In the final segment of The Job, a new day is upon Jim in more ways than one.  A literal new day has started as he sits in the New York headquarters of Dunder Mifflin awaiting an interview that can change his life.  Figuratively, Jim is waiting for a brand new day in self-discovery.  It’s the day he finds himself and realizes where he belongs.  It’s the day he’s finally honest with himself in terms of his emotions, who he is, and what he wants.Jim’s impending decisions are pulling at him even stronger than before as the final battle between his head and his heart ensues. 

Jim continues to toy with the notion of starting anew in New York, but the call of home echoes in his ears.  Throughout the interview experience Jim walks in the shoes of New Jim, but they never quite fit him no matter how hard he tries.  Jim is finally beginning to see through the fallacies of his own self defense mechanisms.  The façade he’s created for himself is stifling and contributes to the haze clouding his vision.  Pam’s warmth cleared up the fog.  The note she lovingly put with this paperwork helped Jim to find what he was missing all along: himself.  Jim realized he doesn’t have to change.  He can go home. 

Jim’s trip to New York was all about exploring the possibility of a new life and a new Jim.  It was all part of his elaborate self defense mechanism that served as an escape from the pain of the past that Jim is terrified to face.  Both Karen and New York are his perceived safe havens.  Despite all Karen and New York have to offer, Jim is left feeling cold and empty.  Karen continues to send a blizzard-like chill in Jim’s direction, while New York is cold and overwhelming.  Yet, he clings to both to avoid the pain he’s been hiding from for a year.  Through a series of events, Jim finally realizes the pain is only there if he chooses to hold on to it. In the end, love and friendship override the pain.

Throughout, season 3, Jim attempted to reinvent himself with such fervor that he lost sight of his very being.  He spent a year in almost constant fear as he avoided dealing with his broken heart and all the pain from CN.  As a result, he constructed a massive self defense system that included barriers, escape, and avoidance.  He ran to another state, another woman, and an alter ego (New Jim) to escape dealing with the reality of his feelings for Pam.  Each served as a façade for a new life where Jim thought he could be happy without Pam.  Instead, each gave him a false sense of security and contentment.  He solidified his defenses with a rock solid wall that blocked Pam, Karen, and even himself from his emotions and his heart as a means of survival.  All the pain and love Jim feels for Pam were buried deeply and shielded further with denial.  Through a combination of self discovery and Pam’s ability to worm her way into Jim’s heart, the wall eventually crumbles.  A slight surge in fear results, causing Jim to run again.  It’s in his final attempt to escape in New York that Jim learns “the job” can’t save him and neither can Karen.  Only he can save himself.  Loving Pam doesn’t have to hurt and he can be himself with her by his side. 

Jan’s Meltdown:

Jim sits with Karen in the lobby as Jan makes her exit with her belongings in tow.  Jim watches Jan with an air of sympathy.  He’s a little shocked, but he feels sorry for her more than anything else.  Soon after, Michael learns he will not get the job and leaves as Karen and Jim sit and watch silently.  Jim’s eyes grow wide with apparent amusement and a touch of leftover shock.    He’s getting ready to make a joke that will lighten the mood and ease the tension in the room.  Before he can speak, Karen beats him to the punch, “Wow. That was some serious, hardcore self destruction.”  Jim briefly makes eye contact with her but quickly looks away, mainly because he realizes immediately that Karen’s take on the situation is different from his.  He responds with a simple,”Yeah,” coupled with a slight chuckle, but his heart isn’t in it. 

Jim respects Jan and has always been kind to her, (notably in Casino Night and Branch Closing).  He’s not above making fun of her, but never with a mean spirited affectation.  Jim’s humor is never about hurting someone or insulting someone.  He likes to poke fun at people without forgetting they are human.  He usually cares about the people on which he pulls pranks, (Dwight is his favorite target, but Season 3 really showed that Jim does care about him).  Karen’s comments felt very cold and unforgiving to Jim and he feels disconnected from her.  As a result, Jim tries to redirect Karen to a warmer climate, “I kinda feel bad for her, though.”  Jim may be trying to soften Karen’s regard towards Jan, but he also really means what he says.  His earlier sympathetic expression ties into this statement.  Jan isn’t a bad person and Jim is surprised and saddened to see her fall apart.  Karen doesn’t respond the way Jim hopes when she blatantly tells him, “Don’t.  She’s nuts.”  Her statement is frigid and Jim’s feels the chill.  He looks right at her, but it’s more out of shock that she could be so cold. 

