As if Jim’s hair wasn’t enough of an indicator, Michael’s statement as he drove to work said it all, “Jim is back.” From his rolled up sleeves, crooked ties, and wide smile, it appears as though the Jim of long ago has returned. At least on the outside. It remains to be seen if he is the same old Jim on the inside. To the delight of JAM fans, Jim and Pam finally crossed that line past friendship into something “more than that.” Jim appears to be embracing his new status with Pam with the giddy demeanor of a teenager. He’s now living out his long held fantasies of being with her and he’s ecstatic. His joy sparkles in his eyes and plays across his smile. Jim hasn’t smiled this wide and often since Season 2.

The euphoric status of JAM is effectively creating a bubble (it’s baaaack) that encapsulates Jim and Pam into a safe place to fall in love all over again. There’s no doubt the Jim loves Pam and Pam loves Jim, but they have to fall back in love. There’s been a year of distance and change between them. Jim needs time to adjust to FNB and re-navigate himself. Pam figured out how to make herself happy, but Jim has yet to accomplish this feat. He tried to do it last year and failed miserably. Jim needs to truly find what makes him happy and add Pam to the scenario rather than making her the whole scenario. At the moment, Pam has effectively become his escape. 

This little escape isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as she may help him find more self-awareness. After a year of trying to change he needs to rediscover himself and how he relates to Pam. The bubble also gives Jim a place to just be with Pam and let his fears relax. Jim has always had issues with emotional honesty, especially last season as a result of the fear paradox. He may be allowing himself to gush all over Pam, but he has yet to release the same deep emotions that overwhelmed him in CN. This will take time, but it will happen. As of right now, he isn’t capable of expressing emotional honesty on that level. Until he can, the bubble is a nice escape, or cushion on which to build a strong foundation of emotional trust. He needs the bubble, and therefore takes the lead in maintaining the safe zone.

Both Jim and Pam have only admitted to dating, which is effectively the gray area in between friends and a committed relationship. It’s tough to ascertain just how serious Jim and Pam are in their relationship, but it’s pretty safe to say they aren’t jumping the gun. The bubble zone a wonderful place for Jim to rediscover his ability to love Pam without the fear of getting hurt. He’s not staring at her from a distance wondering what it would be like to be with her. Instead he’s exploring the possibilities with experience. Jim has loved Pam since day one, and now he has an unexpected chance to make it happen with her. He’s not going to blow it by moving too fast, hence the bubble. It slows both of them down enough to truly explore how emotions and communication need to function for their relationship to last

At Pam’s Desk:

Season 4’s first view of Jim finds him in a very familiar place: Leaning on Pam’s desk. It’s a beautiful sign that Jim is through trying to be something he’s not. In another return to normalcy, Pam is by his side. He watches with her as the IT guy tries to fix Pam’s computer, following an incident with a downloaded sex tape. He is relaxed and comfortable in both his body language and appearance. Jim is close to Pam, without a single hesitation of having his arm so close to hers. In fact, he is slightly leaning towards Pam. His shag is back on his head while his sleeves have migrated from his wrists back up to his forearms. His patented crooked smile is back and full of life. Jim is back.

He appears bored yet content to have Pam near him as the IT guy explains it’s not a good idea to click on unsolicited material on the internet. Jim is shocked to learn that Pam downloaded a celebrity sex tape. His eyes grow wide in disbelief, but his also completely amused by her error. Pam is full of surprises and he loves the ride. He’s getting to know her all over again as FNB is an entirely new person. He proceeds to tease her about it lightly, “Really, what kind of celebrity.” To his delight she plays along, “Not relevant.” He pushes it further by asking how much she paid for it and was again surprised at her repeat response, “Not relevant.” Her smile causes Jim to poke fun at her one more time and at a higher level, “You paid for it!” His tone is one of disbelief, but it also carries a touch of sarcasm. Pam is fun to tease, especially since she has found the ability to laugh at herself. His face lights up even more after she smiles widely and says, “It all happened so fast.” He looks away and smiles at both the humor of the situation and Pam. She makes him laugh like no other.

