It wasn't until after he had blurted out his break-up with Kelly that it all sunk in: everything was changing.  It had been quite the turn of events, and he couldn't quite wrap his mind around the rapid ascent he had made up the corporate ladder. 

 Hell, he seemed to have skipped the ladder altogether and somehow managed to find an elevator.

 Kelly had long since gone running into the women's room, likely to cry.  Everything was so dramatic with her that he couldn't be sure that deep down she wasn't just a little bit happy to be experiencing a dramatic break up. 

Now he would be her boss. Amazingly, as he looked around the office, he realized all of these people would be his underlings.  Except Toby.  For some reason, the thought of Toby was suddenly drawing a little ire he had not expected, but he decided not to question it.

Ryan took a deep breath and shook his head in disbelief.  He had been hoping to use this experience to move up in the world, but he had somehow always thought that would also entail moving on.  This largely had to do with the fact that he knew once he had moved from being The Temp to salesman that he sucked at his job.  Like, really sucked. 

This was one of the more embarrassing aspects of his time in Scranton, even worse than doggedly running errands for Michael or being talked down to as The Temp by Dwight.  He would rather go to Carbondale for pudding cups every day than endure another crack about his lack of sales.  He thinks he would rub butter on Michael's feet or help him from the bathroom to make just one sale. 

It was all very mind blowing.  Even a freak like Dwight was able to make sales, and do it well.  How the hell did Dwight do it?   Dwight had no social skills, and even less education.  But somehow he managed to be an excellent salesman, as was Michael.  The only reasoning that Ryan could find behind this success was dogged determination and a love of the company and the job that Ryan could not fathom.

 Ryan had tried to make up for this through knowledge and education, and hoped that the salesmanship would somehow come to him. But no matter how hard he studied to excel at business school, he never could become a salesman. 

For some reason, the person that irked him the most on this front was Jim.  Jim, who could manage to plot out an elaborate Office Olympics and bring the whole office together, including Stanley, and still manage to make more sales in that day than Ryan had in his entire time at Dunder-Mifflin.  It just somehow wasn't right to slack that much and take nothing seriously, yet have it all be so freaking easy.  Charm can definitely make up for a lot, which is something Jim had in spades. And Ryan knew he didn't, so he decided to go for a general air of superiority instead.

Jim really probably could sell an Eskimo an air-conditioner, especially if said Eskimo were a female.  Ryan had a feeling he couldn't sell an Eskimo a husky. 

Ryan was glad to see that Jim had apparently not gotten the corporate job.  Jim had seemed to have buckled down since his return from Stamford, but six months of hard work should not lead to the career fast track.  Ryan had done Michael's doing without (direct) complaint for over two years, while Jim had simply smirked at the cameras or Pam.  Ryan was not pleased when he saw Jim was in line to move up and out of Scranton.  Ryan had been sure that Jim was going to get it.  But those three magic letters, MBA had won out in the end, so all was right in the world.

Ryan decided it was probably time to head home, and worked his way toward the exit.  He hung back a bit when he spotted Jim and Pam huddled together and staring at the closed blinds of Michael's office.

"Should one of us go in?" Pam asked. 

"Would you like for us to be able to have dinner before midnight?"  Jim asked, and grinned a bit too widely.

"You have a point. I imagine he'll get over it.  Wait until he finds out you chose to come back to him."

"This will be a nice change from when he thought I was the one who had betrayed him by transferring," Jim said, then pondered for a second. "Actually, this could be much worse than when he was betrayed.  He might want us to be BFF again, and we can relate over not 'wanting' to leave Scranton for New York."

"Oooh, maybe he'll try and kiss you like he did me over our shared knowledge of broken engagements."

"What?"

Ryan thought that this was as good of a time as any to make his presence known.  There was really no chance that this wouldn't be awkward, especially now that Ryan knew that Jim had turned down the job at corporate.  He should have figured Jim would never really fully relinquish his ham and cheese existence.  Stamford and Karen were an aberration, as the real Jim really didn't like change.  After all, Ryan's postcard from Australia had somehow gotten lost in the mail.

"So, uh, how's he taking it?"  Ryan asked.

At that moment, Michael opened his office door.  His eyes were bloodshot, and he moved forward as soon as he spotted Ryan. 

