Chapter Two “Dinner”

As they entered the dining room Jan stood at the far end of a very long table that barely seemed to fit.  She looked more than just a little nervous.  Against the side wall, a buffet was set up with what appeared to be a generous selection of food:  sliced roast beef, a ham, mashed potatoes, stuffed shells, something that looked like chicken parmesan, salad, a variety of hot vegetables and stuffed peppers.  Breads, condiments and utensils were all set in place on the table.  Lit candles and a small but colorful floral display graced the table’s center.

“It’s the maid’s night off ...so please, just take a plate and pick what you like...there should be plenty.”  Jan tried to make a light hearted joke, but everyone pretty much knew about their current money situation.  Michael and Jan could never afford a maid or even a catered affair...and no one that evening was even thinking about that.  But to Pam, the slight crack in Jan’s voice and the way she clutched and twisted her hands together as she watched her guests betrayed an apprehension that she had never seen in Jan before. “For anyone who may not want to eat meat, we have some eggplant parmesan, stuffed shells, vegetables and salad and peppers stuffed with rice.”

At the announcement Angela turned back toward Jim and, raising her eyebrows gave him a very self-satisfied, holier-than-thou look.  Jim needed no explanation.  He only had to think back to his barbecue to fully understand where that came from...Angela was never one to let things go easily. 

As they waited near the back of the line that had formed, Pam gave Jim a slight nudge and tilted her head toward the near end of the table.  Without asking, Jim knew exactly what she wanted him to see.  Each place setting had a small, hand-written name card.  Jim leaned down and half-whispered into Pam’s ear, “How formal is this buffet supposed to be...I’m beginning to think I should have borrowed Dwight’s tux and worn my best pair of sneakers.” 

In response, Pam couldn’t help but snicker which caused Stanley and his wife Terri, who were just ahead of them to turn slightly and return a wry smile. 

“So what are you guys thinking about all this?” Jim asked Stanley and his wife as he slipped his free hand around Pam’s waist.  Jim couldn’t see the soft smile form on her face, but he certainly felt Pam’s warmth as she pressed her body closer to his.

Stanley rolled his eyes which his wife, Terri took as her cue, “Stanley told me it was all about his bonus!” She looked back at her husband and smiled, “So we’re here!”

Pam asked, “Did you see the place cards?”

“Yes, I saw them,” Stanley said with his usual air of distracted gruffness.  “Getting all dressed up, fancy drinks, name cards...seems that Michael and Jan are going all out to impress us for some unknown reason.”

“I think you two are sitting next to Michael,” Terri offered.

Both Jim and Pam frowned at that news.

Soon enough they’d made their selections, filling their plates.  Jim went with the ham, Pam...the roast beef.  But, as they checked the cards they found Pam’s in the middle of the table with Jim opposite her.

Finally everyone was seated but the chair at the head of the table remained empty...Michael’s chair.  No one dared to actually begin eating, instead stealing expectant glances Jan’s way in between small bits of ever more concerned conversation.  Jim was seated between Terri and Kevin’s fiancé, Stacy.  Pam had Stanley and Kevin to either side.  

Leaning in toward Jim, Pam mouthed “Boy, girl, boy, girl” her eyes darting from side to side.

Jim just nodded and shrugged before turning to Terri, “So I guess we’re next to you?”

“Jim, I saw your name card on that corner, next to Michael’s chair...” Terri’s voice was firm as she pointed, “where, what’s his name...Andy’s sitting.” 

In Michael’s lingering absence Jan, seemed non-plussed.  She sat calmly, but slightly chewed on her lower lip as she waited.  Darryl sat to her left, Kelly to her right.  Suddenly, and with a bit of fanfare Michael appeared, emerging from the kitchen carrying two bottles of wine, one white...one red.  As if relieved, Jan allowed a small smile to form on the corners of her mouth.

“All right everybody....let’s get this parrrty starrrted....red or white...you choose.”   Michael was exuberant, smiling and laughing as he moved from person to person exchanging little ‘whatnots’ while pouring their wine of choice.  And when Angela even accepted a splash of the ‘white’ Michael beamed. 