Jim realizes it’s more than just a joke to Karen. She really means every word she said.  He maintains eye contact with her and laughs with her, but again he’s not feeling the connection.  His laugh is more like a polite laugh that frequents cocktail parties where lame jokes are the order of the day.  He breaks eye contact with her again as he feels the chasm that divides them grow even wider.  He utters an, “Oh man,” in a detached tone.  He can’t joke with Karen and he feels awkward around her for reasons he can’t quite put his finger on yet.  Buried deep in the back of his mind, is the fact that Pam would have reacted to Jan’s situation differently with warm humor.  The previous day Jim shared a bit of humor with Pam at Jan’s expense, but it was warm and lighthearted.  The sharp contrast between the two is starting to become more and more apparent.  Jim wants Pam’s warmth, but is simply too stubborn to admit it to himself. 

He looks down at his watch trying to find some excuse to be alone.  He needs to thaw out from the chill and put an end to the awkwardness.   He tells her, “You know what? This might take a while. You really don't have to stay, if you don't want.”  His tone is overly casual and flippant to convince her to leave.  He doesn’t want her to suspect that he’s uncomfortable around her so he tries his best to sound laid back.  Pam would’ve caught his forced tone immediately, but Karen totally buys it as she readily accepts his alternative to waiting, “Okay, good! Because, um, a bunch of my friends are meeting downtown for lunch. And, I was gonna meet them, so…”  His spirits begin to lift as Karen gathers her things to leave.  He happily responds with, “Okay.”  Karen tells him to call her when he’s done and Jim agrees to do so, with the same casual tone. 

His discomfort is still apparent, but he doesn’t want Karen to see the internal struggle currently raging inside of him.  He’s a little confused by the awkwardness between himself and Karen.  Old Jim and New Jim are tugging at him from opposite directions while he’s stuck hopelessly in the middle.  His head continues to cling to Karen, while his heart is looking towards home.   A little alone time is exactly what he needs to calm down the storm.  Karen wishes Jim good luck before she gets up to leave and Jim thanks her.  It’s the first time Karen has given him any genuine encouragement, but it lacks the warmth of Pam’s earlier well wishes.  He feels the difference a cold breeze brushes past his face.

Once Karen is gone, Jim becomes a little more relaxed.  He leans back and reopens his magazine.  The phone rings and Jim hears an all too familiar phrase, “Dunder Mifflin, this is Grace.”  Jim’s thoughts immediately turn to Pam.  He’s listened to Pam’s voice deliver the same greeting countless times.  It’s the first time he consciously allowed himself to think of her.  A piece of him wishes it were Pam sitting at reception in place of Grace.   He feels the void of her absence as the warmth he needed earlier washes over him.  A simple thought of her is enough to feel her presence.  He’s getting closer to putting his finger on his feelings from earlier while with Karen. 

He just hasn’t made the connection between his disconnection with Karen and feeling Pam’s absence.  He misses her despite his head’s insistence on directing his attention back to his magazine.  Old Jim is lost in thoughts of Pam, while New Jim is fighting to yank Jim back to New York.  Despite his best attempts to return to his escape, a small smile sneaks out of the corner of Jim’s mouth as he thinks of Pam fondly.  Her warmth is irresistible to a man who just emerged from the arctic. 

The Interview:

New Jim is in full swing as Jim jokes with David Wallace during his interview.  Wallace jokingly expresses his misgivings about hiring a Sixers fan and Jim returns the humor with, “I should leave.”  Jim is a little nervous but he hides it well, despite his soft spoken words.  He’s determined to test new waters, especially since he allowed Pam to permeate his thoughts in the lobby.  Even though New Jim is calling the shots, aspect of Old Jim are alive and kicking.  The laid back laughter and joking around are patented Old Jim behaviors that are being implemented to cope with the stress of the interview. 

