June-August, 2006
June:
I spent the first month of my summer vacation in Portland. Not a whole lot happened there, I think some senator lady had a meth lab, and got busted. I mostly spent my days going to Barnes and Noble. So in the month of June, I read Slaughterhouse-Five, and the first three Harry Potter books. I guess Dwight did rub off on me, but I’m not gonna lie, Harry Potter is a badass. Random thought, how are wizards in the Harry Potter universe not fat? They keep summoning things with their wands, and making objects fly; you would think that they would just sit on their couch all day and summon food. Oh how boredom makes you think about crazy things. I guess the good thing about going to my parents’ house was my mom’s cooking. After living off Top Ramen and ham and cheese sandwiches for ten months, Mom’s cooking sure does hit the spot.
During my month in Oregon, Katy called me about seven times a day. Did I miss her? Yeah…but did I miss her for the right reasons? To answer that question without making me sound like an ass, I’m going to have to say not really. I mean, I’m a guy…I may be different and more sensitive than a lot of other guys, but I’m still a guy. So in short, I missed Katy for the sex. I’m sorry universe; I’m not a perfect person. But in my defense, Katy would talk about shoes and skirts for hours upon hours…how many shoes and skirts does a girl really need? Then she would end every phone call with an “I love you” to which I reply “Okay…talk to you later.”
*****
July:
I think the worst thing about growing up is change. During my first week of Scranton, I realized just how many things have changed. For example, my brother Tom, who used to be a beer guzzling ex-frat guy, was now a balding father. My friends, who used to be content on just going over to the park to play some pickup basketball or football games, were now borderline alcoholics. As for me, I used to be the guy that would easily make friends (not to brag or anything), but now, I’m the guy who spent the majority of his freshman year of college with a girlfriend that I knew I didn’t have strong feelings for.
I know I like Katy, but I don’t think I like her like her. She was nice, easy to get along with, and she was pretty, but the problem with her was that she was clingy. Also, she was boring. I’m not trying to be mean; I’m just trying to be honest. There’s nothing more frustrating than trying to open up to someone who really doesn’t get you. I mean, I’ll try to tell Katy something, but then she’d interrupt me by doing other things. I guess, and please excuse my French; I was the bitch in the relationship.
I found myself hanging out with Michael a lot more lately. He and Holly had moved in together sometime around November of last year. Michael started working at some place called Dunder Mifflin as a paper salesman. But hanging out with Michael was actually pretty nice. I guess after spending nine months with Dwight, nearly everyone seems normal in comparison.
One night, while I was watching Monty Python and the Holy Grail in Tom’s guestroom, I received a phone call…
“Hello?”
“Well, if it isn’t Mr. Too Cool to call Pam,” Pam teased. “I heard you’ve been in Scranton for over a week, and you didn’t even call me?”
“Oh…uh…I really don’t have an excuse…I guess I’m agoraphobic,” I smiled.
“So does that mean that if we hang out, you’re going to have an anxiety attack?”
“I can make an exception for you, I guess…”
“Good, because I really want to see you!”
Was I smiling? Why, yes I was…how could I not?
“Right…so uh…what do you want to do?” I asked.
“I have this craving for some waffles. Do you want to go to the Glider Diner?”
“Sure…”
“Can you pick me up?” Pam asked sweetly.
“Yeah…um…I need directions…”
Pam gave me the directions to her house, and I bolted out of Tom’s house as fast as I could. I left my car here, since Colorado was so far away, and Tom was nice enough to not sell it. I popped in Neutral Milk Hotel’s “In the Aeroplane Over the Sea” album, and I made a beeline over to Pam’s house. I took a deep breath, and walked up to her porch. Before I could even knock on the front door, it swung open, and Pam was beaming up at me.
“Oh my god, it’s really you!” she squealed, hugging me tightly. “Wow…it feels like it’s been a million years since I saw you…”
“I know, right?” I smiled. I stared down at Pam, who was still beaming up at me, and she was so beautiful. Her hair was straightened, and tied back in a pony tail. “Wow, you look…great…”
“Thanks…” Pam smiled, blushing.
“So…waffles?”
“Yeah.”
I led Pam to my car, and opened the car door for her. We drove towards the diner in silence. Occasionally, we’d glance over at each other and exchange awkward smiles, but so far, nothing was said.
