January 23, 2007
“I get an art show,” Pam said, trying to contain her excitement as she slammed a sheet of paper down onto the top of the bar at the restaurant.
“What?” Dwight asked as he paused from the drinks he was pouring to look up at Pam.
“I get an art show,” she replied, a little louder and a huge grin trying not to creep across her face.
“I’m…I don’t follow,” he said as he shook his head a little.
“Ohmigod Pam,” Kelly said, seeming to emerge magically behind Pam.
“What?”
“You get an art show?”
“Yes!”
“Where is it going to be?” Kelly asked, wide eyes.
“Near the school, I think,” she replied. “I think it’s a gallery that the school owns.”
“So what’s so big about an art show?” Dwight asked. “I thought that was what artists do. They show their work…at art shows.”
“No, no,” Pam replied, “I mean, yes, they do…show their work….but this is different.”
“How so?” Dwight asked.
“The art school chooses five artists in the program – usually in their last semester of school – and they give them an art show,” Pam replied. “There are five different levels of the studio that the show is in, so each student gets their own level. The show is publicized in New York newspapers, throughout the entire university. It’s probably one of the best ways for an artist in the program to get noticed.”
“And you’re in the show?” Kelly asked happily, clutching her hands to her chest.
“I’m in the show,” Pam replied, unable to contain her huge grin any longer.
“Pam! Famous artists will see your work!” Kelly exclaimed.
“You really think so?” Pam asked quizzically.
“Of course!” Kelly exclaimed. “One of my friends was in the program a couple of years ago, right? She was this amazing artist, and she worked her butt off to get into that thing. She made it in, and she met so many people. Good people, people that have made a name for themselves.”
“Wow.”
“And you know where she is now, Pam? Do you?”
“I have no idea,” Pam replied as she shook her head.
“She has an art gallery in London. London, Pam!”
“Are you leaving us?” Dwight suddenly interjected.
“What?” Pam asked, turning her attention to Dwight, who had a sudden look of sadness cross his face.
“Are you going to be leaving us this spring?” he asked. “I mean, you’re graduating, right?”
“Yeah, I’m graduating,” she replied. “But I have no intention of leaving you guys just yet.” She smiled weakly at Dwight’s sudden, sad disposition. “I really doubt that I’m going to find a lot of work with a degree in art.”
“You could,” Kelly said optimistically. “Especially since you’re going to be in that show.” She nodded vigorously.
“Thank you, Kelly,” Pam said flatly. Kelly grinned a wide smile and quickly skipped back into the kitchen.
“Really, Pam,” Dwight said, “are you going to be leaving?”
“I’ll be here through at least the rest of the summer,” Pam replied. “Even if I do find a job with art, I really doubt it’s going to pay me enough for me to afford everything that I need.” Dwight nodded.
“I love it here,” Pam said with reassurance in her voice. “I’m not ready to leave yet.”
**
“I have something to tell you,” Pam said as she lay in Jim’s lap. “I’m nervous about something.”
“What is it?” he asked as he brushed some of her hair from her shoulder and turned her chin so she could look him in the eyes. She turned away from him and reached over towards her coffee table, picking up the sheet of paper she had received in the mail from the university telling her that she was one of the five art students chosen for the show.
“Here,” she said as she handed him the sheet of paper.
“You’re…” he quickly scanned the piece of paper. “You’re kidding.” His legs pushed up against her back and she sat up.
“Do you know about this?” she asked.
“I’ve heard of it,” he replied. “They do it once a semester…ask the best students in the program to be in it…”
“Yeah,” she said with a nod.
“This is amazing, Pam,” he said as he read through the letter again.
“Yeah,” she replied without a lot of emotion in her voice.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, noticing her hesitation. He would have expected her to be a lot more enthusiastic about an opportunity like this.
“I’m really nervous,” she replied.
“Why?”
“Well, it’s just when I signed up to be considered, I did it because I thought it would be fun…you know, get an art show, show off some of what I’ve done…just for fun. No pressure or anything,” she explained. “You should have heard Kelly today at work. She was ecstatic, she kept telling me about how publicized it is and how many people come and…well, I guess I knew that all along, but…”
“But what?”
“I just don’t know if I can do it now,” she said quietly.
“Why wouldn’t you?” he asked as he put an arm around her shoulder and pulled her back against his chest. “You have more than enough artwork here in your apartment that you can show. You’re really good, Pam.” She remained quiet and it seemed as if she was watching the snow falling outside. Jim ran his hands along her arms until she melted back against his body.
“I want to show my very best,” she said quietly. “I don’t know if I have enough.”
“I think that you have more than enough,” he said. “You haven’t showed me a whole lot of what you’ve done, but what I have seen in amazing.”
“If I had known it was so selective I wouldn’t have entered,” she said quietly.
“Why would you say that?”
“Because there has to be others that are better than me…” Jim sighed and pushed her away from him and turned her around to look her in the eyes. He planted his hands squarely on each of her shoulders as his eyes bore into hers.
“Pam,” he said calmly, gently, “no one is playing favorites here. They chose you because you are good. You are fantastic. You deserve this.” She nodded meekly and looked down at her lap. “You have plenty of time to get ready.”
“I know.”
“The show isn’t until late March,” he said. “And I can guarantee that everyone that loves you will be there to support you.”
“Yeah?” her face seemed to brighten a little.
“Of course,” he said as his hand trailed up the side of her neck.
“You promise?” she asked.
“I promise,” he replied with a smile as he leaned in towards her and kissed her softly.