On a deeper level, it’s getting harder for him to resist coming all the way “back.“  Therein lies the roots of his nerves in that he’s not sure if he’s doing the right thing by pursuing this job.  The familiar internal struggle between his head and his heart continues to rage despite Jim’s seemingly relaxed exterior.  He’s relying on the loose nature and humor of Old Jim to carry him through.  Wallace continues the interview by praising Jim’s qualities, when Jim puts his humor to good use again by interrupting and asking Wallace, “I'm sorry, wait, so is the question ‘How'd I get to be so awesome?’  Because, I don't have an answer for you.”  Wallace laughs, which puts Jim more at ease. 

The interview continues as Wallace asks Jim for his quarterly numbers.  Jim pulls the papers out of his folders when a small unassuming piece of paper falls into his lap.  Jim is immediately befuddled as he tries to wrap his fingers around it to get a better look.  After a few seconds he has a chance to see it’s a note lovingly crafted by Pam.  He reads: Jim, Don’t forget us when you’re famous.  Pam.  In the upper right hand corner he sees a memento signifying a fun day from what seems so long ago; a gold medal yogurt lid.  It literally knocks the breath out of him as Pam’s warmth hits him right in the heart.   His face softens as he takes in Pam’s simple and warm words.  Her token of good luck means the world to him.  His earlier awkwardness with Karen now makes perfect sense as Pam’s warmth outshines Karen’s cold demeanor. 

The gray cloud that’s been snowing on him all morning has been replaced with warm gentle wind.  The Pam he loves is right there on that piece of paper and she managed to snap him back into the man that loves her in the space of a few seconds.  Any and all defenses that Jim had in place have been demolished as he can’t help but “feel” her as he reads her note.  In her simple words she reminded Jim he can always come back and she’ll be there waiting for him.  She reminded him not to forget who he is, but she is also telling him not to forget the special connection they share.  Jim has spent the last year tirelessly trying to forget Pam, but he finally realizes Pam can’t be forgotten and more importantly he doesn’t want to forget her.  She’s been with him all along.   All this time he’s tried to put the past behind him because all it meant to him was pain.  The yogurt lid took him to past where Pam made him happy and the only pain he had came from not being with her. 

Suddenly, all his avoidance and escape tactics seem ridiculous an pointless.  All they did was create more pain by keeping Pam at a distance.  Pam reminded Jim that the past is a place where Jim could be himself with her at his side.  Jim remembers the Office Olympics as a day where he was entirely himself.  That simple memento gave Jim the permission he needed to be Old Jim.  His brow wrinkles with the realization that he doesn’t have to change.  The past doesn’t have to hurt.  Wallace continues to speak, but Jim doesn’t hear a word.  His emotions have literally exploded and are circling around him beyond his control.  Just like Pam, he is sitting in the eye of an emotional hurricane, (see PD, The Job Pt. 3). 

It isn’t until Wallace’s chatter trails off that Jim tries bring himself back to the business of his interview. His composure is barely holding together as he hands over his paperwork.   His breath hasn’t returned as he speaks a choked, “Here you go.”  He is still hanging onto her note, but has it hidden under his folder.  His mind remains with Pam as leans back into his chair.  He can’t stop thinking about that small piece of paper in his hands.  Emotions he had been too afraid to trifle with all year refuse to be buried again. 

Impulsively, he sneaks another look at the note.  He stares at it and allows himself to feel long denied emotions.  To his surprise they don’t hurt, they simply exist.  Jim is once again forced to refocus on Wallace as he asks, “How do you think you’d function here in New York?”  Jim’s head snaps up and out of his own world as he suddenly remembers where he is, “What’s that . . .Oh, uh, great.”  He’s almost a little bothered that Wallace keeps interrupting his thoughts.  He wants more time to contemplate everything that has awakened in his mind and heart.  He needs more time with Pam. 

Jim struggles to save face and put together an answer even though his mind is still spinning.  New Jim jumps in and takes the reins while Old Jim tries pull himself together, “I just um, I really appreciate the buildings, and uh, the people, and um, there's just a energy... New York has, uh... Not to mention, they have places that are open past eight. So that's a... bonus”  Jim’s face wears slight desperation for Wallace to  buy into his answer.  He knows he didn’t come off as believable as he should have.  His answer is disjointed and awkward  as he tries to redirect his mindset to Wallace’s question.  His mind is back in Scranton.  He grabs at anything he can to answer the question, but he can’t give a solid answer. 