“This is weird,” Pam finally said. I glanced over at her, and she added, “No, not like hanging out or whatever…I mean, just this awkward silence. We talk on the phone for hours, you know?”
“Yeah,” I chuckled. “I don’t know…I guess I’m just more used to talking to you when you’re like a million miles away.”
“Then make it un-weird,” Pam said.
“Uh…okay…so…how are things with Roy?”
“Okay, I guess. Not great, but not bad…how about you and Katy? Have you guys hung out over the summer?”
“Things with Katy are all right…not great, but not bad either…and no, we haven’t hung out. She wants to come visit, but…I don’t know,” I shrugged.
“You just want a break?”
“Yeah…I guess you could say that.”
“No, I totally get what you mean. I mean, Roy’s working construction with his uncle in Philly, and he’s been gone for about a week. It’s kind of nice, you know?” Pam grinned. “Don’t get me wrong, he’s a good guy, but sometimes you need a break…”
“For sure,” I agreed.
I pulled up in the parking lot at the Glider Diner, and ran around the car to get Pam’s door.
“Well, aren’t you a gentleman?” Pam teased. I pretended to slam the door as she was getting out. We shared some laughs…
Pam ordered blueberry waffles, scrambled eggs, and some bacon. I watched as she ate; the girl really did love waffles.
“All right, desert island movies…five movies you’d bring if you were stranded on a desert. Go!” Pam said, once she had finished her waffles.
“The Shining, Dazed and Confused, Say Anything, Annie Hall…”
“Wow, you’re an old soul, sir,” Pam interrupted, laughing.
“All right, what about you, Beesly? You think you’re better than me?” I teased.
“Chyea…but Dazed in Confused is on mine too, Edward Scissorhands, Fargo, Breakfast Club, The Princess Bride…”
“That’s five…”
“But I need to tell you my all time favorite movie!”
“Play by the rules, woman,” I laughed. “And you’re calling me an old soul? All of your movies are from the eighty’s…”
“Edward Scissorhands isn’t…”
“Touche,” I chuckled.
“What kind of movies is Katy into?” Pam asked.
“Oh god…Legally Blonde, Bring it on…stuff like that,” I replied. Pam laughed. “It’s not funny…she made me watch Legally Blonde about thirty times…”
“Well, if it makes you feel any better, Roy really loves football movies. The only time I’ve ever seen him cry was when we watched Friday Night Lights.”
“Oh wow…well, in his defense, the end was pretty hardcore,” I laughed. “I can see why he cried, he’s a football player…”
“Yeah, but it’s a movie…”
“So you’ve never cried while watching a movie?” I asked. Pam shrugged.
“Maybe…” she looked over at me, and I raised an eyebrow and smiled. “Fine! I cried during The Notebook.”
“Oh my god, you are so lame,” I laughed.
“You’re dead,” Pam said, reaching over and pinching my arm.
“Whoa there, killer, that really hurt…ow…” I complained, rubbing my arm. “Jeez…what a jerk…”
“Suck it, Halpert!” Pam smiled. “Be a man!”
*****
August:
For the next three weeks, Pam and I saw each other everyday. There wasn’t really much to do, so we usually sat at a park prank calling Dwight, and just talk about random things. I loved talking to Pam. We can talk about nearly everything. One minute, we’d be talking about food (we were food soul mates), the next, we’d be talking about our relationships. Pam would tell me how she used to have the biggest crush on Roy, but after a couple of months of dating him, she realized that he wasn’t what she had expected.
“Then why are you with him?” I asked.
“I don’t know…it’s just comfortable, I guess,” Pam sighed. “Why are you with Katy? It sounds like you and her have nothing in common…”
“Same reason that you’re with Roy…it’s just comfortable. I’m content, I guess,” I replied. “Plus…I met her right when first term started. I was lonely, and she was there, you know?”
“I guess, but I think you deserve to be happy,” Pam shrugged.
“Well, so do you…” I said.
The next day, after weeks of calling, I finally decided that Katy should come to visit. Pam went with me to the airport to pick up Katy. When we got there, I saw Katy coming down an escalator towards the baggage claim. Since I’m so tall, she spotted me easily, and she bolted towards me faster than the speed of light. The breath was knocked out of me when Katy jumped up to give me a hug. She began to kiss every inch of my face, repeating “I missed you!” after each kiss. From the corner of my eye, I saw Pam biting her bottom lip, fighting to hold her laughter in.
