After spending all of last season watching Jim run further and further away from himself, it’s truly amazing to see him find his way home a little bit more everyday. Pieces of Old Jim continue to fall into place as Jim resumes his carefree pattern of pranking Dwight, doting on Pam and finding joy in the simplest of activities. The man who ran from the past and hid from his feelings is finally beginning to venture out from behind the barriers that block his heart. Granted, he’s just peeking over the side, but he’s getting curious and gaining more trust in Pam. Undoubtedly, the growth of communication has a role in this as humor based and non-verbal modes of communication continue to be re-established.

Part of what makes Jim so interesting in Launch Party is his willingness to bring the past into the bubble. This started last week in DMI as he discussed Dwangela with Pam and humor based communication was reinstated. Even though Jim knows the pain of the past is long behind him, it still keeps his heart on a leash. The pain may not hurt anymore, but he still fears the possibility of getting hurt again. Despite his fears, Jim is allowing himself to begin to embrace the past rather than run from it at full speed. This process began back in The Job when he made the choice to come home. Pam’s yogurt lid memo in The Job helped Jim to realize the past doesn’t necessarily have to hurt. It’s good to see he’s continuing the process of truly coming back by letting the past become part of him again.

Jim’s actions of pranking Dwight and the rooftop date not only bring the past into the bubble, but they help keep the bubble intact. He creates opportunities to be with Pam in their own little world via humor and little moments. Pranking has traditionally been a connecting factor for JAM and the rooftop is a special place just between then. Jim continues to showcase his lead in maintaining the bubble and it appears he takes this role even more seriously since their secret was outed. Mainly because, the bubble continues to give Jim a safe haven where he can learn to trust Pam and explore his feelings. These concepts come alive as Jim surprisingly finds the courage to talk about the past in terms of emotions. Granted, it didn’t get any further than “like,” but he is starting to feel safe enough to let some of his feelings come out for a test drive.

Hesitance and insecurity still override total emotional honesty. However, Pam is working pure magic on Jim’s fears by offering him the reassurance he needs. The process is slow as Jim is still very reliant on Pam to take the lead in the relationship and assure him he is safe. Despite all of Jim’s progress, total emotional honesty has yet to come to fruition. The most serious and deepest emotions are still locked up tight. Jim’s patented “look” continues it’s long drought as Jim isn’t ready to let those emotions come anywhere near the surface.

Conference Room/Talking Head:

Jim sits comfortably behind Pam, all too happy to have her so near. He’s stuck in yet another meeting with Michael droning on about something completely pointless. However, Jim is completely hypnotized and entertained by the DVD Video box as it bounces across the television screen. He is not alone as everyone else in the room has the same viewing goal of seeing the box hit the corner of the screen. After watching it miss several times over, it appears to be on the right track to nuzzle right into a corner, but at the last second it misses. As Jim watches the box come close to a corner he leans further out onto the table in anticipation, while also moving closer to Pam. Unfortunately, the box misses again Jim’s head falls out of playful frustration. He looks over to Pam, clearly dismayed by the box failing to find the corner again, but there is more to his eye contact with Pam.

Jim fills in the background of the DVD Video box saga by explaining the fascination and borderline obsession of seeing the box actually go into the corner of the screen. It’s a dumb distraction, but nonetheless fun and mindless. Plus, it beats listening to Michael and his storm cloud idea. Jim’s eyes widen with playful frustration at the stubborn little box’s refusal to find the corner. The bouncing box is really a very cute representation of the odyssey Jim and Pam have gone through over the last few years. They bounced hopelessly off borders of their lives never seeming to find the comfort of just being together. They just kept missing the “corner” with bad timing and aimless wandering from the truth. Jim goes on to say that “we’ve all been dying to see it go right into the corner.” No kidding. Everyone has been waiting forever for JAM.

As for the real cube, it’s journey to the corner is an office wide phenomenon, but Jim still has a bubble moment with Pam when it comes to the video box. He tells the camera, “Pam claims that she saw it one day when she was alone in the conference room. Okay. I believe she thinks she saw it.” It’s apparent they have a longstanding, yet playful argument over whether or not Pam saw the cube hit the corner. It’s a fun and flirtatious joke that is just between them. He breaks out into a smile and covers it with his hand. His “crush” feelings for Pam are again escaping their confines as they play across his face. He finds her and her claim absolutely adorable. He slightly chuckles as he gives a sarcastic “Okay” to indicate his stance in the argument.