The same uncertainty and sense of being overwhelmed that plagued him the previous evening pervades his description of New York.  He’s felt out of place since he arrived in New York and that feeling continues to chase him as he sits in Wallace’s office.  He knows he doesn’t belong here, but he’s not quite ready to let New Jim go completely.  Although, Pam’s note brought Old Jim back, he’s still trying to make sense of his emotions.  The decision that’s been haunting him is fresh in his mind.  Pam’s note made him realize he can go home, but the struggle continues between his head and his heart.  His head is not ready to let New Jim go quite yet as the path has not been fully explored. 

However, it’s getting more and more difficult to remain focused on New Jim when Pam is calling to his heart.   The decisions he must make are still looming but, Jim is getting closer to the answer.  Jim doesn’t keep eye contact with Wallace as he knows his answer isn’t the total truth.  He is in awe of New York, but deep down he knows he doesn’t belong. Furthermore, he doesn’t want Wallace to catch a hint of the hurricane of unleashed emotions swirling around Jim’s head.  To cover his tracks, Jim makes a little joke at the end of his answer, “Not to mention, they have places that are open past eight. So that's a... bonus.”  The tactic works as Wallace chuckles, causing Jim to relax for a moment. 

Wallace’s next question causes Jim to think long and hard about what he wants, “You’ve been at the Scranton branch a long time.  What have you liked most about that place”  The camera pans back over to Jim who is again giving his attention to Pam’s note.  He‘s drawn to it like a high powered magnet.  He’s only paying attention to Wallace when he absolutely must.  Jim thinks long and hard about his answer to Wallace’s question.  He knows the answer should give and the answer he wants to give.  Every moment of everyday he’s every spent with Pam flashes through his mind.  The pull towards home and to her is getting stronger and even harder to resist.  He finally answers, “The friendships” in a somewhat far off tone.  Underneath his answer lies simply one name: Pam.  She’s always been his reason for getting up in the morning to go to a job he loathes.

His answer is also a blatant reference to the friend zone, where his relationship with Pam stands at this moment. It suddenly hits him that he still wants “more than that.”  The truth is no longer shielded by countless layers of self defense mechanisms.   For the first time since CN, he is consciously aware that he still needs her.  Karen just isn’t Pam and can’t even come close.  All the pieces are starting to come together as the wheels in Jim’s mind continue to turn.  His emotions make his impending decisions seems so easy, but logic is holding Jim back.  The painful lessons he learned in CN, haven’t been forgotten, which creates hesitance.  Even though he’s realized the past doesn’t have to hurt, there is still fear that pain could befall him again.  This is the fear that has pushed him towards New Jim, New York, and Karen.  The real question is whether Jim can learn to let go of the fear that has been ingrained in him for the better part of year.  Until then, Jim remains in a contorted mess of emotions that are pulling him in two opposing directions. 

Wallace unwittingly helps Jim wade through his sea of chaos by asking him a pivotal question, “Where do you see yourself in ten years.”  Jim remains silent, but the answer is all over his face, (I) Not here, not in New York, and not with Karen.(I)  Wallace made Jim look at himself closer than he has in a year.  His self-preservation model was in place for only the present and didn’t allow him to see the big picture.  He thought he knew what he was doing by moving on and now his folly is crystal clear.  The epiphany hit him square in the face and migrated into his head.  There’s no room for questions or fear.  His thoughts have been centered on Pam ever since her note nailed him in the heart, but now he isn’t second guessing himself.  He knows what he wants. 

The corners of his mouth slowly turn up into a smile.  The decision has been made and it came to him easier than he ever thought it could.  And it didn’t hurt.  A general sense of euphoria is pulsing through Jim’s veins.  It was all so simple and right in front of his face the whole time.  Jim has always wanted to come all the way back to Scranton and most of all to Pam, (the beach scene flashback now makes total sense!).  Jim finally realized that his fear was creating pain rather than saving him from pain.  He is finally able to admit to himself that it was hurting him more to move on and be something he’s not.  His eyes begin to sparkle as he realizes all he wants is to move towards Pam rather than away.  He has a chance with Pam and it’s up to him to walk through the open door Pam has kept for him.  He knows he has to at least give it a try.  Pam deserves a second chance and so does he.  The path is lit up like a airport runway at night, all he has to do is follow the lights home.  Anticipation and impatience begin to make their presence known as Jim is likely thinking, “Pam is in Scranton, so what am I doing here?”