“Hey, Katy, this is my friend Pam,” I said, when Katy finally released me.
“Hey, Pam, Jim’s told me so much about you!” Katy said, hugging Pam. “I bet you and me will be total BFF’s!”
“Yeah, totally,” Pam said, rolling her eyes.
“So what do you guys want to do?” Katy asked, clapping her hands together. I grabbed her bag, and we began to walk to my car.
“Well…we have to go to the train station to pick up Pam’s boyfriend, Roy, and then we’ll go over to my friend Michael’s place…he’s throwing a little shindig tonight,” I told Katy, putting her bags in the trunk. Jesus, she’s only staying for three days, did she really need to pack half of Asia?
“Oooh!” Katy squealed. “I hope there’s booze, I haven’t drank since that one time…remember?”
“Oh yeah, when you puked all over my bed sheets?” I asked. Pam was trying to stifle her laughter.
“Shut up! You’re such a jerk!” Katy smiled, hitting my arm. She turned to Pam, “Was Jim always such a jerk?”
“Oh yeah,” Pam said.
“No, I’m not,” I said, opening the doors for Pam and Katy.
We then drove to the train station to pick up Roy. I bought the girls some coffee from Starbucks, and we waited for about an hour for Roy. I’ve never met the dude, but I’ve seen his pictures on Pam’s Myspace. He was a big beefy guy, and I was pretty sure that if he wanted, he could tear me in half in about a second. But I don’t think he’d have a reason to tear me in half unless he had a mind reading device. God, I spent way too much time with Dwight…
Pam patiently listened as Katy went on about the different purse styles that were coming out this summer, and I saw Roy walking into the station.
“Pam, Roy’s here,” I called, pointing. Pam got up, and I could have sworn she had forced a smile on her face, as Roy walked towards her and gave her a kiss. I looked away, immediately becoming interested in the trashcan across the station. I felt a weird impulse to punch Roy, but I fought it. I always saw myself as more of a lover than a fighter anyway…am I right, ladies?
“This is Jim and his girlfriend Katy,” Pam finally said, once Roy got his big beefy arms off of her.
“Hey guys,” Roy said, shaking Katy’s hand. He shook my hand, and said, “So you’re the famous Jim Halpert, eh? Want to arm wrestle?”
“Nah, I’m good, man,” I replied. What do you say to that?
“I really appreciate you picking me up, man,” Roy said. “And I also appreciate you talking to Pam…sometimes she’d call me at night, and she’d be all blah blah blah, and I’m like what the fuck are you saying, you know?”
“Yeah, I like talking to her too…”
We got to Michael and Holly’s apartment after about a thirty minute drive consisting of Roy asking me to arm wrestle, and Katy giving Pam tips about applying more make up. Personally, I was hoping that Michael had bought a lot of hard alcohol for tonight, and once we stepped into the apartment, my prayers were answered. Michael had bought couple of cases of beer, some vodka, tequila, and 151.
“All right, Scott! That’s a lot of booze!” Roy cried, giving Michael a high five. “We’re gonna arm wrestle right after I take this shot!”
“Okay…” Michael said, handing Roy a handle of vodka. He walked over to me and said, “God, what is with that guy and arm wrestling? Did he ask you too?”
Before I could answer, Roy handed me a shot glass.
“Drink up, Halpert!” Roy yelled, throwing back his shooter. I glanced over at Pam, and gave her my signature half smile, and took the shot.
“Oh, Michael, Holly, this is Katy,” I said. Katy beamed up at them.
“Oh em gee! You too are so cute!” Katy said, giving them both hugs. Holly had a confused expression on her face, so I just shrugged. Pam was fixing herself a margarita, and Roy kept tapping my shoulder for me to take another shot.
Roy seemed determined to get me drunk, and I don’t want to brag, but I’ve been in Colorado for the last nine months or so at the number one party school. Colorado had a higher altitude, so the alcohol didn’t affect me much. Roy would slur about how awesome I was, and how impressed he was that I could hold my liquor. Katy, on the other hand was pretty drunk. After Roy and I took our seventh shot, I was feeling pretty tipsy, and Roy’s face was bright red, and he couldn’t seem to focus. Katy plopped down next to me, and began to talk to Roy about their high school glory years. Pam, Holly, and Michael were sitting on the couch talking and laughing. While Roy and Katy were talking, I went out to Michael’s balcony to have a smoke. I wouldn’t say that I was addicted to cigarettes; I realized that I only smoked when Katy was around. Maybe that was a sign…
“Since when did you start smoking?” a voice asked from behind me. I turned around, and I saw Pam smiling at me, holding a beer.
