It has been 14 years since Michael began working for Dunder-Mifflin, and he wants to celebrate. He has put Pam & Jim in charge of the party plans, and has a list of party must-haves for them. They are in the conference room together, getting started. Karen is keeping an eye on things.
Jim and Pam are sitting across from each other in the conference room. Pam has her back to the windows to the office, and she has shut out the existence of the rest of the world. She has Jim all to herself! And thanks to Michael making them work on this party together instead of the Party Planning Committee, (Angela has refused to plan a party to celebrate on the grounds that 14 years is not an important anniversary and she knows that he's just going to make them plan a big party for his 40th birthday next month.) she gets to spend all day with Jim. Pam has been praying for a day like this, an exuse for them to be together without Karen, just the two of them laughing and smiling, a day like so many they had only one year ago. A day that she could use to see if Jim still acts like he did around her back then, because if today, that old Jim comes back, her best friend, the person she was more comfortable with than anyone else, wouldn't that mean that he..., could he still have feelings for her?
Jim-"Okay Pam, let's get started on this list. Read the first item."
Pam- "He wants the party to be held at an exotic locale"
Jim- "Dwight's Beet Farm it is!"
Pam- "He would like matching Anniversary hats, plates, cups and streamers"
Jim- "Got it, all white styrofoam. What should we use for streamers?"
Pam- "I have about 6 rolls of unused calculator ribbon in my desk."
Jim- "Perfect"
Pam- "He wants a magician and face painting."
Jim- "How old is he? I guess Kelly can do face painting, and we'll tell him the magician disappeared during rehearsal. Next."
Pam- "I am not even going to read the next one out loud, because it is not happening!!!"
Jim- "Why? What is it? He wants us all to pitch in for a gift and he wants a face transplant?"
Pam- "No I would actually do that before this. He wants me to dress up as Marilyn Monroe and sing a Happy Anniversary song. He even wrote out the words for me! LOOK!"
Jim- " It says, 'Happy Anniversary Mr. President of all my sexual fantasies, Happy Anniversary to you'. And then it says you have to lean over to kiss him so he can look down your top! Wow! Could you do that for my birthday?"
Jim is seriously considering that one. He knows that will be an image he won't be able to get out of his head as he falls asleep tonight.
"Absolutely I'll do that for your birthday Jim, only I'll just wear a big red bow and you can unwrap me afterwards!" Too bad I don't have the courage to say that out loud, Pam thinks.
Pam- "Um, uh, no. Uh, let's move on to the menu. He wants burgers, chips, beer, pretzels, mint chocolate chip ice cream, and a boob cake."
Jim- "A boob cake? Where would we even get something like that? I guess we could just get a cake with a picture of Dwight on it."
Pam- "Actually there is a little bakery on Fountain St that does cakes like that, I went to a bridal shower that had one in the shape of a..., a..., well it was a man's..., and it was huge!"
Jim- "Really? Whose shower was that?"
Pam- "Um, it was a friends?"
Jim- "Beesly! You had a bridal shower and someone got you a cake shaped like a..?"
Pam- "Phyllis threw the shower, and she put Meredith in charge of the cake! It wasn't like I asked for it!"
Jim- "Did you eat any of it?"
Pam- "Of course! It was chocolate inside! But I closed my eyes when they cut it up, I just couldn't bear to watch that"
Jim and Pam laugh at that. Jim could imagine the blush of embarrassment on Pam's cheeks that day. Funny though, she didn't seem all that embarrassed now, she had a sparkle in her eye, and a funny little smile on her face that he often would see whenever she told him something to make him laugh. He loves that she can make him laugh out loud, Karen can only make him smile or snicker. He looks up to see Karen standing in the doorway. Now, he feels guilty. Not only for having so much fun with Pam, but for thinking badly about Karen. He likes her, really he does, but sometimes it seems it takes too much effort to keep Pam from crowding his thoughts and comparing Karen to her.
Pam loves to hear Jim's laugh. It makes her feel good to know that he thinks she is funny. She really enjoys spending time with him and it is moments like this, that are too far and few between, that make her go home at night with a little skip, and a smile that lasts until well after she falls asleep. When she looks up from Michael's list to say something else to Jim, she sees him looking at the doorway, at Karen, and then her smile quickly disappears. Reality has hit hard again, Pam thinks to herself, "He's in love with her now. I had my chance and I blew it."
Karen- "Hey, how's it going? What's the joke?"
Jim- "Oh, um, I think we're done for now, right Pam?"
Pam- "Sure."
Karen- "Do you need my help?