He pointed his finger at Ryan and screamed, "YOU!" and then ran back into his office.

Jim made a face for the cameras that had already gone home for the day, and Ryan glanced down.

"I guess that answers that question."

"Did you think he would take it personally or something?" Jim smirked.

"Hey, man, just looking out for number one.  I'm heading out.  I suppose I'll see you guys around when I come out on corporate visits."

A loud wail came from Michael's office. Jim gave Ryan a pat on the back and said, "Good luck, buddy.  You get to be Michael Scott's boss.  I wouldn't trade places with you for the world."

With that, Jim smirked a bit and wrapped his arm around Pam's shoulder. 

"See you around, Ryan, " Pam said, not unkindly.

Ryan gave them an exasperated wave and left the office for the last time as an employee of Dunder-Mifflin Scranton. 

Jim stared at the elevator has it closed behind Ryan's form.  This had really been the most surreal day of his life.

 Some of it was good, and some of it was not working out quite how he had thought it would.

Ryan was not supposed to get the job.  When had he even been in the running?  Jim had never quite known what to make of Ryan.  He always looked detached and patronizing, yet would do absolutely every crap assignment handed his way, a frown or a grimace on his face the whole time.

He acted like he was some sort of martyr of corporate America.  Not to mention being a martyr to clingy, commitment hungry women.  Jim used to hate seeing the way Ryan treated Kelly, and Jim couldn't help but feel a bit responsible for being their initial go between.  Jim would rather not admit to himself how he hasn't really treated women all that much better himself, especially recently.

Things were not turning out how they were supposed to.  He had felt so sure that Karen would get the job.  Which fit wonderfully into the gallant and romantic gesture he was making.

He was triumphantly returning to the woman he loves,  leaving the woman who had not been quite right in New York to live a life that suited her more than any life with him ever could.  It was all so fitting and right that Karen would get the job.  Win-win-win.   

He had actually felt somewhat noble, following his heart to Scranton.  Now he felt like a bit of a prick.   

 "Where did you just go?"  Pam asked him, breaking him from his revelry.

"Ryan is the new Jan.  It's unreal."

"It is a bit unreal.  Are you excited yet that there might be an opening for 'hottest' at this year's Dundies?" 

"From what you were just saying Michael would pick you, with the kiss and everything," he quipped back. 

"Rejected kiss!"

"Sure, sure.  I figured two lost souls like yours would unite...."

"I hate you, you know that."

"I do. And yet I will continue to tease you mercilessly about that romantic moment for years to come." 

Pam smiled, then turned serious.  "You seem bothered by the fact that Ryan got the job.  Do you have any regrets?"

Jim hesitated for a moment.  "I am happy to be here with you right now.  I just don't understand how Ryan got that job.  We went on a sales call together once, and you could tell he learned everything from a book.  Nothing was natural."

"Not everyone can be as charming as you, you know," Pam said, smiling at him a bit shyly.

"No, you're right.  And I shouldn't look down at those without my natural gifts.  I just thought for sure that the job would be Karen's," Jim blurted, and instantly regretted it when he saw Pam's face fall.

"Yeah, I didn't know Ryan was a candidate.  As far as I know, he didn't even interview in New York."

"I didn't see him there.  He's going to be pretty smug when he comes in and has to try and keep Michael in line as his superior after all the time serving as Michael's disgruntled servant.  Watching that dynamic won't be pretty " Jim spit out, with more vitriol than he had meant to use.

"I don't know if I've ever heard you sound so harsh, even when talking about Dwight.  Are you just watching out for Michael, or is there something else?"

"Nope, just showing my love for Michael.  Really, I'm jealous that he tried to kiss you."

Pam rolled her eyes, and said nothing. 

"I'm sorry, on to cheerier topics.  We should go get gussied up for our night out," Jim said. 

"Night out?  What happened to 'it's a date'?" 

"Just trying to take the pressure off."

"What pressure.  It's just me.  C'mon, are you afraid of me Halpert?" 

Right the reality of everything hit Jim, and he knew why Ryan getting the job fired him up so much, even beyond Karen.  It was so real now.  It had all moved so fast, taking the interview on a lark and then traisping around New York with Karen. Things had been surreal, like it had really been a show for the documentary and not his actual life.  The job had never felt real to him.  That was why he couldn't take it-when he looked ten years into the future, all he saw was Pam. 