Talking Head:

Jim is pretty candid in describing his break up with Karen. In a very matter of fact tone he says, “I broke up with Karen after the job interview.” As suspected on the JPS3, he ended things with Karen after realizing he belongs in Scranton with Pam. He appears to harbor no regrets for breaking it off, as he knows it was the only option for him. He goes on to say, “And uh, it was a little awkward when she came back from the city.” He lets out a nervous laugh halfway through his statement as a way of acknowledging his mistake of dating her in the first place. The awkwardness of the situation as a whole makes Jim very uncomfortable but he can still find some humor in the mess he made for himself. All he can do at this point is chuckle at himself and move on. It’s a difficult topic for him to address, which causes him to lose eye contact with the camera several times. He doesn’t like talking about Karen and that phase of his life. Last year was a mess of confusion for him and he’d rather just leave in the past.

The scene shifts to a flashback of Jim and Karen in the break room with her giving him the business end of a major rant. Jim’s own words help to convey his reaction to her rant, “She told me, very clearly, just because we were broken up didn't mean she was going anywhere, because she worked really hard for her career. But the next day her desk was empty . . . ” Jim doesn’t feel bad or sorry for breaking up with her, but he does harbor some guilt for hurting her. His nervous laugh returns to denote this guilt and acknowledge his mistake. Back in the break room, Jim barely says anything in response, as Karen lets him have it. He’s not going to try and defend himself as he knows he shouldn’t have let the relationship go so far when his heart belonged to someone else. It’s her right to be angry and he’s not going to take that away from her. He breaths a deep breath and just takes it as there’s nothing he can say or do to make it better. There is a sense of relief that Karen left, but Jim can’t help but feel bad for being the cause of her shifting her life yet again.

The camera returns to Jim’s face as he begins to discuss his current status, “and as for me and my current romantic life . . .” His tone immediately changes from discomfort to upbeat. His eyes lift and literally begin to sparkle as a smile refuses to stay hidden. Just from these cues alone, it’s obvious his romantic life isn’t as stagnant as he proclaims. His smile is bright and alive; the man is happier than he’s been in ages. However, he’s intent on keeping the details of his new relationship with Pam a secret. It’s rather obvious that his little speech was prepared ahead of time, especially the last two sentences. He continues the charade, “ I uh... I'm single now and looking . . .” His eyes look down and his smile slowly morphs into a small grin before he speaks. His thoughts are drifting towards Pam. For just a moment he lets himself feel the dream of being with her, even though he’s in the midst of covering it up. He recovers quickly and does his best to throw a shroud around his relationship status. To throw the camera crew off the scent he caps his talking head with, “So if you know anybody.” He can barely keep a straight face, as a tiny grin tries to escape. There is mischief gleaming from his eyes. The game of keeping the relationship a secret is in full swing.

For Jim it’s about protecting his privacy, but it’s also the equivalent of a prank. He throws in a shrug and an awww shucks grin for good measure to make his claim believable. He looks away from the camera knowing he’ll crack if he makes too much eye contact. By then end of his talking head, his full prank face is in play, almost daring the cameras to catch him. His eyes squinted ever so slightly with one eyebrow raised. It’s the classic Jim Halpert prank face. His prank may be a fun way to deal with keeping his love life a secret, but it’s also about preserving the bubble with Pam. He just wants to be with her right now, without anyone interfering. The motivation keep it a secret may be serious for him, but that doesn’t mean he can’t have a little fun!

Weekend Plans:

The bulk of this conversation is analyzed on the PDS4, so feel free to visit for background!

In essence, this scene is meant to throw the rest of the office of the scent of their bourgeoning relationship. They most likely have plans together for the weekend, but they don’t want anyone suspicions arising about their relationship. Jim’s voice is flippant as he runs through his fake plans to mountain bike on Montage Mountain. It’s all part of the game for him and he’s having fun outsmarting his co-workers. As if his new relationship isn’t exciting enough, he gets the added bonus of the excitement associated with secrecy. It only adds to the pleasure of finally being with Pam.

Break Room #1 - Carpool Plans:

As Pam takes charge in the break room of carpooling plans, Jim backs her up by offering to take three people (which is weird considering she drove him home later that day, but I digress). FNB was in full swing as she planned times and card-signing strategy for group visits to see Meredith in the hospital. Jim couldn’t help but notice FNB, especially as Pam put up a fight when Michael challenged her plans. He watched her slightly puzzled during her strong stance with Michael. She stood up for herself three times. That’s not the Pam he knows and he’s not sure what to make of it. It’s a side of Pam he’s never really seen before and it’s a little jarring. He doesn’t smile at seeing this change, he simply attempts to process what he just saw. Interestingly, he didn’t jump in to back her up in this instance. He can see she can take care of herself, which is another aspect of FNB that is very different from Old Pam. He realizes he has a lot of catching up to do when it comes to knowing Pam.