He'd let her win in an instant, but he’s having to much fun teasing her. Plus, her insistence is so adorable he could watch her argue her side all day long. Jim’s dreamy expression in this scene is highly reminiscent of his face from a talking head in The Alliance. After Pam’s well played addition to his prank on Dwight, he can’t help himself when he says, “She’s so great.” His facial expression and body language are identical. Jim is obviously falling back into his old habits as some of his old feelings for Pam are beginning to find their way out into the open. The shift towards letting elements of the past into the bubble only grows as the episode progresses to the heights of the rooftop.

Back in the conference room, the bouncing cube continues to evade the corner much to the dismay of Jim and everyone else. Just when all hope is lost, the cube falls onto a track that will seemingly take it right into the upper left hand corner of the screen. Jim’s anticipation skyrockets as the video box gets closer and closer to the corner. He whispers to Pam, “Wait for it,” with heavy anticipation. He holds onto her arm as he waits for the video box to finally drift into the corner.

As if the video box isn’t exciting enough, Jim’s very public touch on Pam’s arm is something amazing in and of itself. It’s only a slight form of PDA, but Jim has no problem being so close to Pam in public setting. Touching her feels like home and is very comfortable. Plus, he wants to share the excitement of the moment with her. The cube may be something everyone in the room is interested in, but Jim is only connected to Pam at this moment. In another subtle piece of symbolism, Jim is holding onto Pam to anchor him as they navigate their way into the "corner." Issues of trust and emotional honesty still cause hesitation. Jim is counting on Pam to show him the way.

Pranking Dwight:

Jim sits as his desk as Dwight and Andy prepare to do battle with the Dunder Mifflin Infinity website. His nerves are already on edge from his earlier encounter with the two of them. He had fun mocking Andy, but Dwight’s obnoxious response of instructing Andy to get a air horn from his trunk triggered Jim’s irritation. The lunacy of Andy and Dwight only intensifies as the launch of the website approaches. Dwight, in particular, is getting on Jim’s nerves as he squeezes Power Gel into his mouth straight from the wrapper. Jim is sufficiently grossed out and sarcastically mocks Dwight, “Really? Power gel?” Dwight obnoxiously responds, “Hey, you wanna win? You gotta fuel like a winner.” Jim is not impressed and more annoyed.

The last straw comes as Dwight throws his used Power Gel wrapper onto Jim’s desk. He looks up at the camera with a mix of frustration, aggravation, and annoyance all wrapped into one expression. He’s had enough as he uses as few fingers as possible to pick up the wrapper and throw it out. Needless to say he’s done dealing with Dwight’s antics. He stands up from his desk and heads over to the one person he knows will understand his need to get back at Dwight. Once he reaches Pam’s desk he wastes no time asking, “What would you say if I told you we could pull a prank on Dwight and at the same time not be working?” His tone is playful but very confident that Pam will go along with his proposal. She is always on board for a prank on Dwight. Her reluctant expression surprises him and he utters a disappointed, “What?” It’s not like her to resist a prank.

As he speaks, he’s pleading with her to change her mind. It won’t be any fun without her. She explains her reason for refusing, “He’s going through a break up.” Jim can understand Pam’s point of view and even agrees with her to a certain extent, but his nerves are riled past the point of no return. He doesn’t give up and tries to convince her to join him one more time, “Yeah, I'm aware of that. But he's also being super annoying. And I'm not a perfect person.” Jim does feel bad for Dwight. If anyone knows the pain of a broken heart, it’s Jim. However, Dwight’s antics have worn a hole through Jim’s sympathies. Jim needs to keep Dwight distracted enough to tone down his obnoxious antics. 

Jim has no intention of doing anything mean-spirited (as he is never really mean to Dwight), but he does want to put him in his place, while also getting a little laugh to calm his own aggravation. Pranking is fun for Jim, but it’s also an outlet. He sees her smile at his argument, but Dwight’s air horn going off in the background is all she needs to change her mind. Both jump at the screaming sound as it pounds into their ears. Jim shoots another annoyed glance at the camera signifying yet a higher level of exasperation. Pam’s expression has since shifted from sympathy to annoyance. Her voice is like music to his ears, “What kind of prank are you thinking?” The gears of his brain start turning to formulate the perfect prank.

