Date: August 05, 2022 12:50 pm Title: Chapter 30 - Peeling Polish / Good Riddance
Another reference to the idea of Pam needing the opportunity to see herself the way we see her here with the mirror scene. Cleverly done.
"And that Dwight wasn’t creeping around in the kitchen like an obsessed fan waiting to descend his idol as he emerged from backstage after the show." This is a spot-on description. Michael is a rock star to Dwight.
Poor Hank. He's just out there doing his thing, dealing with Dunder Mifflin's nonsense, and they can't be bothered to learn his name. And this is before they started denying him his Christmas bonus! (My new theory is that some combination of his various names are actually his stage names, for his music career.)
"but that made her remember there was still a Pam wearing it and that made her wonder what was to happen now that Roy and Pam each had one of the rings." EEEEP
I really enjoy Michael's unabashed, all-timelines love for the MSPC offices. And it's good to see Michael's Golden Ticket excuses pop up here.
In a funny way, Michael's got some advantages as a time travel partner - he's naturally so bizarre that Pam doesn't think anything of it when he's multiple-timelines bizarre.
"Her dreams too of late had been so vivid and quite often involved running into another version of herself, always about to deliver a message but one she never seemed to get in time, awaking in a cold sweat and with a racing heart she imagined was beating so loud, it might wake Roy up." OKAY. HANG ON. IS THIS ACTUAL TIMELINE INTERACTION.
"Attached to the Sebring fob was a plastic saddle shaped advertisement for some dealership which had been sharpied over with the words, World’s Best Driver." Oh, Michael.
"This was the one where she kept the teapot and the doves and the French Onion chips she couldn’t bring herself to ever eat." Okay, the details in this chapter are terrific.
This word game to being their day is so very them.
WAIT. THE NOTE????
Hmmmmm. I'm not picking up on the superfan scene... I may need to rewatch the Season 1 superfan episodes, so sad...
Author's Response:
Yup - this is a #8 but in third person POV.
At least this early in the show he was...this is before Michael starts to lose a little of his luster (to Dwight). He gains a little in this story to Pam.
Poor Hank is right. Good theory, but I thinking they never thought to look at what they had named him when when it was decided to bring him back as a recurring Hank. But it was fun to play with here.
It's his Eden - Shangri-La and Tinks all wrapped in one.
That is a good point.
I'm not sure what this was- interpret it how you like. But I have these kind of dreams often.
Thanks for noticing.
Coming in for a landing soon. Just a handful more to go. Thanks for flying with me. And the reviews!
Date: August 02, 2022 04:36 pm Title: Chapter 30 - Peeling Polish / Good Riddance
Loved getting a Jim POV here!
*--Get Pam’s masterpiece framed at my new favorite store, Michael’s--
“I’m, ah trapped in an oil painting.”
“Really Michael, you’re trapped in a painting? I’m hanging up.”*
This is a great nod to his list of excuses. Also I love that you worked in Michaels craft store... props to you.
*She had been on the phone but it never stopped him before, in fact it was a game of theirs, he would whisper silly words like ‘gingersnap’ and ‘cornucopia’ that she was supposed to use in her conversation. Not once had she succeeded, his words were always too trivial, but she was determined to get a win in soon.*
Aw, this is cute. Don't know if you intended it but it made me think of the "birdcage" bit.
*Only the bottom of her three was secured with a key. This was the one where she kept the teapot and the doves and the French Onion chips she couldn’t bring herself to ever eat.*
The way she's keeping Jim locked away (even subconsciously) is a nice touch.
*she’d just wasted close to a decade on the ground when she could have been flying.*
Um, ouch.
*"I wouldn’t want you to lose a sale because of me. You know it is your career."*
WHOA, is that Fancy New Beesly peeking out? Ouch again.
Author's Response:
Yeah, it's been too long since heard from Jim. Hope it came across they are both worried how the other seems to be holding onto the fight and they are both feeling guilty for it.
Not sure if you remember that Michael's first came up in No Place Like Home chapter. I do think he'd love that place on multiple levels. Glad you mentioned the excuses- it was a bit of last minute layering that I was unsure if it felt a little forced in as opposed to organic...but that canon line about the oil painting just tickled me.
The words bit was inspired by a deleted/superfan scene where they make faces at each other. This a similar Jim-created game they could play he's deemed a challenge but really he's just trying to get her to laugh (as he always does) with the silliest words he can think of.
Like I said in response to W - F Pam has no idea but her very presence and the changes she is making to the past are having a bit of an effect on P Pam - making her a bit steelier (even though I feel she always had a bit more with Jim because she felt safer to).
Thanks much for the review. It's always great to hear what parts you most enjoyed.
Date: July 31, 2022 08:04 pm Title: Chapter 30 - Peeling Polish / Good Riddance
So we're getting closer to when Pam and Michael went back in time with the Time Turner. Future Pam has given back Roy the ring and is taking some time to grieve that relationship. Past Pam is upset due to fighting with Roy and Jim and is now heading out to get Future Michael. The timelines are starting to come together, and it feels like it's starting to get a little messy. I can see how getting all this straight would be hard for you.
Pam sitting there peeling the nail polish off seems good too. She knew what she wanted, a nice day at the spa, but had to settle for something less because being with Roy mean she had to hold herself back. Yet she knows out there, there's better things. Things at the time she thought she couldn't have. Yet know she knows she can have them provided she has a little courage. So off comes the old reminder of the woman who settled. Ready to be replaced by the woman who goes after what she wants even if it's somewhat scary.
Nice way to bring in the bit of confusing with Hank and what his real name actually is. Nice nod there to some of the things we saw in canon.
Author's Response:
Yes, keeping it all straight has been a fun challenge.
Future Pam taking charge of things having no idea what effect the changes she is making to past is having on the Past Pam, but even she is starting to think about what she really wants.
The layering was fun to add after watching the episode (but always had in mind the name thing with Hank)- plus he must have seen a lot of stuff- even before the camera crew got there.
Thanks for keeping up with this one and always reviewing.