Pam’s Overlapping Talking Head: 

As Pam discusses all the reasons why Jim would get the job, Jim sits in Wallace’s office with a goofy smile and eyes that have Old Jim’s spark.  He’s “come back” and let himself out of the cage created by his defenses, fears, emotions and pain.  The bars have been replaced with wings of hope.  The emotional hurricane that surrounded him earlier has dissipated.  All that’s left are a few clouds that will soon part.  Just as before, he is anxious to leave Wallace’s office.  He checked out a long time ago and he’s ready to start heading home. 

As anxious as Jim is to make his way towards Pam, he realizes his decision may have been easy to make, but implanting the changes to make it happen are another story.  As he walks out of Dunder-Mifflin headquarters he is a little concerned as he realizes the gravity of his choice.  His decision to be Old Jim (but new and improved!), means things must end with Karen.  She is the foundation of all that trapped him.  He can’t be the man he wants to be if she remains in his life.  It’s a task he’s not looking forward to as he doesn’t want to hurt her.  Even though, things were far from perfect with her, she was there when he needed someone.  Jim really does care about Karen, so dumping her will be difficult.  He looks a little stressed as he walks out.  Not only is he a little drained from making a life changing decision and dealing with a rush of emotions, but he is now on his way to crush Karen.  New York is overwhelming Jim on an entirely new level.  Jim suspected New York would be a new life for him, he just had no idea what it really had in store for him.

The camera next shows Jim driving home.  He’s alone.  Unfortunately, there is no information to explain what happened between Jim and Karen.  The situation could go a number of different ways, but Jim’s expression can help fill in some of the blanks.  The ride home is a chance for Jim to decompress and fully process everything that happened to him in New York.  His face is decorated with bewilderment caused by dropping the safety net Karen provides.  He’s on his own with no place to hide.  Although, this is very liberating for Jim (even euphoric at times), it also leaves him vulnerable.  He may know what he wants, but the unknown is still a little frightening. 

Jim’s previous fears may have been wiped away, but they are now replaced with the fear of actually going after what he wants.  His life has changed very quickly and it’s a little disarming.  He’s trying to find a foundation on which to stand until he stops shaking from all the changes in his life.  Plus, he has the weight of hurting someone on his mind.  We may not specifically know what happened between Jim and Karen, but the empty seat next to him says enough.  He’s heading home and leaving New Jim behind him.  Despite the bewilderment, Jim is deep in thought contemplating his next move.  He knows he wants to be with Pam, but how he should go about letting her know is his next worry.  One CN is enough for one lifetime.  A very slight one-sided smile develops on Jim’s face, and then quickly disappears.  He is thinking of Pam and realizes the situation is different.  He’s not alone in wanting “more than that,“ and there is nothing standing in his way.  It’s here that he decides his next move . . . 

Asking Pam Out:

After a long ride home, Jim wastes no time in finding Pam.  Jim knew what he wanted in Wallace’s office and he decided to act on it sooner rather than later.  His contemplation time in the car gave him time to decide he wasn’t going to let Pam get away again.  He has a chance and he’s not going to let it pass him by.  Jim learned his lesson about hesitating last season.  He knew what he wanted then, but he didn’t do anything about it until it was too late.  Not this time.  He’s spent an entire year not having a clue about what he was doing and now he knows exactly what to do. 

With urgency, he opens the door to the conference room and blurts out her name.  His voice is determined and sprinkled with impatience to reach his goal.  He is so focused on her he only notices the camera as afterthought.  He feels bad for interrupting Pam’s talking head and apologizes to the camera.  However, he has no intention of leaving without getting what he came for.  Pam’s talking head will just have to wait.  Within a split second his focus is off the camera and squarely on Pam.  The distraction throws Jim off a little bit as does his own impatience.  Pam’s eyes are locked with his and he’s on the spot.  The adrenaline begins to subside and is replaced with nerves as he looks at everything he always wanted. 