As Jim watched, he couldn’t help but think that, at this singular moment Michael Scott was truly in his element, surrounded by food and drink...and entertaining the very people he cared most about.  Michael did think of nearly everyone here this night as his family.  And, in a broad sense, Jim could understand that part of Michael.  He cared for these people, too...not in the exact same way as Michael did, but he generally liked them, he didn’t mind being around them and some of them were his friends.  It’s just that Michael needed them to be his family...he really didn’t have anyone else. 

Whenever he let himself think about it, that was the part that made Jim sad, the fact that for Michael, there really was no one else.  Jim did have family and now he had Pam and everyday he was seeing the beginnings of a new future for the two of them...as a new extension of that family...and of hers’ as well.  It made him think how truly graced his life had become.  His hope for Michael, now that he’d found a relationship with Jan...as improbable as that had once seemed...was for Michael to begin to see and learn the difference.  If he could do that with Jan, find the true essence of family, maybe that would turn everything around...maybe that would be Michael’s salvation.

When Michael finally reached his place at the end of the table he remained standing, pouring himself a full glass of ‘red’. “Please everyone...I’d like to make a toast.”  The room quieted as everyone held their glass and their breath.  “You’re all probably wondering why Jan and I have invited you here this evening.”  A collective sigh descended over the table as everyone wondered where this might lead.  “Well, this is our home...Jan’s and mine and each and every one of you are...” but he stopped mid-sentence, a frown appearing as he looked first to his left at Andy, then quickly around the table stopping on Jim and Pam...then back to Andy.  “What are you doing there....that’s not your place!” 

Andy looked as though he’d just been caught with his hand in the proverbial cookie jar, “What do you mean Michael....this is my spot, this is where I found my card...and Angela’s on the other side.” However, the growing redness that flushed his cheeks indicated that might not be the exact truth.

 “No you didn’t Andy, you moved them.”  Michael glared. “Jim...Pam...my two number ‘2s’, you’re supposed to be sitting here next to me.”

Pam gave Jim a light kick under the table.  It was followed by a nudge from Terri’s elbow against his arm, “I told you,” she whispered.

Michael looked defiantly into Andy’s eyes. “I know exactly who’s supposed to sit where...Mr. Andrew Bernard!  I put the place cards out myself...I spent two nights figuring out who should sit where...I made charts...right Jan?”

Jan nodded slowly, a look of desperation forming on her face, “Yes, that’s right Michael....two nights figuring it out, charts and all.”  She seemed almost resigned to the next shoe dropping.

“And besides Andrew , you’re next to Bob and Angela’s next to Phyllis and it’s supposed to be boy, girl, boy, girl...so you just got busted big time...end of story!”  Michael curled his lower lip slightly outward in that certain way he had when he wanted to impress upon someone that he intended to firmly stand his ground. 

Andy looked around, desperate to find a way out.  “But Michael, it’s Kevin, Oscar...then Darryl?”

“Well Andy, that’s only because I didn’t know if it was Oscar or Gil who leads when they go dancing!” 

That pretty much stopped everything in its tracks as Oscar looked at Gil, Gil looked wide-eyed at Michael, Jan threw her head back and sank into her chair, Angela glared at Andy and everyone else just seemed too stunned to say anything.  Michael stood firm, burning his gaze deeper into Andy’s core.  Shaking her head, Pam finally broke the awkward silence.  “Look Michael, there was absolutely no reason at all to say that...and Jim and I are just fine right here!” 

Jim then rose, facing Michael.  “Yeah, Michael we’re fine, we’re all fine.  We’ve all got our food, so let’s leave it alone and just enjoy the meal....okay?”  It was not a question and Pam found herself admiring the quiet but pointed forcefulness in Jim’s remarks.

In response, Michael stood motionless for what seemed like an excruciating amount of time.

“Michael, the food is getting cold!” Pam, too was adamant. 