Jim starts phase one of the prank by standing at Pam’s desk with a folder in his hand to give the impression that he’s working. Dwight’s computer suddenly dings with an IM, “Who Am I?” Dwight is confused and sends a message back, “You tell me.” Jim knows this is the crucial moment to hook Dwight into the trap. His response has to be perfect. From this vantage point, it’s possible to see JAM teamwork at it’s finest. As Jim dictates, Pam types, thus creating the perfect cover. After thinking for a moment Jim comes up with the perfect message to send Dwight. He playfully replies, “Not sure. Just became self-aware. So much to figure out. I think I am programmed to be your enemy. I think it is my job to destroy you when it comes to selling paper.” To make the prank even more fun, he speaks in the character of a newly self-aware website. He can’t help but smile a little as he speaks. He is having too much fun with this and he knows Pam is as well. Not only is he getting even with Dwight, but he is happily in the bubble with Pam. Just as humor connected them in the past, it is bringing them closer now. 

Teamwork again comes into play as Dwight’s suspicion sends his gaze towards Jim and Pam. They both play their roles perfectly as they appear to be discussing the contents of the file folder Jim is holding. She is truly his match in pulling pranks and he couldn’t be happier to have her back at his side. Dwight sends an IM asking “How do I know this isn’t Jim?” Knowing Dwight is hot on his trail, he walks away from Pam’s desk as she sends, “What is a Jim?” It’s JAM synergy at it’s finest as the timing is perfect. Jim knows he can rely on Pam to pull her end of the prank without a second thought. Dwight is firmly stuck in their trap, primed for pranking for the rest of the day.

Jim is noticeably more relaxed as he watches Dwight freak out with a customer over the phone. With his usual slight sarcasm he asks, “How's it going?” Dwight insists he’s fine, but his frustration vents in his strained voice. Jim prods him a little further and says, “You look a little worried.” In an equally frustrated voice, Dwight answers, “I do not look worried.” Sensing Dwight’s aggravation level, Jim decides to leave it alone. He looks away, but is pleasantly surprised to hear Dwight’s IM ding with a new message. His Pam is calling him back into the bubble and the ding is his signal. As Dwight reads Pam’s message, “You do looked worried,” Jim heads over to Pam’s desk. Soon after arriving at Pam’s desk, Dwight’s IM arrives.

By this time Jim is already undercover looking “busy” at Pam’s desk with some paperwork. His familiar pose of leaning on Pam’s desk plays out in all it’s glory. The bubble is at it’s finest as both lean into the other to pull off the perfect prank. Pam dutifully reads off the IM and can’t help but crack a smile, “Here's a suggestion computer. I assume you read binary so why don't you zero one one, one one one one, zero one one zero one one.” Jim is equally amused and loves it that Pam is smiling. The wheels in his brain start turning immediately to conjure up the perfect response. He knows the prank is riding on his next move, along with the bubble. He is enjoying these little moments with Pam and he wants them to continue. Of course, his quick wit doesn’t let him down, “Okay. Um, while you were typing that I searched every database in existence and learned every fact about everything. And mastered the violin” The first part of Jim’s answer is geared towards Dwight, but the violin bit was just for Pam. He knew it would make her laugh and he was right. She does her best to hold a laugh back, and somewhat succeeds but her smile refuses to hide.

A moment later, Jim looks behind him to watch Dwight, but notices Andy updating the dry erase board to read a higher number of reams sold for the computer. He playfully turns back to Pam and adds, “Oop. And sold more paper.” He smiles widely at Pam, knowing this little addition will hit all of Dwight’s buttons. Jim is clearly having fun with his prank, but it’s important to note his intentions are not mean spirited. Jim is careful in just how hard he pushes Dwight. He is sympathetic to Dwight’s broken heart, but he isn’t above giving Dwight a hard time. Jim knows his prank isn’t hurting Dwight, and if anything it’s encouraging him to reach his goal of beating the computer. Deep down, Jim wants to see Dwight reach his goal. He knows Dwight needs something good in his life at this point. Call it Jim’s roundabout way of cheering Dwight on from the sidelines. Dwight is utterly annoying, but Jim does care about him.

Jim watches with curiosity as Dwight cautiously opens a locked metal box at his desk. It doesn’t take long for Jim to figure out the cards inside the box are contacts Dwight picked up at Staples. Dwight didn’t say anything to tip Jim off, but Jim knows him well enough to put two and two together. Dwight’s odd behavior coupled with his cryptic phone call was enough to trigger Jim’s alarms. And of course, Jim knows the perfect way to put Dwight back on the honest track. Jim doesn’t condone using stolen contacts, so Dwight deserves a good kick in the pants via a prank. 