After a second or two he pulls it together and asks her in soft spoken and slightly cracked voice, “Are you free for dinner tonight?”  His left hand nervously reaches out towards her as if to hold her hand.  The awkward hand gesture is really meant to show confidence, but instead it conveys nerves.  Just as he did a year ago, he’s putting it all on the line again.  Only this time he feels somewhat safer.  Pam’s new straightforward stance with him (Beach Games) gives him a little more confidence.  Part of him already knows, she will accept.  Between her speech on the shoreline, the note, and her warmth over the last few days, Jim knows he’s reading her correctly.   She is not longer an ambiguous mystery of nonstop guessing games.  His question is about more than just dinner.  It’s letting her know, If you’re in, I’m in.  

Pam is quick to answer “Yes,” much to Jim’s delight.  He’s relieved, but at the same time not surprised at her answer.  There is no pause before he says, “Alright.”  An elated smile graces Jim’s face.  The same euphoria from before is back.  It’s the yes he’s always dreamed of hearing from Pam’s lips.  Pam’s warmth is wrapping around him all over again like a homemade quilt.  She is back in his life sans the pain and confusion.  The comfort zone is no longer the limbo where he purposely lingered as part of his self-preservation model.  Pam is now his comfort zone.  Her yes put Jim well on his way to all he needs. 

Jim follows up quickly with, “Then it’s a date.”  He wants to make it unequivocally clear that this is a date and it means “more than that,” to him.  Jim wants Pam to know he wants to explore a relationship beyond the friend zone.  His smile remains, but his eyes soften as he stays locked with her eyes.  He’s giving her one of his patented “looks” that he hasn’t dared to conjure up since last year.  His words were very clear, but he can’t help but send Pam a number of non-verbal messages.  First, he wants her to know he’s not going anywhere.  His soft eyes were all about showing Pam he’s “come back” just as she wished he would on the shoreline.  He needed her to see that Old Jim spark.  His smile tells her he’s sorry it took him so long to find his way back to her.  His feelings haven’t changed and he’s glad she’s still here for him.  He almost wants to tell her, “I finally get it.”  He knows she was there for him the whole time and he was too blind and stubborn to see it.  Hidden deep in his smile is a small “thank you” for her note.  He knows he wouldn’t be standing in this position if it wasn’t for her small token of affection.  She saw the man he needed to be when he couldn’t. 

Jim has a peace about him he hasn’t had all season.  Aside from the fact that Pam didn’t contradict his notion of a date, Jim has his first sense of being back home.   He knows he is where he belongs and that brings him enormous comfort.  He’s been the equivalent of a square peg trying to fit in a round hole ever since CN.  He didn’t seem to fit anywhere in Stamford, New York, or Scranton.  An air of excitement surrounds him as he prepares to leave the room.  He’s starting something new with her where heartbreak is only in the past, where it will stay.  Just the future lies before them and it’s looking very bright.  It feels right. 

He taps the side of the doorframe with a sense of excitement.  It’s releasing his earlier nerves, but is also serves as a little high five to himself, “Wow, did I really just do that?”  He views his bold move with a little humor as well, as it was so much easier than he thought it would be.  Furthermore, he can’t contain his anticipation, “Yeah, we’re really going to do this.”  He leaves the room and shuts the door behind him knowing he made the right choice to return to Pam, but also to himself.  He’s returned to the man that hates his job, but loves Pam.

The Bottom Line:

Jim followed his heart all the way home. 

- - -

JAM Song of the Week:

Reunion

Artist: Collective Soul

Album: Collective Soul 

 Questions to Ponder:

1) How much of a role did David Wallace have in Jim’s decision? 

2) Did Jim get the job?  (I know Ryan got it, but was Jim offered the job first?) 

3) Did Jim and Karen break up?  Is Jim morally correct in asking Pam out so quickly after spending the previous night with Karen? 

4) Is Jim ready to be in a relationship with Pam? Is he ready to love her as he did before?

5) Does Jim trust Pam?

6) What is the next stop on Jim’s road to self-discovery?