That seemed to snap him back into focus as he sought out Jan at the opposite end of the table.  She sat there, slowly shaking her head in her hands.  Michael took a quick look around saving one final glare for Andy.  “Fine then...everybody’s fine ...so fine....stay where you are...let’s eat.”  Michael sat down, his earlier smile and happy laughter now just a memory.

Pam’s gaze shifted to Michael’s left.  Angela did not look fine...she looked ashen.  She sat nearly motionless...head down, slowly picking at her vegetables.  To Pam, she looked almost lost! 

“God,” Pam thought to herself, “this is turning into some damn night!”

Eventually, things calmed down and the tension seemed to slowly melt away.  The food was actually pretty tasty and as the wine flowed, a semblance of normal conversation returned.  Kelly and Stacy did their best to distract Gil with stories of exploits in Philadelphia...Kelly mostly about shopping for clothes and Stacy with tales of clubbing with Kevin and the band.  Gil wasn’t familiar with any of the clubs she mentioned but he could talk about music so that kept Darryl and Kevin and even Jan at least mildly interested.  Kevin suggested that Darryl consider joining his new band, Scrantonicity II, but Darryl declined, insisting that his real musical interest was ‘classical’ fugues.  

Phyllis and Bob, who in Michael’s chart would have been seated next to Jim and Pam, made a point of trying to keep Angela and Andy occupied as best they could, Phyllis even going so far as to ask Angela for advice on picking out the perfect breed of cat as a pet...yes, sometimes things got even that desperate.  Andy tried to make small talk about the refrigeration business asking how Bob got into it in the first place.  But after Bob explained that his father had started the company and that he’d worked his way up after returning from the navy, and eventually took the helm when his dad retired, Andy seemed to slip back into a semi-funk.  Maybe Andy thought sitting there, with Michael totally ignoring him didn’t bode too well for his future prospects in Scranton, so listening to Bob Vance tell him about how he got to the top in his company may have cut just a bit too close to the bone. 

Jim and Pam jumped into as many conversations as possible, attempting to do their part to prevent the evening from deteriorating any further.  They asked Stanley and Terri about their daughter Melissa and how she was doing.  At the question, Stanley rolled his eyes and only responded “It’s all about boys!”  Terri insisted that Melissa was really a nice girl, just going through a stage and that it was difficult for a girl Melissa’s age to get used to a new mom.  But something in her voice told Pam that Terri had maybe made the same speech many times before, trying to convince herself that Melissa would eventually come around.

They spoke about Stacy’s daughter Abby and her interest in art and Kevin reminded Jim that he still owed Abby a dinner date.  That brought a smile to Pam’s face as she remembered how wonderful Jim had been with Abby that day in the office...when all the kids had come into work.  Jim had amazed Pam...to see how he was with kids.  She remembered how deeply touched she’d been as she’d watched Jim so gently coax Abby out of her shell that day...it was one of those moments when she’d dared allow herself to imagine a wholly different life than the one she’d been living for so long.

And despite the awkwardness of talking over everyone, Jim engaged Michael in a discussion about movies he and Pam had recently seen and possible ideas for vacation trips.  Michael and Jan hadn’t seen either “Juno” or “Once”, but he’d seen the ads for “Juno” on cable and thought the pregnant teenager was kind of a wiseass.  He also thought he saw a scene with a guy who reminded him of Dwight but couldn’t remember if it was the same movie.  He also asked Jim if he’d heard anything about a new football movie coming out with George Clooney and that blonde girl from “Jerry Maguire” that he thought Jan might even like to see.

At the mention of Dwight’s name, Pam saw Angela’s ears perk up, finally showing interest in something.  Since Michael’s tirade, with the exception of the exchange with Phyllis about picking a cat, she’d remained mostly quiet.  Pam had not seen her speak to Andy at all...not once.  Now, as Jim agreed that the actor Michael had seen may have had some resemblance to Dwight, Angela magically came alive, at least as Pam saw it.