But the reality of it all hit him now that he saw Ryan, the former temp, moving up so swiftly and leaving him right where he had been for so long.  He had really gone all in with him Pam now, and it was all or nothing.  They still had so much to work out.

He looked down to see her still smiling at him, though her smile had grown a little wistful.  His heart lightened a bit, just seeing her smile.

She was clearly expecting him to make a quip, but instead he looked her straight in the eyes, dead serious.

"Actually, Pam, you terrify me."

Ryan was only one week into his job at corporate before he was forced to make a visit to the Scranton branch.  He had been told in no uncertain terms that he was to come in and set some ground rules with Michael, especially given the strange dynamic that his promotion was going to create. 

Of course, he probably would have been able to do it by phone  if Michael would actually speak to him.  Instead, Jim had been his go-between.  Jim seemed to be taking no small amount of pleasure in his role.

"Jim, can you tell Michael that he will have to talk to me when I get there?  I am on my way now.  I'll hopefully be there in a couple of hours."

"Oh, Michael said to tell you he's dead."

"Nice."

"He also said to tell you that the numbers have gone up since you left, so it's clear you were no big loss.  I think that's the broken heart talking though."

"Why is he taking this so personal?  It was a huge promotion."

"You have met Michael, haven't you?  There is no line.  We're family here in Scranton, after all."

"Sour grapes, Halpert?"

"Nope.  I am where I chose to be.  So, are we going to be seeing you as often as we saw Jan?  I'm not sure Kelly has enough 'look what you passed up' outfits for that."

Ryan sighed.  "Can you just get Pam to babysit Michael so he doesn't leave?"

"Michael won't be leaving.  He already made reservations at Chili's for the three of us.  Because we need reservations at Chili's.  At 11:30.  On a Wednesday."

"Why the three of us?"

"Because as Assistant Regional Manager, I was named mediator.  We are not leaving until we win-win-win."

"Fine.  I'll see you then."

With that Ryan hung up, and shook his head in exasperation.  He already knew Jim was going to have way too much fun in his role as mediator.  He just hoped he didn't bring Pam along so they could tag team him.  It always unnerved him a bit  how in sync they would be when they would amuse themselves at the expense of others.  He rarely saw them plot anything, yet they always seemed to know what the other was thinking. 

Ryan almost never seemed to quite know what to expect out of people, which he knew was one of the reasons he was such a crappy salesperson.  Jim was so much better at hitting those right notes with people, which he seemed to innately do.  Because Jim could never get caught trying hard at anything. 

Ryan started to think back to the time he accompanied Jim on a sales call.  It was right after he had returned from Stamford, and Ryan still had no luck making sales.  He was hoping that maybe Jim could give him some further guidance, as he seemed to have a gift with sales considering his general lack of dedication to the endeavor.

Jim had amicably agreed to let him come along, which Ryan had expected.  He had also expected the comment about not expecting to learn much, as Jim even bored himself on sales call.  Too much talking about paper.

"Well, that's what I'm trying to learn how to do.  So I would appreciate any guidance you have," Ryan said, trying to sound appreciative and not irritated.

"Sure.  Just don't say I didn't warn ya."

Jim drove, while Ryan sat back and mentally prepared. 

"Do you want to take the lead?  It's not a client I've worked with before, so I don't think they have any huge attachment to me."

"Okay.  Thanks man."

"No problem."

"So, how desperate were you to come to me for help?  I heard you already had gone on a call with Dwight, which is pretty desperate in its own right."

"Dwight wasn't so bad.  Well, he did abandon me on the beet farm.  And he wanted me to wrestle his cousin Mose."

"Wow, Dwight really let you into the inner sanctum.  Dwight and I have been on dozens of sales calls, and I've never had the privilege of seeing the beet farm."

"If you laid off the guy a bit you might get the opportunity someday," Ryan said, a bit testier than he intended.

"Maybe.  But then what would I do with my days? Sell paper?"

Ryan decided to let that go, as he didn't feel like discussing Jim's general lack of motivation and ambition.  Ryan didn't get it, and he didn't really care to.

Thankfully, they arrived at the client's office shortly thereafter.

True to his word, Jim let Ryan take the lead.  Which was a way of putting things nicely, as Ryan floundered a bit from the get-go, forgetting to keep it simple as Dwight had advised.