Conference Room #1 - Religion:

Jim is beyond bored as Michael leads a meeting attempting to eradicate a curse upon the office and discuss religion. He and Pam are sitting on opposite ends of the table as a likely attempt to appear as if nothing is going on between them. After having enough of Michael’s aimless ramblings, Jim take advantage of Michael’s sacrificial animal speech by offering to do some research. He’s creating an escape for not only himself, but also Pam. He tosses her a quick glance to tell her he had a plan, in a beautiful example of non-verbal communication. She picks up on it immediately and follows him out of the conference room and into the bubble with him.

This scene was a great example of non-verbal communication but it is also dripping in symbolism. Jim’s actions in this scene are highly representative of his role in the concept of the bubble and the overall tactic to keep the relationship a secret. The bubble is an escape from everything that distracts from the euphoria currently enveloping both Jim and Pam. Michael’s droning is representative of some of the deeper issues that Jim and Pam have shelved in order to preserve the bubble. Jim is the one who leads the way towards escape. Jim is the leader when it comes to the bubble, while Pam takes the lead with the relationship (see Conference Room #2). It makes total sense that he would take the lead, considering he is an expert at constructing facades and creating escapes. His previous behavior pattern from Season 3 backs this up (see JPS3 Summative Analysis).

Luckily, Jim’s concept of façade has switched from trying to fool himself to fooling everybody else. His need for the bubble is rooted in the fear paradox as Jim still needs to find his way toward complete emotional honesty and work past his fears of getting hurt. He may be willing to wrap himself in a relationship with Pam, but his deep rooted fears are still in play. The bubble lets him put those fears to rest in order to spend time with Pam and build a strong foundation for their relationship. Eventually, the bubble is going to burst (meaning the euphoria will wear off) and those fears will come to the surface again if Jim doesn’t feel safe enough to give away his heart. Jim is the one who will ensure they take their time in the bubble.

Kissing Pam:

The continued game of keeping things secret plays out as Jim jumps into Pam’s car after an undoubtedly well crafted plan to pick him up down the street from the office. He hurriedly gets into the car to avoid being seen, but to also take his place next to Pam. His face radiates with huge dorky grin. He is totally smitten with her and he can’t hide it from showing on his face. In all three seasons, Jim hasn’t had a smile that shines anywhere close to the one he wears in Pam’s car. It’s as if he hasn’t seen her all day. After getting settled, he anxiously reaches to kiss Pam. His mind was likely on this moment all day. The kiss itself is expected on both ends and familiar, yet Jim retains a sense of wonder. He is careful to live in the moment even if it’s only a few seconds. The kiss is extremely tender despite being so quick. His hand reaches up to lightly touch her face as if he’s afraid she’s too good to be real. It’s still not completely real to him and he almost has to reassure himself.

Jim is enamored by the idea of his relationship. He’s finally getting to do the little things with her he’s always wanted to do. That little kiss means the world to him. Jim is literally living his long held fantasies on a daily basis. The ability to kiss her or touch her face is something he dreamed about as his eyes wandered towards her desk for 3 years. This elevates Jim’s euphoria tenfold on top of the usual new relationship giddiness that surrounds most couples. The bubble is what lets Jim live in his fantasy without his fears. The moment he shut the door to Pam’s car he was safely stowed in the bubble where only he and Pam exist. Emotional honesty is a big hurdle for Jim, (and always has been). Right now he’s taking some of his emotions out for a test spin as he explores a relationship with Pam. The bubble lets him do that with a safety net. He’s not capable of giving his heart away quite yet, but he is letting Pam begin to see it.

As Pam drives off, Jim’s face is plastered with another smile. Only this smile is geared towards the game of secrecy. His face full of mischief as he looks like a mouse who got the cheese out of the trap. Jim is beyond proud of himself for pulling a fast one on the camera crew and another day of fooling their co-workers. He loves it that it’s their little secret. It’s all the more evidence that he is the instigator of the game.

