“Morning Jess,” Jim said hesitantly as his assistant gave him a particularly annoyed look.
“Michael has called a record of twenty seven times this morning,” she told him in a sickly-sweet voice.
“Oh.”
“He’s also called David and Simon’s assistants, which can only mean one thing—”
Jim sighed in reply, “He’s anxious for us to see his commercial. I’ll call him back as soon as I watch it.”
“Jim,” Jess started as she followed him into his office, a large stack of papers in her hands, “this may be none of my business, but… why do you let him get away with so much?”
“Uh… I don’t… I don’t know,” Jim stammered, looking down mindlessly at his desk. He of course knew the answer to her question, but didn’t know quite how to explain it so that Jess would understand. Especially since it seemed as though Michael had gotten on her very last nerve this morning. “We just… we go way back. And sometimes, yeah, he can make terrible decisions—”
“Like when he met me for the first time in person and called me a four-eyed nematode?”
Remembering the horrifying incident, he nodded grimly and remarked, “I don’t even think he knew what a nematode was…” Jess gave an exasperated sigh, signaling to Jim that he had to justify letting Michael get away without reproach. He continued to explain, “But, I mean, there are those times when he can be really on the ball and helpful… Those times are pretty rare, but they do happen, and I guess I’m willing to put up with the stuff he does for that.”
Jess contemplated this for a moment before responding, “I don’t know whether that’s sad or sweet.”
“Might be a bit of both.”
They shared a quick laugh before Jess’ phone started ringing, and so she left Jim to his work. His first order of business: watch Michael’s sorry attempt at a commercial.
Things had been moving pretty fast after the launch of Dunder Mifflin LiveChat. The customers loved being instantly connected to their salesmen, and profits had increased across the board because of it. The company’s officers then decided that it was time to expand their base of clientele, so they put Jim in charge of developing a commercial for syndicate throughout the Northeast region. So he hired a couple of guys from an ad agency, explained that he wanted customer service to be the focus of the ad, and sent them on their way to do their creative thing.
He had forgotten that Michael, of course, would hate it.
Jim should’ve been able to foresee that Michael would throw a fit. Michael always wanted input on things like this, even though he had no real right to give input in the first place. So he acted like a child as he always did, and embarrassed Jim by going straight to David and talking about Jim behind his back. It hurt a little, Jim had to admit that, but he knew Michael hadn’t done it to hurt him. That’s just how he normally got his way. He didn’t know better, like a puppy who pees on the carpet.
And sadly, once again, by having a temper tantrum, Michael had gotten his way. And what was now sitting in Jim’s inbox was the product of the debacle: a commercial filmed, directed, and edited by Michael, and starring the Dunder Mifflin Scranton branch:
It all starts with an idea. But you can never tell where an idea will end up. Because ideas spread, they change, grow. They connect us with the world. And in a fast moving world, where good news moves at the speed of time, and bad news isn't always what it seems. Because when push comes to shove, we all deserve a second chance to score. Dunder Mifflin: limitless paper in a paperless world.
Jim sat back and watched the ad a few times, mentally comparing it with the commercial the ad guys had come up with and trying to figure out a way to let Michael down gently, and then he suddenly had a breakthrough. Filled with excitement, he stood up and rushed out of his office and down the hall to David’s, where he barely knocked before entering.
“Jim,” David greeted him and motioned for him to sit down, “I’m assuming this is about Michael’s commercial.”
“Yeah, I saw he sent it to you too,” Jim replied.
“You know, I’ve been thinking that you need to work with him on accepting your answer as the final one,” David offered constructively. “You need to get him to acknowledge that you’re his boss, and the sooner we can break him of this habit of running to me when he doesn’t like the answer you give him, the better.”
Jim nodded in agreement, suddenly very aware that he had gotten the reprimand for Michael’s stupidity. He was going to have to step up his game in getting Michael to recognize him as his boss, or else there was going to have to be some consequences.
“Because really,” David continued, “if you can reign him in even just a little, you will have impressed me. I know from watching Jan try and fail that it is not an easy task.”
“Very true,” Jim agreed, cautious to say anything else on the subject. He always felt a little uneasy whenever Jan was brought up.