Jim- "No, we're done for now."
Jim and Pam both get up to leave, and they reach the doorway together, but because Karen is still nearby Jim decides not to give Pam the little squeeze on her elbow as he guides her out the door like he always does, Always used to do, he thinks.
All is quiet now as they sit at their desks. Karen looks over at Jim, hoping to get his attention and a smile from him, something to reassure her that his thoughts are no longer with Pam in the conference room, but, Jim is facing his computer monitor typing away, with that strange little smile on his face, the one Karen usually sees when he is planning something fun to do. "I hope that's an email for me.", she thinks.
Pam watches Karen as she watches Jim. "Karen is so beautiful," she thinks, "and I am so plain. Maybe I should wear something a little more noticable for Michael's party? Then I could stand next to Karen and not feel like a tag-along kid sister." Pam shakes that thought away. Who is she trying to get to notice her? Jim? He's not available and Pam likes Karen, she doesn't want to hurt her by taking away her boyfriend. Besides, Pam thinks, if I dress up, I'll get way too much attention from Kevin, Creed and Michael.
Michael sits in his office. He is thinking about Jan again, looking at her picture, the one of him rubbing suntan lotion on her back in Jamaica. He uses it as his desktop on the computer. He had removed it the morning after their break-up, but reloaded it the next day. He misses her a lot. "How am I going to get her back?" he thinks. It is so unbelievable to him that just 3 days ago they were sitting at the table in his kitchen, reading the Sunday morning paper together, and now, well now, he feels like he's going to faint because his heart hurts so much. Jan wants him to apply for a job as Executive Director in charge of Purchasing. He would be able to work in New York at the corporate office with Jan, but he knows, deep down that he really doesn't want to work at a job where he won't be able to be himself and have fun with his employees. He knows at Corporate, he'll have to be serious, work long hours, and worst of all, he won't be able to see all of his friends here in Scranton, friends like Pam, and Jim, and Todd Packer.
Dwight can tell that Michael is still upset about his break-up with Jan, and that's the real reason he wants to have an anniversary party. Dwight wants to help cheer Michael up, and that is the only reason he agreed to have to party at the beet farm, for Michael. He was a little shocked when Jim asked him via email to host the festivities in the farmhouse, the barn will be so much better, more space for Dwight's big surprise! Dwight gets up from his desk and heads into Michael's office.
Dwight- "Michael what time would you like to get your present from me? Do you want it before you open your cheap gifts from the rest of the drones in the office, or will that spoil them for you?"
Michael- "No, their gifts will all be good ones, I sent out an email to all of them a month ago with suggestions."
Dwight- "I didn't get that email."
Michael- "Really? Oh , that's because I deleted you from my address book back in January when you quit. I guess I should put you back in it. Anyways, I have a gift idea for you, help me get Jan to come tonight, I have a surprise for her."
Dwight- "What other emails have you sent since I've been back that I didn't get?"
Michael- "Nothing important, just one about the Cocktail party, which you went to anyways and one about your salary being garnished to pay for the hole you punched in the wall."Dwight- "I didn't do that, it was Andy! You mean my paycheque has been lower not because I had been rehired, but because Jim made Andy go crazy?"
Michael- "Oh, well, I guess Andy owes you some money then, good luck getting that psycho to pay you!"
Jan enters the office and informs Jim that she would like to talk to him in the conference room and to bring Karen with him. Michael doesn't notice her arrival because he's in the kitchen getting some coffee.
Jan- "Okay, thanks for coming in. Well, Jim I wanted to tell you about a job opening in New York at the corporate offices, I really would like to see you apply for it, and I will put in a strong recommendation for you with David. The job is Executive Director of Purchasing. Basically your job will involve overseeing purchases made by the company from suppliers, negotiating prices, keeping track of warehouse inventories, handling any problems that arise from suppliers and warehouses. And you will attend meetings to determine pricing, cost reductions, inventory problems and things of that nature."
Jim- "Wow, Jan, that is really...great, um but, well, I'm not sure I am qualified or anything, and well, as you know Karen and I are in a relationship and that would be very difficult to keep going if I moved to New York."
Jan- "Oh, believe me, I know how hard it can be to have a long distance relationship, and just because it didn't work out for Michael and myself, doesn't mean it wouldn't for you guys."
Karen- "Absolutely!! I think you should consider it Jim, I mean it's only a 2 and a half hour drive, and we can talk on the phone and email each other, and it would be a huge step for your career and a pay increase, right Jan?"