Another interesting facet of this scene is the fact that Pam is driving. She is the lead in the relationship and she is the one driving him “home.” This is a nice bit of symbolic extenstion considering Pam is the one who got Jim to come home in The Job. This may be a bit of foreshadowing in that Pam will help Jim find more self awareness throughout Season 4, so he can truly come home on both the outside and the inside.

Break Room #2 - Race Strategy:

Jim sits with Pam in the break and asks her about her race strategy for the fun run. His body language is again opened and relaxed as he enjoys his time with Pam. Stanley may have been in the room, but Jim is only with Pam. She jokes around that she is going to, “Well I'm gonna start fast . . . Then I'm gonna run fast in the middle.” Jim goes along with the playful banter, clearly amused with Pam’s answer, “What?” he responds with a sarcastically surprised tone. Pam keeps the joke going by saying, “Then I'm gonna end fast.” Jim continues to be amused and asks Pam playfully, “Why don’t more people do that?,” as he smiles at her clearly enjoying their little joke. However, he is pulled from his little world, when the camera creeps closer to the table. He is a little freaked out by the camera’s domineering presence. He feels the invasion of the bubble and doesn’t like it. 

However, he doesn’t suspect the secret is out as he has way too much confidence in his ability to play the game. He’s never really been caught in any of his pranks, so he‘s not worried at this point. Realizing the camera isn’t going to go away he tries to nonchalantly ask, “What?” He is still playing the game the same way he did in his earlier talking head as a means to protect the bubble and the secret.

Conference Room - Caught:

Jim’s eyes remain locked on the television screen after the video evidence of his relationship with Pam is played. His mouth hangs open in disbelief only to open wider as he briefly turns his attention to the camera. The bubble has temporarily popped as Jim feels the invasion of the camera crew. Part of him is shocked they found out, but he’s also floored that they outsmarted him. He’s never been caught in the midst of a prank (or an equivalent of a prank). He thought he’d done a better job keeping a lid on his relationship and they caught him red-handed. He averts eyes quickly as he fumbles for an answer, “Oh, ah... No that's not... I mean that wasn't, ah…” He’s totally flustered as he’s trying to somehow rebuild the bubble. It’s disconcerting for him to have the camera crew in the safe zone with himself and Pam. His eyes return to the television as he fully takes in what the camera caught. He briefly looks to Pam to help him refute the evidence, but she offers little help since she is just lost as he is.

Jim tries to cover their tracks again but he can‘t put together a solid explanation, “I mean I can see how it would seem a bit like we uh... How it looks like um…” His words are again scattered and thoughts are incomplete as he scrambles for an excuse. The words he doesn’t speak actually help to clarify some of Jim’s thoughts. Jim isn’t able to complete his statements because he isn’t sure how to define the relationship. Each time he trails of or pauses, it's at a point where he’d have to insert an indicator of relationship status. He hasn’t really thought about where he and Pam stand from an official standpoint. In actuality, it’s something he can’t or even won’t do in order to maintain the bubble. This is symbolic of his inability to take the lead in the relationship. 

Just as Pam drove him home the day before, she is in the driver’s seat in the relationship until he finds his bearings. He takes a long pause after he says, “How it looks like um . . . “ He is thinking long and hard about what he sees on the television screen. Everything between him and Pam is suddenly very real, (and visible) and he wants to protect the bubble even more. He doesn’t want the camera crew to horn in on his alone time with Pam. He needs this time to figure out his feelings without the camera’s watching. Admitting the true nature of the relationship should be an easy task, but for Jim it’s not. Defining the relationship means he has to let go of some of his fears, regarding his emotions. It’ll force him to emerge from the euphoria and deal with emotional honesty. He’s still a little skittish about expressing his emotions, so avoiding a definition is quite natural for him.

In the bubble, Jim has a found a place to let some of his feelings roam, but he’s careful about which emotions he releases. Right now, he’s letting his “crush” manifest, but the deep emotions he let out on CN are still being held back until he feels safe enough to express them. As a result Jim turns his attention to finding a way to keep the bubble intact by offering his best attempt at hiding the truth, “I mean nowadays you can edit anything, right? I mean you can edit anything to look like um... Anything” Halfway through his explanation he feels like an idiot. He knows how ridiculous it sounds as it leaves his lips. He looks at Pam to non-verbally beg her to jump in at any time and help him out. He’s drowning here and needs Pam’s help. She obliges but falls short, “Yeah, I gave him a ride home because. . . “ He looks at her expectantly, hoping she can save the sinking ship. He backs her up with a hopeful, “Right.” He keeps his eyes on her as she pauses still hopeful she’ll come up with something.