“Now, about Michael’s commercial,” David leaned back in his chair and pondered his computer screen. “To be frank, there’s no way we could ever air it. It’s too long, the camerawork is sloppy, it doesn’t highlight any of the features of our company that we wanted highlighted—”
“I have an idea though,” Jim interrupted, and David gestured for him to continue. He took a deep breath, praying that he wasn’t blushing as he told him the idea, “Uh, the ending, with the animation of the papers forming our logo… I think that’s really good. And, correct me if I’m wrong, it’s useable…”
David furrowed his brows and gave a curt nod, “Yes, you’re right…”
“I think if we use the animation then it would satisfy Michael, and we would still get to have the rest of the commercial be what we want it to be.”
“I like that idea,” David responded gingerly. “But, then you have a new problem on your hands.”
“What’s that?”
“The person who did this animation works in the Scranton branch, yes?”
Jim swore his face was turning all kinds of red, “Yeah, she does…”
“Well, that’s preferential treatment. You give one branch the opportunity to contribute, you need to give all the branches the opportunity as well.”
“Oh,” was all Jim could muster. He wondered what would happen if David knew exactly how preferential this issue actually was, and that the girl who had done the animation was someone he had pined over for years. Jim had to remind himself that the animation was actually very well done, and wasn’t just suggesting the idea to David because he wanted Pam’s latest art class project featured on TV.
“But there is a way to… spin it, if you will,” David continued, leaning forward. “Since this animator doesn’t work for our company as a graphic artist specifically, we can pay him—”
“Her.”
“Her, thank you, for her labor and call the work independently contracted. That way the other branches don’t feel like they were left out, Michael is happy because part of his commercial made it to the final cut, and we still get to keep the ad the way we want it.”
Jim thought for a moment and then asked, “But what if Michael tells the other branches that he helped make the commercial?”
“Jim,” David grinned, “I know you’re still relatively new here, so I will fill you in on something: Michael has zero street cred with the other branches. No one ever believes what he says, even if what he’s saying is right.”
“That sounds… about right, actually,” Jim chuckled. “Thanks David.”
“Of course,” he nodded. “And if you can get me our animator’s information, I’ll add her on to the cost of the commercial and rework the budget so we can cut her a check.”
“I—I get to tell her we’re using her animation?” Jim asked, trying desperately to mask his exhilaration.
“Absolutely,” David smiled pleasantly. “Tell her we all say congratulations.”
Jim nodded as he made his way toward the door, struggling to hide a huge grin, “I will. Thanks again.”
“Anytime.”
Jim was practically shaking from the adrenaline coursing through his veins as he walked down the hall back to his office. He had just gotten Pam a deal for her animation to be featured in the company’s commercial. He, Jim, had made that happen. He thought to himself that he should be used to being influential by now, but something about this felt different.
If he was being honest with himself, part of him felt a little guilty. It felt like he was abusing his power by asking to use Pam’s animation in their commercial. But he quickly rationalized that notion by deeming it “networking.” He knew lots of businesses collaborated and did favors for each other like that, simply because the guys running the companies were roommates in college or poker buddies. It’s why the golf course is such a common spot to hold meetings, however informal and off the record. What Jim did, he told himself, was no different.
He knew she needed this too. Their conversation about art school had continued the next morning at Schrute Farms, over a breakfast of bacon and unpasteurized milk, and she had expressed to him that her resume was not as up to snuff as it needed to be, at least for the art schools she was considering. She had her classes on there of course, and that contest she had won a while back, but nothing more substantial than that. He knew she’d be able to list this as real work experience, and as something in the art realm too, which would definitely make her more appealing to admissions committees.
Back in his office, Jim replayed the end of the commercial over and over, trying to convince himself that his reasoning for pitching the idea to David was purely professional. That animation was top-notch, and Jim wanted it in the company’s commercial. The fact that it was Pam who had created it was simply a bonus. It was literally a win-win-win situation.
So why did he still feel so irked about it?
Because he knew as soon as he told her, the dynamics of their rocky relationship would change yet again. She would probably wonder what his motive was for doing it, if she owed him a favor in return, if it was just a tactic used to get her to like him, love him, find his power attractive… Well, truthfully, that consequence didn’t seem so bad to him either. But there was still the risk that it could make things awkward too. The friendship that they had been building back up for the past month was so fragile, he felt like this piece of news could break all their hard work to pieces.
Which was why he knew he had to be completely professional about it. He needed a third party to keep them both in check. And he knew just the third party to turn to.
