He’s already grinning, watching Dwight karate chop the air around their desks, before he hangs up the phone. 

“Great.  No, thank you.  I’ll send the paperwork right away. You have a great day.”

Dwight stands up, already clapping him on the back before he has time to put the phone down.  He starts humming that song, the one that he always seems to break out when they make a sale.  Jim hasn’t decided yet whether it annoys him or not.

“You conquered that sale, just as I predicted.”

“Yeah, thanks for your tips.  I never would have thought I’d make such a big sale so soon,” he adds to himself under his breath as Dwight sits back down, “by myself.”

Dwight’s already pulling out a calculator from his desk drawer, punching the buttons.

“Well, if you keep up your performance under my tutelage, young Jim, then this sale alone could count for almost a quarter of your annual commission.  Now,” he sets the calculator down, folding his hands and regarding Jim levelly, “I should let you know that I made a sale nearly twice as big within 6 weeks, rather than the 6 months it took you, but not everyone has my skill.” 

A part of Jim really, really wants to be annoyed at that moment, tell him off; but at the same time, Dwight is the top salesman and he has learned a lot from him, even had fun a few times, so he decides to just agree with him.

“Well, Dwight, I’m just glad that I get to learn from someone so talented.” 

Dwight beams.  Jim thinks to himself, there, now I can spend the afternoon in relative peace.  But then Dwight speaks again.

“We should celebrate your sale.  You’ve graduated to a new level.  You are climbing the ladder within our team. In fact, I feel like you are nearly half my equal.”

“Thanks…Laser tag again?”  The last time he went out with Dwight, he actually had fun; it felt like he was in high school again, shooting shadowy figures in a smoky space while techno music blared in the background. 

“No, better.  I want you to come to my farm, and meet my cousin.  I don’t want to tell you exactly what I have planned, but be prepared to be blown away.  And I hope you like fireworks.”  He raises his hand for a high five, and Jim thinks, maybe it’ll be fun, and meets him in the middle with a satisfying clap.  He’s about to get back to work when Dwight starts talking again.

“Jim.”

“Yeah, Dwight?”

“Question: Do you have a bow staff?”

Jim wonders what he’s gotten himself into.

* * * * *

The night is not going how Dwight had planned. Originally, he'd seen it going as thus:

One, Jim would take a tour of the farm, and would probably even offer to help, come harvest.

Two, They would stop at the archery range and shoot a few arrows, and Dwight would astound Jim with his ability to split a arrow in half with a second arrow.  Like Robin Hood.  Or, even better, Legolas.  Maybe they would talk about Lord of the Rings, for a while.  And then Dwight could show him the one ring replica he keeps around his neck. 

Three, After watching the sun set, they would get out the fireworks and set them off for hours.  And then they would watch Armageddon, because he and Mose have watched it 10 times already and it gets better every time.

He did take Jim on a tour, but Jim didn’t seem too interested, even after Dwight showed him the heap of bones that he can’t identify by the compost heap.  How could that not fascinate him?

Jim didn’t offer to come and help, come harvest.  Not even after he showed him the thresher.

Dwight figured that everything would come together at the archery field, but instead Jim cut his hand trying to shoot.  Dwight took out a pen and drew a map on Jim’s hand, wiping away the blood and showing him how to get back to the farmhouse so that Mose could take care of him. 

Because Dwight can’t leave the range without achieving at least three bullseyes to prove himself.  One could be luck, two is skill, and three is archer.  He watches Jim walk back through the fields and thinks that it’s a good thing he at least can make a sale.

When he returns, it’s already after sunset and Jim and Mose are sitting on the porch, laughing.  Jim’s hand is bandaged, and he’s holding a block of wood as Mose shows him how to whittle.

“Hey, who’s ready for some fireworks?”

Jim looks up.

“Oh, hey, Dwight.  Mose was just showing me a few things.  And telling me some interesting facts about you.  So, you don’t trust the way Jell-o moves?”

Dwight narrows his eyes at Mose, who looks away.

“I like to be able to anticipate an enemy’s movements.  Sometimes, that enemy could be in a gel form.”

Jim shrugs. “That makes sense.” He stands up.  “So, what about those fireworks?”

The fireworks make it better, a little, especially when he gets out the good ones, the ones he ordered specially from Mexico.  Jim seems to have a good time, and they talk about the office afterward, sitting and waiting for Mose to bring in the tea.

“Too bad Michael couldn’t come,” Dwight says.  He had invited him, but he had plans somewhere that he couldn’t remember where or something.  Next time, Dwight, he had said, and Dwight intends to hold him to that.

“He seems like a good boss, so far.”

“Fact: He is the best boss. We can learn a lot from him, Jim.  He has unattainable knowledge.”

“Yep.  Unattainable.  I’ve noticed that.”

 “Jim, just think, in five years we could be his number 2 and number 3.”

“Wow.”

They sit in silence, and Dwight can feel the enormity of the moment overtake him.  But then Jim stands up.

“I should go.”

“Are you sure?  Mose was going to bring out his mouth harp.  He is the best mouth harpist of the family.”

“Yeah…got work tomorrow.”

“Good sleep habits, very important.”

“As you’ve told me, Dwight.”

Jim walks out to his car in the semi-darkness.  Dwight can hear him open his door, then his voice echoing in the night.

“Hey, Dwight?”

“Yes, Jim?”

“Watch out for enemy Jell-O”

Dwight waits until he can hear the car hitting the dirt road, then calls inside for Mose.

“Mose!  Barn, now.  We’re wrestling.” 

Because Mose should know that you never show a sign of weakness, even to someone who is an ally.