To his utter shock she blurts, “We’re dating.” He is absolutely floored by her spilling the truth, but also at the fact that she defined their relationship. He didn’t expect her to drop the ball and it takes him a moment to fully register her statement. On top of that, FNB continues to surprise him. She pulled the rug out from under him and he never saw it coming. He looks away from her and almost tries to shake some sense into his head. Realizing Pam has given him no choice but to own up to the truth, he looks at the camera and says, “Wow, there it is.” It’s the first time he’s hear it loud or even fully acknowledge the reality of their relationship to himself. His reaction is really indicative of the notion that they have not talked about their relationship or their feelings. They have both just been going with the flow without stopping to long enough to assess where they stand. The euphoria felt too good to stop!

A smile creeps across his face as he can’t hold it in anymore. Pam picks up the baton and continues, “Yeah, we haven’t told anyone yet.” As he continues to smile and stare at her, the information is processing. All of the sudden it hits him: I am dating Pam Beesly. He laughs slightly in disbelief at his own reality as he tries to obscure a lovesick smile with his hand. A new bubble has formed in place of the previous where he is living out his long held fantasy of actually dating Pam. It’s real and it’s glorious. He is once again just with her, even with the camera watching. It doesn’t matter anymore that the camera crew knows.

A fresh batch of euphoria has taken over Jim. His face becomes flushed and his hand continues to cover his mouth as he tries to control the effects of his fantasy coming true. He’s actually a little embarrassed at his inability to control his reaction. His eyes drift to another part of the room as he tries to figure out what to do with this new reality beyond letting it give him a case of the giddies. It’s no use as the smile under his hand refuses to be subdued. He is elated and it’s absolutely intoxicating.

Pam surprises Jim again by saying, “It’s going really great.” Despite his being thrilled at the reality of dating Pam, there is a small amount of uncertainty given the fact that Jim still hasn’t fully internalized the magnitude of a defined relationship with Pam. His face reads, I guess so. He knows he feels good when he’s around her, but he isn’t ready to admit it’s because he loves with her. It’s another indicator they haven’t talked about how or where their relationship is going. The lack of this conversation is what creates uncertainty on both sides. He doesn’t know what she’s thinking and she doesn’t know what he’s thinking. This moment is the first time they’ve discussed the elephant in the room. He can’t help but agree with her by echoing her statement. Part of him also knows Pam needs the reassurance, but he genuinely agrees it really is going great. He is right back in the bubble with the girl he’s always wanted.

As whole the scene shows that Jim has the lead in the escape route or bubble aspect of JAM’s relationship. He is the first that spoke up after the tape played in order to keep the bubble intact. JAM needs the bubble right now, especially Jim. He needs some time to just get lost in Pam and figure out his feelings. Furthermore, Pam is the lead in the actual relationship. She is the one who defined the relationship when Jim wouldn’t. She is the driving force of JAM until Jim finds a way to unlock the feelings he is leery of allowing himself to express. Between his bubble and her courage they’ve struck a nice balance that will serve JAM well. Jim will keep them from moving too fast, while Pam will keep them from stalling.

Conference Room #3 - Giant Check:

Jim finds himself in the middle of another boring meeting as Michael plans further logistics of the fun run. As they discuss the distribution of funds Jim can’t help but see the lunacy of the debate over the giant check. With light sarcasm he puts his vote to getting the giant check just to end the conversation. Dwight’s protest about his money going towards the giant check rather than bat birth control stirs Jim’s annoyance further. He’s officially had enough of both Michael and Dwight’s lunacy. Based on Pam’s facial expression, he likely shared a glance with her carrying a non-verbal cue denoting his annoyance. She raises her eyebrows and smiles back, indicating they just shared inside humor for Michael and Dwight’s antics. It’s beyond reassuring to see JAM’s non-verbal communication continue to grow.

As the meeting wears on, concern arises over who will come to pick up the big check. Pam informs the group that a doctor will not come by to get a check for $500 (if they go with the big check), and neither will a nurse. Jim seizes the opportunity to craft the perfect prank. He sends another non-verbal signal to Pam to alert her he’s getting ready to play . She acknowledges his signal with a silent and slight smile. Just as humor has always connected them in the past, it’s working it’s magic once again. It’s something just between them. Jim proceeds to convince Michael and Dwight to hire a stripper by simply implying he’s seen ads for nurses that can be hired by the hour. It’s a classic Jim prank pulled off with perfection. It’s even better as Pam is there by his side to laugh with him.