“Dunder Mifflin, this—ahhhhhhheeis Pam. Excuse me,” she apologized for yawning into the phone. Jim chuckled to himself; she had obviously been up all night working on the animation, and he couldn’t help but find that adorable.
“Good morning Pam,” he replied cheerfully. “Is Michael there?”
“Oh, Jim, yes,” she answered, “he’s been waiting for your call.”
“Great. Well I actually want to speak to both of you, so could you set up in the conference room or in Michael’s office…”
“Oh. Sure thing. Um, hold please.”
Jim tapped a pen on his desk rhythmically as he waited, needing to take a couple deep breaths to prepare himself to be completely professional, and then finally was taken off hold and was greeted with a loud, “Jim Bean!!”
“Morning Michael,” he responded. “You are awfully chipper for someone who probably stayed up all night editing.”
“You wanna know my trick to staying awake?” Michael giggled. “Coffee aaand… Red Bull!! That stuff really does give you wings. Hot coffee… wings! Hot coffee wings! Now with wings.”
“Hey, is Pam there too?”
“Right here Jim,” Pam answered.
“Good, um, well… let me just get right into it. Um… David and I discussed your ad, Michael, and… overall, it is not useable. I’m sorry.”
Michael scoffed, “What! Not useable?! That is… ohh, that is bull, man—”
“Let me finish,” Jim quickly jumped in. “I said, overall it is not useable. Meaning, and here’s the details of why we can’t use it, okay?”
“Okay.”
“First, it is too long, and we would never pay for that much air time. Second, the camerawork doesn’t look at all professional; it looks like a home movie, which is not the aesthetic we’re going for. And lastly, we want our customer service to be the focus of the ad, and you have not done that in your commercial. Do you understand?”
Jim could hear Michael stifling sobs on the other end of the line. “I understand… that you, sir, are a jerk. And I am going to go to David and demand a recount!”
“David is going to say the same things I just said,” Jim explained, knowing he needed to put Michael in his place at that very moment. So he continued, “And, if you keep undermining me and going to David for every little problem that you have with me, then I’m going to be forced to take disciplinary action against you.” Jim received nothing but silence from the other end of the line, so he told him in a much more subdued tone, “And also, you didn’t even let me get to the good news before you started attacking me.”
“There’s good news?” Michael sniffled.
“Yeah,” Jim sighed. “The good news is that we can use a part of your commercial for our ad.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
“You’re not yankin’ me, right?”
“Michael, I would never, ever… yank you.”
“Well this is… this is great news!” Michael cheered. “What part are you using? Kelly in the green-screened India? No, no, wait, me in my office with the “world’s most creative boss” sign??”
“We’re going to use Pam’s animation, actually,” Jim told them proudly.
There was a short moment of silence before Pam herself spoke up, “You’re—really? You’re going to use my animation in the commercial?”
“I talked it over with David, and we both think it’s really good, and we are willing to pay you for it,” Jim said. “We just, of course, need your permission—”
“Hey Jim,” Michael interrupted. “Do I get a cut of any of this money? Because, you know, I was the one that told her to do it, it was originally in my commercial… you know.”
“Sorry Michael,” Jim shrugged, “It’s ultimately Pam’s creation, and so she’s the only one who deserves to get paid.”
Michael stammered, “But—but that’s like not paying the pimp when you spend the night with one of his hoes! You just gonna pay the hoe and not the pimp, motha—”
“Michael, that’s completely inappropriate,” Jim quickly interceded, trying to block the images Michael’s metaphor had alluded to from his mind. “And I’m not going to need you for the rest of this, so you’re free to go.”
After a long pause, Pam finally told him, “Um… we’re in Michael’s office. And he’s making that pouty, stubborn face that he usually makes when someone spoils the end of a movie for him.”
“Okay…” Jim sighed heavily. “Could you transfer me back to your line then? Or…”
“Sure,” she quickly responded. “No problem. One sec.”
He was put on hold again and rubbed his eyes as he waited, thinking to himself that breaking the news to Michael had gone better than he expected it to. At least he had made it clear that Michael couldn’t go to David for a second opinion anymore. But now Jim was going to have to deal with Pam without any buffer. This made him all the more anxious, and seriously made him reconsider putting Michael on the line, just for the sake of him being there. Who knew what they would say to each other now.
