Karen sighed as she readjusted her monitor for the hundredth time that day.  Jim looked up at her and grinned; Karen smiled back at him tightly but inwardly sighed once more. Same old Jim, same old office. Karen missed Stamford, she missed being close to New York, she missed being able to go shopping in Manhattan with her Mom, having lunch at the country club with her friends. She missed well everything about her old life. Now she was stuck in a job she wasn’t crazy about, a few uncultured friends, a sweet but rather predictable boyfriend miles and miles away from a decent haircut or filet mignon. 

Jhalpert: You look sad? Are you ok?

Kfil: I’m fine, I just miss New York. I don’t know if I’ll ever get used to this.

Jhalpert: what?

Kfil: This office, this town, this life

Jhalpert: I’m sorry , I know this must be hard for you. You need to make more new friends.

Karen resisted a snort, with who? The purse sales girl who lived next door? The 40 year divorce who worked at the dry cleaners? 

Kfil: I don’t think I read enough US Weekly for the Scranton crowd

Jim frowned, Karen had a tendency to be a bit of a snob sometimes and lately she had gotten a little mean spirited.  He knew that much of this spite stemmed from her loneliness, and he knew that his happiness at coming back to Scranton wasn’t helping the situation much.

Jhalpert: How about coming to Boys and Girls Club with Pam and me tonight? I know she needs help with her art class.

Karen rolled her eyes, she honestly had no idea what her fiancé found so entertaining about spending his Thursday nights coaching snotty little 7th graders in basketball.

For the millionth time since moving here she was thankful for Pam and Jim’s friendship. Pam was always there to prank Dwight with Jim or watch 30 Rock at his place or even teach at the Boys and Girls Club with him. It was as if Pam had magically appeared to relieve Karen of any obligation to join Jim in his more plebian hobbies.

At times Karen almost felt bad for the little receptionist in with her Target sweaters, payless shoes and Neanderthal fiancé. Not to mention the fact she had an embarrassingly obvious crush on Jim. Karen had brought Pam’s infatuation with him to Jim’s attention about 6 months after they branches had merged, around the time that Jim had brought in a flier from the Boys and Girls Club advertising for a volunteer Art teacher.  Jim had merely looked at her like she had two heads, “Pam? Are you kidding me? No way! We’re just friends, I mean she’s awesome and everything and maybe just maybe if I’d met her first I’d have a thing for her, but how on earth could I fall out of love with you long enough to even think about having feelings for her.” He had brought her hand up to his lips at the end of that little speech and kissed her knuckles lightly. At that moment Karen had felt that moving to Scranton was worth it just to be with him- then the restaurant’s version of New York cheesecake had arrived and Karen once again rued the idea of being stuck in the middle of nowhere Pennsylvania. 

Jhalpert: So how about it? Pam says the kids are doing paper mache tonight.

Kfil: I can’t. You know Desperate Housewives is on tonight.

Jim sighed and turned towards reception shrugging his shoulders in defeat. Pam smiled back at him as he ran his fingers through his hair and locked his hands behind his head in frustration.

Pbees: No luck eh?

Jhalpert: You don’t sound surprised.

Pam frowned, she and Jim talked about everything…well everything except their somewhat dysfunctional relationships with their significant others.

Pbees: Nah, it’s just that I tried to get Roy to come- I mean he would be great at woodshop or organizing Pee Wee Football but he just never seemed interested. I think we have to face the facts that we’re the only to B&G dorks at the office.

Jhalpert: Speak for yourself; there is nothing even remotely dorky about me.

Pbees: Oh Jim I know you just did not. I’ve known you since we were in diapers! Do I need to mention the Mickey Mouse Club.

Jhalpert: For the love of God Pam you win. Bringing up the MMC is low, even for you.

Pbees: I think my mom still has an old tape of you singing the intro song…

Jhapert: Pamela Louise Beesly if Karen so much hears the word Mouse fall from your lips I’ll have your mom dig up your old Tiger Beat Scrapbook so fast that

Pbees: Ok Ok Ceasefire! Fine. You’re really ethically challenged you know Mr. James Michael Halpert. 

Jhalpert: Do not mess with me Pam, you cannot win.

Pbees: I bow down before greatness. Ugh! I cannot wait for Friday! I’m so so so pumped to see Stranger Than Fiction.

Jhalpert: About that.

Pbees: Do not do this to me Halpert, I turned down seeing it last weekend…TWICE because you BEGGED me to see it with you.

Jhalpert: It’s just that Karen wants to go to the movies too and she refuses to watch a Will Farrell movie.

Pbees: I know you did not just imply that there was something wrong with Will Farrell movies.

Jhalpert: I'm in a glass case of emotion!  

Pbees: You have broken my heart, Mr. Burgundy. You have broken my heart. 

Jhalpert: Touche Pam. I mean really, Bravo 

Pbees: I can’t believe we are not watching Stranger that Fiction movie tomorrow.

Jhalpert: come on, I’m sorry Ok. She’s just been really depressed lately and I want to cheer her up. 

Pbees: Well, now you’ve made me feel like bad too. I hope you’re happy.  

Jim stifled a laugh as he glanced up towards the front desk at her little pouting face. 

Jhalpert: Why don’t you try to convince Roy to come too and we’ll watch some action flick that will properly impress our comedically challenged better halves. 

Pbees: Fine. But you owe me a box of Milk Duds. And not half a box of Milk Duds, aka, you eating half of mine before the previews even start. 

Jhalpert: You never finish yours! 

Pbees: Has it ever occurred to you Mr. Smartypants that I might be saving them. 

Jhalpert: It’s almost lunch I’ll meet you in the breakroom. 

Pbees: My mom sent me some of her chocolate chip oatmeal cookies 

Jhalpert: I will not be happy if the end of that sentence involves said cookies being left at home/being already eaten by Roy/in any way inaccessible to me 

Pbees: sheesh! I brought some extras for you. They’re not THAT good. 

Jhalpert: Say what you will Pam but I’m still entirely convinced that your mom puts crack in those things.