As Michael calls for his ride to New York, (calling shotgun, of course!), Jim knows he only has one chance to capitalize on his knowledge of Dwight’s stolen contacts. He tells Michael, “Alright, let me just say good-bye to Pam.” He grabs his jacket and messenger bag before he heads over to Pam’s desk. In a hushed voice, he tells Pam his information. He knows he can trust Pam to carry out the prank. There’s no question is his mind that she will do it. This trust seems so miniscule in the grand scheme of things, but in the big picture it’s the first step towards learning to trust Pam on a deeper and emotional level. So far Jim knows he can trust Pam with his surface feelings and a prank. A few more baby steps like this and he will progress towards trusting her with his heart.

Break Room:

Jim is happily enjoying lunch with Pam, which appears to now be a very normal activity. Unfortunately, Michael is in the doorway rambling, “So. This is the dealio. God has smiled upon me and given me two tickets to the big party in New York tonight. What are you doing this evening?” Pam perks up immediately and looks at Jim with an excited face. It’s easy for him to tell she really wants to go to the party. She may be difficult for him to read these days, but some things never change. Pam can’t hide excitement and he finds that very endearing. The camera pans back over to Jim, who has his eyebrows arched in total surprise. His surprise is initially geared at Michael’s supposed offer, but it’s more the result of Pam’s interest to attend the party.

Once again, her new spirit catches him off guard. She is full of surprises and he loves it. The whole idea of going to a party in New York sounds like fun to him as well. In a beautiful display of non-verbal communication, she silently asks if they can go and he happily responds with an affirmative nod that tells her, “I’d love to.” It’s this simple development of speaking without saying a word that will help build Jim’s confidence in both the relationship and Pam. He has to learn to trust his ability to read her correctly. He immediately understood Pam’s unspoken thoughts, which only adds to his excitement. He can’t resist the chance to get away with Pam for a romantic evening in the city. His reaction to Pam’s request to go to the party is a stark contrast to his lackluster response to Karen’s similar request to spend an evening in New York in The Job. He didn’t mind going, but his excitement level was nothing like his response in the break room.

In The Job, Jim liked New York, but he was with the wrong girl. Now he has a chance to enjoy the city with the right girl on his arm. It makes all the difference in the world. He's excited for the prospect of having the girl of his dreams by his side to enjoy the flash and fun of New York for an evening. With Pam he knows he’ll always be at home, no matter where he goes, whereas with Karen he felt out of place. Jim speaks for the both of them when he tells Michael, “Sure we’ll go.” However, as soon as Jim pictures an evening with Pam, Michael pulls the rug out from under him, “Alright. Well fight it out amongst yourselves. I was thinking Pammy but boys night out is also good.” Jim is initially confused by Michael’s statement, “Oh I'm sorry. What?” To a certain degree he knows Michael's motivations, but he doesn’t want to believe it. Pam clears up the confusion by explaining, “One of the tickets is for him.” Needless to say Jim is disappointed, but he knows he shouldn’t be the least bit surprised at Michael’s behavior.

It’s at this point he knows he’s not about to let Pam suffer an entire evening with Michael. It’s part of Jim’s inherent need to take care of Pam. If he can save her, he will. However, he can’t resist the temptation to play and tease. In another stunning display of a strong connection both knew to say, “Not it” at the same time. It’s an inside game they play that is part of the bubble. He says, “Nope” in response to her “not it” as a way to play with her, even though he puts it in his best serious tone. Pam knows he’s playing and tells him, “I won.” Jim loves it that she playing along. She is truly the only one who gets his sense of humor. In a slightly more playful tone he says, “Definitely not. If anything it was a tie.” Her response most likely made his heart leap, “Tie goes to the girlfriend.” Her joking and sarcastic smile and the word “girlfriend” gave him another reason to love her and flooded him with euphoria. He doesn’t say a word back. How can he argue with her? She’s absolutely right.