Break Room #3 - After Pam Sees “It”:

As Pam freaks out about seeing a half naked Michael, Jim sits and listens. (Are those Dockers he’s wearing?? Please say it’s so! ) In a noticeable return as Pam’s go-to guy, Jim lets Pam say whatever she needs to say in order to feel better and calm down. He can see she has a little bit of a sense of humor about what happened, but he also knows she’s horrified. He tries to relax her with some humor by referring to Michael’s anatomy as a baguette. She responds with her own euphemism by calling it a “dangling participle.” Jim has obviously tapped into the right part of Pam’s psyche to help her calm down. Despite the distance and the newness of FNB, Jim still knows Pam. 

As Michael raps on the door, Jim smiles at Pam’s exaggerated “Come in.” He likes how Pam isn’t afraid to tease Michael or poke fun at what happened to her. Both Jim and Pam proceed to point out Michael’s mistake with light sarcasm, until Michael is flustered enough to say, “Besides my shirt tail covered most of it so…” Pam sparkles again as she jabs Michael with, “I didn’t see where it started, but I saw where it ended.” Jim is surprised, but he backs her up with his somewhat playful, “Gross,” (Of course, part of him really is grossed out). Michael continues to rant explaining that Pam’s artistic background should cause her to see him as a model. Jim can’t help but widen his eyes and share a non-verbal joke with Pam. She responds immediately as they lock eyes and laugh at Michael’s lunacy on the inside. In yet another great example of non-verbal communication, Jim is connecting with Pam via humor.

One of the more interesting aspects of this scene is the changing dynamic of Jim and Pam’s roles in relation to one other. Another very Season 2 characteristic of Jim is his role of supporting and taking care of Pam. Throughout Seasons 1 and 2, whenever Michael stepped over the line Jim was there to protect Pam. He shines in this role during this scene, but in a different way. His support status has changed in that he isn’t the one taking care of Pam. Pam is taking care of Pam. He is simply backing her up. He lets Pam do all the talking as she stands up for herself. He interjects only to reinforce her statements.

Holding Hands:

Jim and Pam are the last to make their way to the sidewalk as the rest of the runner have blasted ahead of them. Jim is wearing a glowing smile, most likely in response to the prospect of being able to spend time with Pam. Pam playfully replies, “Oh we're in last place.” Jim finds this utterly adorable and responds with equal sarcasm, “Oh, would you look at that.” Pam continues the joke with, “Darn it.” Jim loves the game they are playing as he knows full well Pam is just as thrilled as he is to be alone. The rear end of the field affords them enough privacy to be in their bubble with only each other. 

After thinking about it for a few moments, Jim tentatively reaches out for Pam’s hand. There’s a shyness about his reach as if he’ unsure of how Pam will respond. Holding her hand whenever he wants to is part of his long held system of fantasy. It’s a big deal to him. He’s always wanted to just hold her hand. It’s all part of the new bubble created in the conference room earlier in the day. He’s undoubtedly held her hand in the time they’ve spent together, but this time is different as their relationship is now defined. He is dating Pam Beesly and he wants to hold her hand to solidify that status. The euphoria of the concept is still swirling around him.

His initiation of the act speaks volumes of Jim’s desire to be with Pam. He may have some emotional blocks, but it doesn’t negate his need to be with her. He bumps her hand first, as a way to test the waters. Jim is still feeling out the boundaries of their relationship. He doesn’t know what is okay and what isn’t yet. He doesn’t know if Pam is a hand holder or not. His gaze is trained on the ground rather than on her, denoting further insecurity in his actions. In a sense, he’s putting more of his emotions on the line as he reaches out for her and it’s a little scary.

The moment she wraps her fingers around his, she anchors him. He is safely in the bubble where some of his emotions can roam freely while he figures out the rest. He holds onto her to find his way back to himself. He may be Old Jim on the outside with Pam, but he’s still working on the inside. Having Pam by his side is all he’s ever needed and he’s holding onto that dream.

