X. Vote 

Although Jim tried to remind Pam of her earlier wish to stay up too late and then call off work the next day, Pam insisted on leaving his place early so she could go home and get a good night's sleep. As he lay alone in his bed, he thought about all the memories they'd shared that day. They had been through so much, and it had brought them to the right place- together. Life was by no means perfect (he stifled a groan as he remembered the meeting Michael was planning for the next day to go over "dynamic sales techniques"), but he was with Pam, and that made everything else OK.

He had the same thought when he entered the office again the next day. Pam was wearing her fuzzy gray cardigan, the one her Mom had made for her, and he saw her absent-mindedly caressing the softness of the material of her sleeve as she smiled at him in greeting. He quickly noticed the mischief in her smile.

"Good morning. What's up?" he asked, assuming his normal leaning stance against her desk.

"Nothing. I just thought of the number one thing that reminded me of you when you were gone, that's all."

Intriguing.The look on her face told him plainly that she thought whatever she was about to say was hilarious. He took a jellybean from the bowl on Pam's desk and chewed it slowly and deliberately. "The number one thing, huh?" he finally said. "Something really dashing and romantic, no doubt."

Pam snorted a laugh."You know, I'm not sure I'd go that far."

"Well, please, do tell."

"The thing that reminded me of you every day while you were gone...was the back of Ryan's head."

Jim stood straight up. This, he had not expected. "What?"

Pam nodded. "He took your desk, remember? But he didn't sit facing me like you do- he was always turned around. And I know he used to catch me staring at him, sometimes, wishing you were there instead." Jim saw Pam's expression darken. Although he knew she was still teasing him, he also thought that she had surprised herself with how much this bit of the truth hurt. Her next words confirmed his suspicion. "It sucked, every time I looked up and it was him instead of you," she said.

Jim reached down and took Pam's hand lightly. "Pam? I refuse to let Ryan's head be the thing that reminds you of me the most." He kept his tone low and grave, and his fake solemnity had exactly the effect on Pam that he wanted. The amused light sprang back into her eyes almost instantly. It was the thing he was proudest of- his ability to make her smile.

"I'm sorry, Jim, but they're my memories. I'm afraid you don't get a vote."

Jim dropped her hand indignantly. "Excuse me? I beg to differ. I get a vote in everything you do from now on. I'm a registered Pamocrat, you know."

Pam groaned. "A registered Pamocrat? Wow." She shook her head in dismay at his corny new coinage.

"Yep. So I have a say in all your decisions. We'll conduct the debate over what you should eat for lunch promptly at noon."

Pam raised an eyebrow. "Is that a bi-partisan debate?," she asked. "You see, I've switched parties. After several months as an Independent, I've recently decided to become a Jimpublican. We're a lot more conservative." Her closed-mouth smile was a clear indication that she was fighting laughter. Jim lost the fight immediately, chuckling as he took his seat.

A few minutes later, he sent Pam an e-mail: I think that red number you wore last Tuesday night disqualifies you from ever being called conservative, Pam. I'd go so far as to call it Super Tuesday.

As he started his sales calls for the day, Jim could hear Pam laugh and then groan again. He considered that a concession.