Instead, he started rattling off numbers and random information from the company's website.  He talked about how it was smart to go with the smaller outfit, as it would lead to increased productivity overall for staff who would not be constantly making complaint calls or waiting for orders.  Eventually, Ryan wasn't sure what he was saying.  But he was pretty sure most of it had come from his textbooks, and hoped he had at least sounded educated.

The client, a portly middle-aged man, just smiled at him.  "Well, son, I really just was interested in buying some paper.  But thanks for the business model advice."

Jim then came to life.  "Well, sir, thank you for your patience.  Young Ryan here is just starting out, and he just wanted to show you how smart he is.  But don't worry, I can definitely hook you up with some mean paper.  Plain, three whole punched, recycled, you name it."

Jim proceeded to outline price packages, and talked more succinctly about the value of good customer service.  "Ryan mentioned to you our superior customer service, which was an excellent point. Do you really want your office staff to shoot themselves while listening to muzak on hold with Staples? "

The client chuckled a bit, and told him he would review the price packages and get back to them, and asked Jim for his card.  "I will be dealing with you directly, right Jim?"

Ryan looked down, embarrassed.  "Yes, sir.  I will take on your account personally, and you only will deal with me and our lovely receptionist."

Jim thanked him for his time, and with that they walked out. 

When they started driving back, Ryan shook his head in disgust with himself.  "That did not go well. Why can't I get this?  Do you know how many marketing classes I've taken?"

"How many?"

"Enough.  Enough to be able to make one sale."

"Well, I've been doing this a long, long, long time.  It gets better, but I think you are basing your sales strategy on a different sort of product."

"What do you mean?"

"We don't necessarily have a better product.  We sell paper.  Don't forget at the end of the day, a good portion of what we sell will be shredded.  So who really cares what sort of paper it is, and why not just go with the cheapest source?"

"Customer service is what we sell.  I know that."

"No, grasshopper.  It is not entirely what we sell.  We are selling ourselves.  You have to make sure they like you.  That is your first priority.  Make them laugh, loosen them up.  Make buying paper like a call to a friend."

Ryan sat back and realized he was right.  And he was also a bit taken aback.  Jim had clearly put some thought into this, and really knew what he was doing.  His natural charm helped him, but Jim was savvy enough to know that his personality was his greatest asset in making sales.

"You know, you're really good at this.  I wish things came as naturally to me," Ryan said.

Jim chuckled a bit. "Some people just aren't born to sell paper for a living like I am," Jim said, clearly trying to deflect away the compliment.

"Why do you do that, man?"

"Do what?"

"You do clearly know what you are doing, and you are good at your job.  But you just outwardly blow it all off like it's no big deal, and you're above it all."

"Wow. Getting intense, there Temp."

Jim had rarely if ever called him Temp.  It was so typically flippant of him. 

"Whatever, man.  Thanks for helping show me the ropes."

Jim took a breath, and Ryan wasn't sure if Jim was angry or going to make another glib remark.  Instead, he chose that moment to look sincere.

"Look, I'm sorry.  I didn't mean to turn this into something awkward.  I'll tell you why I don't beam with pride all the time from a job well done."

Ryan nodded, feeling a bit strange that Jim was opening up to him.

"If I really and truly gave this my everything, then "I'm a paper salesman" might become the answer to the question of who I am, and not just what I do for a living.  I'm not sure I could take that."

"Well, then, who are you now?"

"I'd like to say a work in progress.  Ask me again in a couple of years."

___________________________________________________________________

Ryan snapped out of his memory and pulled into the Dunder-Mifflin Scranton parking lot, braving himself to face Michael and endure Jim-as-mediator. 

However, remembering that not so long ago conversation with Jim made it seem so much more manageable, as knowing Jim's biggest fear made him more vulnerable in his eyes, no matter what Jim tried to pull over on him during this "mediation." 

Ryan knew that Jim's biggest fear was to some day wake up and be Michael.  For Jim's sake, Ryan sure hoped things were working out with Pam, or ten years from now that might be exactly who he would become.  A man who has nothing in his life other than his mid-level manager job, no identity other than that as a paper salesman. 

At least Ryan knew he was avoiding that fate.  After all, he was an executive of a company that sold paper.  That made a huge difference.