Summer pre-S5. Jim's in Scranton - Pam's in New York. Just little a set of vignettes - week by week until they're together again.
10 I loved this story, especially the last chapter....from the banter about the month of November, to Pam wearing a foam crown of Lady Liberty to Pam's art show and Jim rushing to make it on time to their late night conversation about Jim's career/life aspirations that felt like pulling teeth (communication will always be a work in progress with these two) to Michael's crazy idea about Arts & Crafts Day and wanting Pam to cut pics out of magazines for a collage. Welcome back Pam! I could completely envision Michael doing something like that.
And I loved Pam's self-realization about her job in the end. And sometimes, the grass isn't always greener on the other side but it's the perfect place for her to figure out where she wants to be.
Great job!!
Author's Response:
Thanks so much Tammy!! When I started this story I wanted Pam to move - but not far enough to take her away from The Office as we know it. All along I knew the last line of the story would be "Dunder-Mifflin, this is Pam" and all along I imagined her being okay with it when she said it. I'm so glad that came across.
I have a soft spot for the last chapter myself - so thank you. I really appreciate your taking the time to tell me so.
Is there life and love after Jam?8 I think this story offers a very interesting premise and it's fun to read something different, so well-written and authentic. I kind of like that Pam & Jim don't end up together in your story. If they are truly meant to be, then Pam and Jim have to do everything in their power to make it work...so maybe they just aren't meant to be forever.
Having said that, I do really miss Pam's POV in this story. I know that Jim is the protagonist here, but with all of the insta-life and goal changes she seems to be going through from her experience at Pratt, Pam has the more interesting story, IMO. It's sad reading about them unraveling and becoming so distant with one other but it would be even sadder if Pam wasn't true to herself and stayed the person Jim wanted her be rather than who she wants to become.
Author's Response: Tammy, thanks so much for your feedback. I agree -- I miss Pam\'s POV, too, but I intentionally wanted to focus on Jim in this story. Adding Pam into the mix was just sort of overwhelming and I thought it would muddy the waters. I do hope to write a companion piece, however, that sort of covers what Pam was going through at the time, because I do find her changes so interesting (and frankly, quite believable, given her situation). I agree that Pam realizing who she is, to me, is more important than whether she stays with Jim or not. Thanks so much for reading and for your review!
10 Feisty Pam is definitely my favorite Pam. I loved her in The Surplus and now I get a little extra in this chapter. I enjoy romantic Pam & Jim too, but I think my favorite iteration of them is their competitiveness, playfulness and their snarky/witty banter with each other. You have captured all of that and more in your characterizations of them here. It's perfect. Well done!
Author's Response:
Mine too! :) I'm so glad you thought I'd captured that part of them here. It's tricky to not go completely over the top.
Thanks so much for reading!
77 The title says it all.10 Drunk!Pam was awesome! This chapter made me laugh out loud. My favorite parts: how Pam felt that REM's Shiny Happy People existed only to mock her b/c she heard it on her first day of work at D/M; Pam teasing Jim about his indie-only musical tastes; Pam winning at poker and holding her own with Jim's friends.
Let's hope in the light of day and sober minds they find a less cheese-tastic song. EEK.
Nicely done!
Author's Response: Thank you! I\'m really pleased you enjoyed it so much. I\'m sure this won\'t be a song they brag about, but I really like the idea of them having this inside joke. One of many, right? :) Thanks again!
10 This was funny and sweet. Michael Scott and his zany ideas. Maybe Pam could partner with Dwight and Kevin and re-enact the infamous scene where Bobby and Peter accidently beam Marcia in the nose with a football: "OH MY NOSE!!" Given the way Pam handles a football, maybe that's not a good idea, LOL. Meredith should probably steer clear.
I also loved how you wrote Pam's sense of frustration at Michael. Well done!
Author's Response:
Hee!! Maybe...we'll see.
I'm so glad you liked it. Stay tuned for more!
10 There is so much to love about this "filler" chaper! From Michael wearing a beret, ordering up the same menu from a Charlie Brown Thanksgiving, changing skits at zero hour, all in his desperation over missing Holly, to Creed and his hilarious comments, to Angela's militant judgemental nature, to Pam's innate kindness, to Dwight's ever-present suspiciousness of Jim- all of it wonderful. Excellent job!
My favorite thing? Pam ready to play Marcia Brady, football and all. Hee.
Author's Response: You are welcome Tammy. I'm very glad you liked it. :)
10 Great ending! I loved this final chapter. Snarky Dwight is hilarious and just perfectly in character. Poor Michael and his Holly Day-less Thanksgiving. Good thing he has Pam & Jim as his work parents to keep him grounded and hopeful. Sunshine Day on Pam's iPod is hysterical. HA!
Nicely done! Thanks for a wonderful post-Thanksgiving Day treat.
Author's Response: Michael is very lucky to have Jim and Pam. Otherwise he'd be splattered all over the DM parking lot from trying to jump off the roof. :) So glad you liked it. Thank you so much for taking the time to tell me so!
One part for each season. Pam's p.o.v. Nothing could be more innocent than a freckle, right?10 These two chapters are simply lovely. I love how the awkwardness is so palpable in the second chapter- as if I'm watching this all transpire onscreen with your wonderful vivid writing. At one time or another, both Pam & Jim have lived in states of denial over their feelings for each other but despite this frustration, my heart just cannot help going out to Pam over this:
She doesn’t usually think of herself as memorable.
Oh Pam!
Excellent. Can't wait for the next chapter.
Author's Response: I love hearing that readers can visually imagine the story - means a lot to me. And yeah, oh Pam. Thanks much, Tammy!
10 This chapter certainly hit the mark on the wide chasm between Pam & Jim circa S3 angstfest. The clarity into Pam's thoughts here are marvelous- from how uninhibited she would be if things were different to how the freckle represented her road map to the real Jim she knew. How that freckle is her beacon. Perfect beat on Karen too. "Quirky" doesn't seem to be a trait she would have a high regard for in her vocabulary.
Another excellent, excellent chapter. Looking forward to the better days ahead in S4 & S5.
Author's Response: Well, thanks so much for this excellent, excellent review! Pleased you thought Pam was clear here - I do think at that point she felt so stuck in that old perception of her...and that frustration is partly what lead to her BG speech.Thanks again for such interesting comments, Tammy!
10 This chapter was just exquisite. I loved this sentence especially: She continues along a path that’s still very new, but feels ancient. Finally, Pam & Jim can enjoy the contentment and wonder of being together in the way they have always wanted. Ah sweet summer- the best time for romance.
Bravo!
Author's Response: Glad that line made sense. Liked the idea of them thinking about each other so long, that the lines between old/new kind of blurred. Thanks so much, Tammy!
10 Such a great happy ending. You captured their voices just perfectly here. The witty banter is fantastic and I loved the teasing between them re: Pam's first engagement. They are in a good place with the past if they can joke about all of that. Also great was Pam's exorcism/makeover of the master bedroom. Pam and her five shades of sage paint color was cute...and Jim has a lot to learn about women when it comes to choosing paint color for any room in the house, LOL.
Also a favorite was this exchange:
'I thought you don’t like surprises?’
'Well…I like you, don’t I?'
Love the callback to chapter three about Pam wanting very much to think she could surprise and amaze him. Looks like she did. :^)
Phenomenal job! Thanks for writing and sharing it.
Author's Response: Yeah, I assume they joke about a lot of the old melodrama at this point. Glad it rang true for you and that you thought this sounded like them. And hooray for noticing the callbacks! Thanks much, Tammy!