Driving with Michael:

On the way to New York, Michael tells Jim, “You guys should come over for dinner. You and Pam. That'd be fun. Friday?” Jim is beyond horrified at Michael’s suggestion. His sarcasm comes out to play in full regalia to deal with the scary thought of joining Michael and Jan for dinner, “That would be fun. . . .” His face cringes with discomfort. Dinner with Michael and Jan is just about the worst way he can imagine spending an evening. He doesn’t make eye contact with Michael, desperately searching for an escape. Michael presses him further, “Wanna come over Friday?” Jim fumbles for an answer, still horrified at the situation, “Uhhh. Can’t.” His brain can’t come up with an excuse as Michael tries again, “After work you guys... “ Jim feels panic set in a little as he's once again cornered without a viable excuse, “Oh, no cause…” Michael stares at him in silence waiting for an answer. Jim feels his eyes peering into him and the only thing he can think to do is change the subject, “you're gonna let me know when we're close, right?” The ploy works as Michael is easily distracted back to his party invitation.

The last thing Jim wants is to include Michael in his personal life. It’s bad enough he knows about his relationship with Pam. Jim doesn’t want Michael any further into the bubble than he already is. Jim learned a long time ago that Michael should not be privy to anything personal unless he wants is spread around the office in record time. The secret may be out, but Jim is very protective of his relationship with Pam. It’s a second chance he never thought could exist. He’s going to protect that chance with every possible precaution. Besides, Jim is still intent on spending time with Pam alone. It’s a new relationship with a huge history. There is much to explore and learn about her. He can’t do that with someone watching or blabbing obnoxiously.

Soon after learning the invitation was for an online party rather than a fancy party in New York, Michael proceeds to chew out Ryan for failing to invite him to the big party. Jim sits in his car waiting for Michael to finish ranting in the parking lot of a rest stop. He’s known Michael for so long, this behavior is normal to him. Michael gets back into the car in a huff, “Doesn't it just  piss you off sometimes that that little twerp got the promotion over us?” Jim’s response to this statement clears up a little mystery leftover from The Job. Pam’s yogurt lid memo was indeed enough to cause Jim to remove himself from the interview process. In a matter of fact tone he tells Michael, “Oh actually I withdrew from consideration.” It’s finally a known fact that Jim willfully made the decision to stop running from the truth. He has no second thoughts about the choices he made that day. He knew he didn’t belong in New York or with Karen as soon as Pam gave him the memo he needed to make up his mind to come home. He’s right where he belongs and he’s never been happier.

Conference Room - A Question for Pam:

Jim sees Pam with Michael and lightly touches her arm to direct her attention to him. He has an idea to recapture the romantic date they lost in New York. He really was looking forward to an evening alone with Pam. Instead of New York, he comes up with the next best thing, “Hey, quick question. If I take a pizza, do you think you could take some sodas and some napkins up to the roof?” The roof is a special place between them and therefore part of the bubble. As he looks at her his eyes soften and he’s even a little bit nervous. A couple of years before he had put together a perfect “date” with her only to have his feelings crushed in the end, (how ironic, The Client is on TBS right now! I just watched the first rooftop date.).

Like Pam, Jim is interested in remembering the very best of their past relationship. The rooftop is something he wants back. It was a beautiful night and he wants to recreate that intimacy without the heartache. Pam gives him the response he’s looking for with an enthusiastic and even a tad flirtatious, “I’m all over it.” Her enthusiasm is infectious and he playfully says, “Oh, good.” The euphoric bubble again embraces Jim. He gets to be alone with her after all and in a very special place that means something just between them. He manages to score the promised pizza from an easily distracted Kevin as Pam reaches for plates and napkins. He slightly smiles at his success and in anticipation of his rooftop date with Pam.

Rooftop Date:

Sitting in familiar lawn chairs, Jim and Pam are alone on the roof in a beautiful recreation of the first rooftop date. This setting of quiet and intimacy makes Jim feels safe enough to explore not only memories the past, but also some of his feelings. After a day of pranking and the atmosphere of a real date on the roof, Jim feels safe enough to open up a little bit to Pam. Communication lines and trust have been building over the last couple of weeks causing him to feel very connected to her. He digs up some courage and takes a little trip down memory lane by asking her, “Do you remember what you said to me on my fist day of work, just before you walked me over to my desk?” Jim is pretty sure Pam won’t remember and he is prepared to impress her with his impeccable memory of every word she ever said to him. It’s his usual mode of charming her with simply knowing her better than anyone.