Jan- "Oh yes, it would mean an extra $10,000 a year to start, with yearly bonuses, and a company car. Also the company would pay for moving expenses, and you would receive an extra 5 days vacation time also."
Jim- "I don't think so, I mean the offer is great, and very tempting, but I've already moved twice this year and I don't believe in long distance relationships, they are a lot of work, and I'm sure the new job would also be an increase in my workload. So, thanks Jan, but no."
Jan- "Well, Jim, I tell you what, we'll increase it to an extra $15,000, and you can think about it for a few days. Today is Wednesday, so I'll leave it with you until Monday. You and Karen can talk, and let me know. How would that be?"
Jim- "No, I don't..."
Karen- "We'll talk about it Jan, and we'll let you know first thing on Monday."
Jan- "Great. Well, I think I'd better sneak out of here before Michael sees me, I don't have the time for his begging today."
Jan gets up to leave, shakes Jim and Karen's hands and runs quickly to the office door, keeping her head down in an attempt to avoid a scene with Michael. Jim is left wondering what is going on, why is his girlfriend making his decisions? He looks at Karen, she looks very pleased, and he starts to walk back to his desk. Thankfully, before Karen can start trying to talk him into taking the job in front of the whole office, Michael grabs Jim by the arm and drags him into his office.
Michael- "Was that Jan who just left? Why was she talking to you? Has she forgiven me yet?"
Jim- "Uh, yes that was Jan, no I don't think she has, and none of your business."
Michael- "Well, actually Jim, as your friend, and your boss, and as Jan's ex-lover, this is my business."
Jim- "Well, it's not, but I guess it doesn't really matter if I tell you because I already told Jan no. She wants me to come over to her place and hang a new painting over her bed."
Michael- "What?! Does that mean she's finally hanging up the portrait of us that I gave her for Valentine's Day? That's awesome!"
Jim- "No, I was joking. It was meant to imply that..., you know what, forget it."
Michael- "Then what did she want?"
Jim- "She just told me about a position open at Corporate that she thinks I should apply for. I said no, so don't freak out Michael."
Michael- "Position? Do you mean in Purchasing?"
Jim- "Uh, yeah."
Michael- "That's the job she wanted me to apply for and when I said I wouldn't we had a big fight and broke up!! She's already trying to replace me?"
Jim- "Well, actually, it's not to replace you, it's a job and it's her job to hire someone for it."
Michael- "Oh man, what should I do Jim? She's going to find some other guy to take the job that I was supposed to have. Do you think that means she'll start dating that guy?"
Jim- "Michael, that doesn't make any sense. Why didn't you apply for it?"
Michael- "I didn't want to leave all of my friends here. Do you think I should have applied for it Jim?"
Jim- "Well, you would probably be able to get back together with Jan if you did, and you would get an extra 10 grand a year, an extra 5 days vacation, and we would all stay in touch, as friends."
Jim gives the camera one of his looks, one that says, "Yeah right, and if you believe that I've got a bridge to sell you"Michael- "An extra 5 days vacation? Why didn't she tell me that part? Maybe I should apply for it. It would be great to see Jan at work every day, and have quickies under my desk at lunch!"
Jim- "Whoa! Did not need to know that."
Michael- "Okay, Jim, thanks for the advice, I think I will apply for that job, it'll surprise Jan, and it's the perfect way to win her back!"
Michael grabs Jim in a big bear hug. Jim pulls away and quickly goes back to his desk, hoping that no one noticed, but, when he looks at Pam as he passes her desk, he sees her smiling at him, with her eyebrows raised.
Jim types off a quick email to Pam letting her know that he'll explain the hug later, and finds an email awaiting him from Karen.
"Jim, you'll never believe this! I was looking at the DM website and found another position open at corporate!! It's in Finances, it's a Junior Exec. position. I could apply for that and we could move to New York together!!! Let's go out for lunch and celebrate!"
Jim is not pleased. Moving away from Karen was only part of the reason he didn't want to the job. He doesn't really want to move up the corporate ladder, let alone leave behind Pam again. "Wow. Did I really think that?" Jim wonders to himself.
Later, Michael is at his desk applying for the job Jan wants him to take.
Karen and Jim head out of the office for lunch, and Jim fears another argument about life goals and planning for the future.
Pam, engrossed in Jim's email doesn't see them leave. She's relieved that Jim won't be applying for the job in New York, and is wondering what life around Dunder-Mifflin would be like if Michael did go. Would Jim take the job as Regional Manager? Would that affect our relationship? she wonders. When she looks up at Jim's empty desk, and notices that Karen is gone too, she remembers that they don't really have a relationship anymore.
