Jim takes center stage, and he smiles nervously. The auctioneer reads his profile, which is short, boring and basic. The first bid is twenty dollars, by Meredith. Then Phyllis surprises with twenty-five.

~
Phyllis: "Well, he is on my list." She smiles fondly.
~

There are several ladies bidding now, including one pretty girl in her mid-twenties who sits at a table with some other pretty girls in their mid-twenties. Pam takes notice.

"Who will give me fifty? I want fifty, fifty dollars here."

"Fifty!" the pretty girl shouts, and her friends giggle and encourage her on.

Jim stares at the girl for a moment, and gets a slight look of recognition on his face. Pam doesn't notice, because she is too busy worrying that the young cute girl will end up winning him.

Phyllis bids fifty-five, and Meredith bids sixty, and for a while those two engage in a bidding war. Jim looks petrified as his price continues to rise.

It doesn't take long for the bidding to surpass one hundred dollars. Phyllis drops out there, but Meredith and the cute girl continue. Another bid comes in from someone in the back, an attractive woman in her late thirties. Pam glares at her. The woman catches her eye and backs down, not bidding again.

Jim is starting to find amusement in the situation. He notices that Meredith keeps chugging her drink in between bids, and the girl seems determined to win him. Pam, on the other hand, is getting noticeably more annoyed, and when Meredith's head starts to fall onto the table again, she gets up and sits next to her, poking her in the ribs to wake her up again.

Meredith is able to get one more bid out before passing out cold. The pretty girl looks over at her, triumphant, as she sets her next bid for one hundred and eighty-five dollars. There is no one else in the running.

"One eighty-five! Going once. Going twice..."

Pam stands up and yells, "Three hundred dollars!"

Several people gasp. The pretty girl shakes her head, smiling, and gestures defeat toward Pam. Pam runs up to the front and throws her arms around Jim's neck, planting a kiss firmly on his lips, and then takes his hand and leads him away. Everyone applauds.

~
Pam: "Yeah, I know. But, it's for a good cause, so..."
~

Pam and Jim are outside in the parking lot. Jim is laughing.

"Three hundred dollars?" he says. "That's more than your car payment. Really, Pam, couldn't you have just gone to two hundred and seen what happens?"

She shakes her head. "No! Because then it would have gone back and forth and I just wanted to be done with it."

He gazes down at her. "Well, I can't let you pay that much for me. I'll pay it."

Pam scowls at him. "You will do no such thing. It was my bid and I am going to pay for it with my money."

"Seriously, Pam, that's a lot of money. You have your rent, and school, and - "

"Well, it was worth it." But she doesn't look like it was worth it, because she's frowning.

Jim stares at her for a few moments, as if unsure of his next words. "Hey," he says softly, "I've been thinking, and I was wondering - " He stops himself.

"What?"

"Um, well I know that your lease is up this month and we spend all our time either at my place or yours, and maybe it would be cost effective if we were sharing rent."

She is still frowning. "Cost effective?" She thinks she may be getting angry, but she's not sure.

"Okay, no. That was really just a terrible segue." He shakes his head. "What I really meant was that I want you to move in with me. I have been wanting to ask you for a while."

She doesn't say anything, but her expression changes.

"I mean, okay, if you think it's too soon, then that's okay. Just forget I said anything..." His eyes drop to his feet as he shuffles nervously.

"No!" she shouts. He looks up. "I mean, no, I'm not going to forget you said anything." She takes a deep breath. "I would love to... be your roommate." He laughs. They hug. All is right with the world.

~
Jim: "All in all, it was a pretty good night."
~

They start to walk back inside, when the pretty girl who had been bidding on Jim walks out with her friends.

"Hey Jim!" she greets him warmly, and gives him a hug.

Pam's eyebrows are lowered into a frown as Jim laughs and says, "Hey you! How have you been? I didn't know you were in town."

"Yeah, just for the weekend though," she replies, then turns her attention to Pam. "I am guessing this is your girlfriend that I've heard so much about?" She holds out her hand. Pam cautiously takes it. "I'm Amanda. Jim's cousin."

Pam turns quickly to look at Jim, who snorts with laughter. She glares at him, bemused, and turns back to Amanda.

"I'm Pam. Nice to meet you."