Estate Sale:

Jim and Pam’s hands remain interlocked as they approach an estate sale. They are clearly in their own little world as they continue to lag behind the rest of the fun run group. Jim can’t resist the opportunity to stop and take a look. It’s something fun, that he knows Pam would love. However, it’s also another way to spend more time alone with Pam. No one they know is around and they can simply play and make a fun memory, “Ooo! An estate sale. Wanna go in?” He’s amused by Pam’s sarcastic response, “I don't know I'm really committed to winning,” as he knows he has pegged her perfectly for wanting to shop the estate sale.

To keep the playful banter going he says, “OK, but what if I told you all the money you spend here, goes to preventing a disease that's already been cured.” Jim wants to take them out of the race just for a little while. He wants something just between them and this little sale fulfills that desire. He again initiates a little escape, furthering his role of being in charge of the bubble. Her further sarcasm makes Jim smile as she is the only one who totally gets his humor and his motivations. After agreeing with him, she bounces along side him as they enter the house.

The camera later shows Jim and Pam leaving the estate sale with an interesting lamp. He is smiling as they exit because he is watching her describe her find to the camera. She loves the “designy and cool” look of the lamp. Jim isn’t big on the lamp, (his eye brows raised during her description) but he loves her for liking it. Pam then passes the lamp off to him to hold. Jim is a little thrown by her action, but he is thrilled. He responds playfully, “Oh, and I get to hold it.” It isn’t meant as a jab, but rather a warm tease. He turns his head back to the camera with a huge smile on his face. Holding things for a woman is a boyfriend duty and Jim is basking in yet another fit of euphoria.

Their relationship hasn't been designated as anything beyond dating, but Jim still loves the role Pam is giving him. He gets to fulfill this duty without just being her friend that wants “more than that.” He is actually able to do “couple” things with Pam and it’s thrilling. Jim has always loved taking care of Pam and holding the lamp gives him that opportunity even if on small scale. FNB is pretty self sufficient, causing Jim to readjust his role in taking care of her. The opportunity to hold the lamp for her is something he grabs onto happily.

As for the symbolic nature of the lamp hand off, see the PDS4!

Helping Michael:

Despite the annoying nature of Michael, neither Jim nor Pam can pass him by as they see him writhing on the ground from exhaustion. They have long held the role of taking care of Michael on both an individual basis and as a team effort. Jim is the first to jump in and motivate Michael to finish the race, “What are you doing here . . .did you come back for us?” It’s his way of building Michael’s confidence. Unfortunately, Michael’s has deteriorated past the point of Jim’s help. Michael proceeds to whine, “I can't finish. I feel so weak, I just…,” which annoys Jim to no end. He has very little tolerance for whiners. He sarcastically tells Michael he needs a drink of water but Michael is not responding to Jim’s teasing at all and begins to rant about various ridiculous problems he can’t fix.

Jim again relies on humor and teasing to fluster Michael and snap him out of his funk, “Wow. You are a downer. We’re having a pretty nice day.” Jim is talking to both Michael and Pam, but on different frequencies. For Michael, he’s trying to show him the positives of life to cheer him up. For Pam, he uses the word “we’re” to further acknowledge his new status with her. He is also looking for some reassurance. He wants to know if Pam had a nice day with him. He’s glad to hear her say, “I’m still having a nice day.” However, he needs one more little inkling of reassurance, “You are?” He’s a little playful in his tone, but his motivation remains the same. At this point, he’s pretty sure she had a good time, but he wanted to be certain. It’s important to him that she’s happy with him.

From here, Pam takes over caring for Michael and Jim steps back into his supportive role. FNB is once again stepping out on her own and doesn’t need him to do things for her anymore. Jim is still learning this new role as he watches FNB in awe. He offers support when she needs it, but he knows he must let her spread her wings. Although, Pam takes the primary lead in caring for Michael, it is still a team effort. Once Pam is able to convince Michael to finish the race, Jim reaches his hand down to help Michael off the ground. Even though he’s refused, it still stands that it was a team effort to take care of Michael. Taking care on their lunatic boss has always been a duty they shared and it oddly connected them in the past, just as it does now. The best part is they can laugh about it later and connect on an even deeper level.

- - -

Questions to Ponder:

1) Is Jim too reliant on Pam?

2) What has Jim learned about himself since returning from New York?

3) How strong are Jim’s emotional barriers?

4) Is JAM moving too slow, too fast or just right?