“After I turned eighteen, it’s a bad habit,” I replied, taking in a drag. “You know, in Colorado, you could literally see every single star…”
I pointed to the sky, and the stars here were barely visible.
“And sometimes,” I continued. “I’d want to take Katy out just to go look out at the stars, but she never wants to do that…she always wants to be doing something…she can’t stay in one spot for too long.”
Okay, maybe I was drunk. Pam looked up at the sky, and smiled at me. God, that smile was so beautiful…
“I wish Roy would think to do those kind of things with me,” Pam sighed. “It’s weird…him being back…”
“It’s weird with Katy being here,” I said, nodding towards a drunken Katy and Roy who were singing ‘Hot in Here’ by Nelly. Pam laughed.
“She’s really nice though,” Pam said.
“She really is…she kind of reminds me of a golden retriever…she likes everyone,” I laughed. “That was mean, wasn’t it?”
“Yeah…” Pam agreed, but she laughed anyway. “You know…sometimes…I wonder why I’m with Roy…”
She was looking up at me as if she were expecting me to do something. What do I do? Do I kiss her? Lord knows, that’s what I really want to do right now, but it would be inappropriate. Katy was sitting right inside, and so was Roy…but this was an opening. It has to be. Before I could do anything, Pam shivered.
“It’s getting cold,” she said, “I’ll see you inside, yeah?”
“Yeah,” I said, as I watched Pam walk back inside. I sighed, and I pulled out another cigarette from my pocket.
“Hey, Jim,” Michael said, walking out. He pointed to my cigarette, “Don’t start any fires, big fella!”
I gave a half-hearted chuckle. Michael walked over, and leaned on the balcony rails with me.
“So Katy’s pretty cute,” he said.
“I guess,” I sighed. I felt Michael staring at me, so I had to ask him, “Hey, you and Holly are good, right?”
“Yeah,” Michael said. “Why?”
“I don’t know…I see you guys, and you’re always happy.”
“Well, I love her, and I know that she loves me,” Michael said, peering into the house, and smiling as he watched Holly laughing with Pam. “Did you know that last year, I was accepted at Chestnut Hill over in Philly for winter term?”
“No,” I replied.
“I did. I was getting tired of doing nothing but working at Staples,” Michael said. “And you were going to leave, so I figured, I should start over too. I mean, I was twenty-three years old, and my best friend was a seventeen year old kid…how sad is that? But then, I met Holly. She became my best friend, and I didn’t want to leave her. So I did the next best thing, I got a better job at Dunder Mifflin. Sure, if I went to Chestnut Hill, then I could probably have a better job, but I didn’t want to leave Holly. She just got me, you know?”
“Yeah,” I said. “But you guys moved really fast…”
“What’s the point of waiting? We both really liked each other, and we’re into the same things…”
“Do you regret not leaving?” I asked. Michael shook his head.
“No I don’t. You know how back when I was with Jan, she’d always try to change me?”
“Yeah,” I answered, tossing my cigarette off of the balcony.
“When I’m with Holly, I want to change into a better person. She doesn’t force me, but she makes me want to,” Michael said, still smiling as he watched Holly. “And she makes me happy, and in the end, that’s all that matters, right?”
“Yeah,” I replied, totally agreeing with Michael, which never happens by the way.
“So is this about Pam?” Michael asked, grinning up at me.
“What? No, I’m with Katy,” I laughed.
“Whatever, Holly keeps talking about the way you look at Pam,” Michael said. “Girls have a radar, they can see when other guys like a girl…”
“No, I don’t like Pam…we’re just friends,” I insisted, but then I blurted out, “I love her…”
“Then why don’t you move back here, and go to the university?” Michael asked.
“She’s with Roy…”
“So? Big fucking deal…if you do love her, then don’t give up,” Michael said. “Never ever ever give up…and quit smoking cigarettes.”
I nodded, and I shoved my cigarettes back into my pocket. I knew what I had to do…
Author's Chapter Notes:
Jim's back in Scranton for the summer...
Chapter End Notes:
I'll try to update as soon as possible! Thank you for everyone that left me reviews! Let me know how you feel about this chapter! Thanks!