Pam, however, continues to throw him curve balls. She doesn’t hesitate in answering, “Yeah.” His face scrunches into a smile of surprise almost daring her to prove it. He can’t believe she remembers. Jim nods in agreement with every word she says, “. . . Enjoy this moment, because you're never going to go back to this time before you met your deskmate Dwight.” This means the world to Jim. He isn’t the only one that remembers something so minute, but still so special. It was the first day they knew one another and the first day he fell for her. And for the first time in a long time, this memory didn’t hurt. Instead his heart swells with his emotions for Pam. His face warms as he looks at her sweetly and says, “And that's when I knew.” He inches closer to giving Pam one of his patented “looks” but falls just short. Jim is still keeping his deepest emotions locked tight, but he is beginning toy with the idea of letting Pam see how he feels beyond cheery smiles and goofy grins. He has more than a crush on her, but he isn’t willing to show it quite yet. However, he is taking those emotions out for a test run. He feels safe and protected in this moment as the past is nothing but a pleasant breeze while he and Pam reminisce.

Jim’s honesty in this scene is heartwarming and encouraging. It’s the most emotionally honest he’s been in a long time. He’s letting her see how he feels about her to a certain degree. This is a huge development for Jim in that he’s admitting just how long he’s had feelings for her. He’s a little nervous in admitting something so big as he fidgets a little as he speaks. He’s not sure how she’ll react. Bringing back the past is helping to remind both of them of all the reasons why they fell in love, which aids in rebuilding their connection and communication. As argued in previous analyses, there’s no doubt they love each other, but they need to fall back in love. Sharing stories of laughter and tender moments without barriers helps them rediscover a relationship they lost. The past has blinding moments of pain, but Jim is discovering the good memories outweigh the painful. Pam helped him realize this in The Job with her yogurt lid memo, which essentially told him the past doesn’t have to hurt. It’s a fact he’s still exploring as part of his journey towards trusting Pam not to hurt him again. In reality it’s all part of his trek towards returning to Old Jim. He made the choice to come home, which means retracing some of his steps to find his way back.

Jim decides to venture into uncharted waters and asks Pam to describe the moment she knew she liked him. He knows so much about her, but her feelings have always been a mystery. This is something he doesn’t know about her and has always wondered. He listens intently with a small grin as she tells her story, “You came up to my desk, and said, this might sound weird, and there's no reason for me to know this, but that mixed berry yogurt you're about to eat has expired.” He remembers it clearly, but he is shocked that this is her moment. He is playful, yet disappointed in his response, “That was the moment that you knew you liked me?” Jim was hoping for much more grand gesture on his part, rather than one of his dorky lines.

Jim can think of at least a dozen better actions and phrases that were much more romantic and sweet than a lame comment on expired yogurt. Pam answers, “Yep,” with incredibly warm and loving eyes. He looks away still a shocked that such a lame moment caught her attention, “Wow!” He drifts off for just a moment, realizing that she had indeed captured the perfect moment. He can’t help but poke fun at himself, “Can we make it a different moment?” Pam playfully answers “Nope.” Jim softly echos her with another “no,” but he is truly at peace with her chosen moment. She had seen him for who he really was years ago and that’s why he needs her now.

After a year of running from himself, he has the one person who knows him better than anyone. His frustration is completely feigned as he is still poking fun at himself. Her moment was perfect because now he knows she had feelings for him for a long time. That’s something he didn’t know before and it’s very reassuring. Furthermore, he finds immense comfort in knowing he can be himself around her. There is no more hiding and no more running. He can just be. This kind of comfort is priceless as it will further build trust and strong foundation for when the bubble pops. Sooner or later Jim is going to have to release his emotional blocks. However, he won’t do it until he feels safe enough to give heart to Pam. Pam’s willingness to share the past with him and open up about her feelings provides massive amounts of reassurance to Jim. Emotional honesty will only happen once Jim’s fears of getting hurt have been alleviated. An evening on the roof with Pam put many of his fears at ease.

The date ends with a little joke as Jim offers a toast in celebration of “avoiding a class two felony,” (See PD for symbolic analysis of the toast). Humor will always be part of them as they love to laugh together. Jim feels closer to Pam than he ever did before and is finally beginning to understand what it is to have a relationship with her that is open and honest on all levels. Trust is beginning to build, giving his emotions a reason to be brave. There are still a few missing pieces, but Jim is intent on finding where they fit.

The Bottom Line:

Jim is finding his way back home step by step. Luckily, Pam left him a trail of breadcrumbs.

- - -

Questions to Ponder:

1) How close is Jim to achieving total emotional honesty? Are his emotional blocks weakening?

2) Is Jim ready to take the lead in the relationship anytime soon?

3) Has Old Jim completely returned? Does he need to?

4) Does Jim have a phobia of commitment? (Think about all of his past relationships before answering. I’m well aware this is a tricky question!)