Jim laughed to himself, “Well, it’s not like you’re going to declare your love for her agai—”
“Jim, sorry to keep you waiting,” Pam picked up and immediately started speaking. It made him nervous for a split second that she had heard him talking to himself, but he decided to play it cool and act like it never happened.
“No problem,” he smiled. “Is Michael okay?”
“He’ll be fine,” Pam assured him. “So… this is for real?”
“Yep,” Jim nodded, and then felt like an idiot for nodding. She couldn’t see that through the phone. “Uh, David told me to tell you congratulations on behalf of all the Officers.”
“Wow,” Pam said. “Thanks. I… I mean, I’m still a little stunned. This is like, really legitimate stuff.”
Jim smiled proudly, “I knew you’d be able to put it on your resume. That’s like half the reason I suggested it.”
There was a long and deafening silence on Pam’s end of the phone before she stuttered, “Wait, you… you asked David to…”
“I, uh… thought it was really good, that’s all,” he said in a voice that he vaguely remembered using when he was explaining to his middle school principle why he wrote the word “shit” in one of the bathroom stalls. It was a voice full of shame, guilt, regret.
Me and my big mouth, he thought to himself. Though truthfully, he never wanted to hide anything from her; he just wondered if it created more problems for him in the end.
“W—why would you do something like that for me?” she asked softly. He could tell she was trying to keep it down so the others couldn’t hear.
“Just, um… consider it a friend helping out a friend,” he told her through clenched teeth. He was really growing to resent the word ‘friend.’ It seemed to almost mock him every time he said it, especially when it came to her. “And you can help us out by letting us use your animation. Sound good?”
“Um… yeah. That sounds good,” she responded. “It’s like networking.”
“Networking. Exactly,” Jim agreed with a huge grin, although if he could’ve, he would’ve told her, I love you so much. That’s exactly what I was thinking. I love you for thinking that too.
“So, do you need anything from me? Information, or…”
“Um,” Jim stammered. Back to business. “Well we have your contact information on file so we know where to send your check… And I think David will fax you over the necessary forms to sign later. Alright?”
“Alright,” she laughed nervously.
“Well, I better go—”
“Jim—”
“Yeah?”
“… Um, thank you.”
“Sure,” he replied. “Bye.”
“Bye.”
And just like that, she was gone. Jim set down the receiver and proceeded to lay his head on his desk, exhausted from the phone call. He stayed that way for a good five minutes before Jess knocked on his door.
“Jim, I have Dan from Buffalo on line one for you,” she told him.
“Oh. Thanks Jess,” Jim smiled meekly.
“Hope talking to Michael wasn’t that bad,” she said empathetically, and all Jim could do was shake his head in response. Michael was hardly the issue with that phone call. And that’s when, right then and there, he resolved to take control of the situation. If he could tell Michael to stop running to David with every little problem, then he could tell Pam he still had feelings for her.
And this time, he wasn’t going to wait until the last possible second to do it either. He would do it the next time he saw her, the next time they had a minute alone together.
As he chatted with Dan, he simultaneously began checking his calendar for possible times he would see her. Maybe, he thought to himself, around the holidays…
Author's Chapter Notes:
Thanks so much to everyone who is sticking with this!!
Short, after-the-fact disclaimer: If you haven't figured out already, this story is not for those who want an immediate payoff. But just because nothing has really happened between them yet doesn't give the story itself any less merit, it just may not be for those of you who want instant gratification. (Don't you love that I'm explaining this five chapters in?) But I just want to assure you guys that there will be a payoff; I just need you guys to be a little patient. In short, just focus on the journey, and not the destination. I'm trying to make the ride a fun one at least. :) Enjoy!
Short, after-the-fact disclaimer: If you haven't figured out already, this story is not for those who want an immediate payoff. But just because nothing has really happened between them yet doesn't give the story itself any less merit, it just may not be for those of you who want instant gratification. (Don't you love that I'm explaining this five chapters in?) But I just want to assure you guys that there will be a payoff; I just need you guys to be a little patient. In short, just focus on the journey, and not the destination. I'm trying to make the ride a fun one at least. :) Enjoy!
Chapter End Notes:
Remember that no garbage throwing rule from last time? Yeah, I see you with that fistful of garbage. Put that down! Be patient. Omm...
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