foster's, haha.
Anyway as always, great job! Can't wait for what's next!
Author's Response: Thank you! I think it's important that he goes through that, even if by S3 he's going to be an emotional basketcase, because while by S3 he knows she's broken up with Roy but not called him, here he's dealing with his own actions, not hers. Or not just hers. I agree that it's Roy, not Jim, who gets shitfaced after Pam's rejection, and that distinction is important.
Date: March 21, 2020 11:58 pm Title: Chapter 14: Lows
Yes, Jim, you definitely should feel guilty! And I like that he got that by himself (and not after a nudge from friends/family/colleagues/Pam herself).
Also, I have a feeling that while Jim is reflective and just a bunch of nerves in human form, Pam is collected and has this 'a woman on the mission' vibe (though her thoughts about how many things she ruined for him are heartbreaking).
P.S. I'll give all I have to see Jim's impression of a sea lion!
Author's Response: Thank you! I would too, honestly. Someone should get John to do that for Instagram or something.
Date: March 21, 2020 11:20 pm Title: Chapter 14: Lows
I like Jim’s journey here. We as the audience see that Jim disappearing without giving Pam thinking time is a big part of the drawn out angst in Season 3. It’s great to see Jim acknowledge that here.
Bonus points for a line that made me chuckle in spite of my myself given the emotional content - the “started with a P and ended with...” one. Wonderful writing, as always.
Author's Response: Thank you! I think it's important that Jim have these thoughts, even if we know by S3 he was a wreck. I think it was really not hearing from Pam, rather than just the rejection, that broke him, and so here he's doing his own healing before he discovers that.
Date: March 21, 2020 09:32 pm Title: Chapter 14: Lows
Okay so here I am at work, and we get a call from the police to come and evaluate a subject who is having a psychological issue. Long story short, as we're driving into the hospital a very angry patient start shouting, yelling, and flailing his arms around. And he's about twice my size. He didn't hit me but he was clearly upset and more than a little ticked off. Left me feeling quite nervous once we cleared the call.
The reason I tell you this story is because once I got the report written up and clicked over to MTT, seeing an update for this story did a lot to help me calm down and let that call go. Wanted to let you know that.
Now getting into the actual review of this chapter. Jim's introspection continues. I like that he comes to the realization about the huge weight he dumped on Pam that night. How he wasn't being fair to her or to himself really. Hopefully since he's going through and hashing all this out with himself, once they do meet up that'll make their discussion go smoother.
Pam walking through the wax museum sounds like a ton of fun.
Author's Response:
Well, thank you. That makes me feel very good inside that this was helpful to you at such a time. I'm sorry you had to deal with that, but thank you for all you do outside of this site as well as for your reviews which are uniformly insightful.
I think it's reasonable and important for Jim as a person to have this reflection at this point: I think Pam not telling him about the wedding being off is really what triggers his S3 frustrations, but he'd have realized that the initial "rejection" wasn't entirely her fault.