“What was the name of that movie, Jim?  Sounds like it might be interesting...something about a pregnant girl, you said?” 

Jim leaned across the table to better see Angela.  “It’s called ‘Juno’ and it’s about a high school girl who gets pregnant.  It’s actually pretty good and has some decent music.”

Pam caught Jim’s eye with her sneakiest and very best “So Angela wants to see a movie about an unwed pregnant teenager...yeah right!” look.  Jim’s smirk confirmed his own skepticism.

And, as far as vacation ideas, Michael offered Puerto Rico, Aruba, Mexico, Bermuda, St. Barths or Rio as suggestions for winter get-a-ways, not that he’d ever visited any of them...but he’d heard good things about all of them.  Both Jim and Pam noted the conspicuous absence of ‘Jamaica’ from the list...and no mention of ‘Sandals’, either.

Pam looked at Jan, waiting for her opinion.  She and Jim had recently been discussing the possibility of taking a week off...sometime after the holidays and they’d thrown around some ideas, but hadn’t settled on anywhere specific.  Pam was actually holding out for Valentine’s week, figuring it wouldn’t take that much convincing for Jim to agree.  Thinking Jan had probably done quite a bit of traveling...well, at least more than either she or Jim, Pam hoped Jan might help narrow their options. 

But Jan didn’t respond.  Instead she sat quietly, looking at Michael or, as it appeared to Pam, she seemed to be looking through Michael.  Ever since Michael’s outburst Pam had noticed that Jan seemed to have shut herself down, at least a degree or two, never fully involving herself in the conversations that ebbed and flowed around the table.  Oh, she’d thrown in a few comments here and there and Pam had actually seen some genuine interest when Stacy and Kelly’s Philly discussion had veered to more general talk about music, but otherwise Jan seemed preoccupied...as though something was weighing on her mind. 

When Jan didn’t respond, and with everyone more or less close to finishing their meal, Pam thought it a good opportunity to excuse herself, asking for directions to the ladies room. 

“Oh, sure Pam...just down the hall and last door to the left.”

“Thanks Jan, and the food was just delicious.”  Despite everything, she’d actually enjoyed the meal. As she rose, Stanley graciously held her chair and Pam nodded her appreciation.  Turning toward the hallway, she gave Jim a quick wink.  He winked back.

Pam’s departure from the room seemed to signal the unofficial end of dinner and most everyone settled back in their chairs, relaxing in that way that signifies a certain satisfaction and contentment.  Compliments on the meal were offered and graciously accepted by both Jan and Michael who were pleased their guests were enjoying themselves. 

“If you wait a moment, and give us a chance to clear the table, there’s coffee and dessert.... and it’s not a mint chocolate chip ice cream cake!”  Jan’s spirit seemed to have reawakened as she smiled in Michael’s direction.

He returned her smile. “Yes, everyone...you can remain seated or feel free to wait in the living room while we clear everything.”  He reached for Angela’s plate, but as he did he felt a hand on his shoulder.  He turned to find Andy hovering anxiously at his side.

“Michael, I’m sorry.  It was a nice meal and I know I really ‘pooched’ it...and I’m really, really sorry, man.”  Andy searched Michael’s face for any sign of forgiveness or understanding.  “So, big dog, let me make it up to you...why don’t you just sit here and relax for a minute and let me clear the table for you.  Hey, I used to work for a resort in the Adirondacks when I went to Cornell...so trust me Michael...I know what I’m doing.”

Michael looked unsure, knowing Andy was basically an insincere suck-up, but what the hell...things had actually worked out so far, more or less.  “Sure, why not...go ahead.”

Pleased as punch to have seemingly talked his way back into Michael’s good graces, Andy wasted no time, “Jim, Oscar...give Jan a break and help me with these dishes!” 

While it was totally unexpected, it was not an unreasonable request.  Jim had to admit that he’d enjoyed the evening so far...sure, some parts more than others...but overall he had no real complaints. “Okay Andy, no problem...Oscar you take that side, I’ll take this side.  I want to see what’s for dessert!”