In an almost seamless extension from Local Ad, Jim’s insecurities and need for acceptance continue to dominate his behavior pattern. Jim is obviously in a better place with Pam and is genuinely happier despite his continuing journey of finding his way towards True North. It’s no secret that Jim has had a little trouble readjusting to his life back in Scranton given the fact that everything around him that matters has changed, including himself to a certain degree. 

As a result, Jim is a little lost. He may be home, but the compass needle is spinning in about a million directions as he’s faced with the conundrum of figuring what direction he wants to go. He spent all of the last season with the same problem for different reasons, but the fact remains he is still lost despite finding his way back to Pam. Being with Pam can’t fill every empty space that exists within Jim. Part of him still needs to find what makes him happy beyond Pam. Jim is essentially at a crossroads in his life where he doesn’t really fit in anywhere. He’s already figured out home is not as he left it, nor is he the same man he was just a year ago. He can’t be blamed for clinging to the one thing that makes sense: Pam.

As Jim flutters aimlessly trying to find his way, he falls back on a familiar behavior pattern that was established last season when Jim found himself at odds with his co-workers in Stamford. When his confidence falters and Jim begins to question himself (as he did in Local Ad), his need for acceptance and validation skyrockets. He is unsure of his new role in Pam’s life as she spreads her wings as FNB. Her Finer Things Club builds on the notion that Jim does not fit into her life as he did before. This is a continuance of Jim feeling somewhat pushed away and excluded as Pam worked on her animated logo in Local Ad. She left him without a ride home and now in Branch Wars, she is excluding him from another aspect of her life. A balance between functioning as a couple and as individuals has yet to be found as Jim has staked much, if not all, of his happiness in Pam.

This only amplifies his newly triggered fear paradox in which he fears losing Pam. The paradox manifests itself in the fact that he is with Pam yet he still holds back and further excludes himself from Pam to a certain extent. He isn’t allowing Pam to see every part of him. At the same time, he knows all too well just how much she can hurt him, which ironically enough makes him even more needful of her reassurance and acceptance of him in her life. Jim’s paradox just became even more complicated. There’s no doubt he loves and loves being part of her life, but he continues to harbor insecurity.

Jim may have cracked the code to emotional honesty and has even found the courage to express his love for Pam by way of action, but he has yet to find the courage to let her see his vulnerabilities or allow her to see just how lost he has become in his own life. Part of him doesn’t want to pop the euphoric bubble that tells him everything in his life is perfect as long as Pam is by his side. However, reality is nipping at his heals and will eventually force him to either open up completely to Pam (providing she creates a safety net) or shut down.

Although, it is mesmerizing to watch Jim live out his dream of being with Pam, it can’t be forgotten that all new couples will hit a few bumps in the road. Right now, Jim is at a disadvantage in terms of personal growth as Pam is light years ahead of him in terms of self-awareness, confidence, and goals. Even though the gap is quite large there are enough strengths between them to help even out the playing field. Strong communication, (despite a few gaps) and belief in one another will bring JAM to an entirely new level once the hurdles have been cleared.

Michael’s Announcement:

Michael comes out of his office and announces that Stanley is leaving the Scranton branch to join the Utica branch. Karen, who is now the Regional Manager of the Utica branch, has offered Stanley more money should he transfer to her branch. Michael is clearly upset when everyone in the office applauds Stanley’s good fortune. His demeanor insists Stanley’s departure is unacceptable to him and therefore should be to everyone else. In true Michael fashion he rants, “No, no, no, no, no-no, no no. You completely misinterpreted my tone, this is a horrible thing. Clearly, Karen is trying to get back at us because Jim dumped her.” The camera pans over to Jim, who is surprisingly effected little by Michael’s remark concerning the demise of his relationship with Karen. He even responds with a touch of light sarcasm, “Oh, I don’t think that’s what’s happening.” 

First of all, Jim finds Michael’s logic to be completely ridiculous. He spent enough time with Karen to know she is too sophisticated and mature to resort to such tactics. The childish revenge Michael is implying falls beyond the scope of Karen’s personality. Secondly, Jim is far enough removed from his guilt to let the subject of Karen effect too much. She is in the far off land of Utica where the enormous mistake of dating her isn’t staring him directly in the face. Jim knows he made the right decision ending things with Karen in order to be with Pam, but he is also aware that he hurt someone who did not deserve it in the process. That being said, Karen’s hasty departure from Scranton has allowed Jim to put it behind him and move on with Pam. The issue is far removed and therefore doesn’t require really require his attention.

FTC - Denied Entry:

Jim watches as Pam sets up fancy food on a fancy serving tray. Classical music plays in the background in preparation for Pam’s Finer Things Club, (FTC). He grabs a little tidbit to nibble as he asks, “So tell me again why I can’t be part of your club?” Jim’s tone is multilayered with everything from playful banter to an air of almost pleading with Pam to be included in her club. Judging from Pam’s talking head and overlapping scenes it can be deduced that the club has been meeting for at least three months. It’s obvious from Jim’s wording that he’s been asking to be included in the club for quite some time. He uses the word “again” as if this is an old question between them. It isn’t necessarily about the club itself for Jim, its about feeling accepted and included in Pam’s life.

After a year of essentially being out of her life (by his own doing) and navigating the new waters of FNB Jim is looking for any all ways to find his place in Pam’s life. He’s already dealing with residual feelings of being pushed away in Local Ad as Pam worked on her animation instead of spending time with him. He honestly was proud of Pam for pursuing her interest with such fervor, but he was still left with a sense of being left out. This trend has actually been present since the beginning of the season. The FTC is essentially an incarnate of FNB. Jim isn’t part of many of the changes Pam has made in her life and it’s creating a certain amount of distance.

As well as Jim knows her, many of her previous characteristics are no longer in play. She is more refined and independent as the FTC clearly represents. He doesn’t fit in to all areas of her life anymore, as her needs for him have changed. This only fuels the fire of Jim’s needs to be accepted and validated with a wider role in her life. He doesn’t necessarily need to be part of the club, but he wants to know he’s at least welcome to join. This works on both a literal and figurative level. Gaining an invitation into the club lets him Pam is willing to share her life with him. Gaining a shot of validation lets Jim know she still needs him.

Pam doesn’t make eye contact with him, but Jim maintains watch on her as she answers, “Because some people think you monopolize the conversation by trying to be funny.” He nibbles on the food he stole off the tray halfway through her answer and shoots a knowing glance in her direction as she finishes speaking. He’s not at all insulted by Pam pinpointing his fault. In fact, he knows she has him pegged perfectly. His eyes follow her as she paces back to another table to get more food and he can’t help but smile at her.

It feels good that she still knows him better than anyone. Furthermore, he is eating up the fact that she is teasing him. He jokes right back, “Oscar?” knowing full well Pam is the one with the objection to his joining the club. Only she would understand his propensity to be humorous in a given situation. He is even further amused when she replies playfully, “Some people.” He enjoys the playful banter, but also realizes he can’t win. He is to remain an outsider in the aspect of Pam’s life for the time being, which leaves him still searching for additional acceptance and reassurance from Pam.

Getting Duped:

As Jim continues to hang out with Pam in the break room, Michael and Dwight blast through the door in a virtual panic. Jim’s lanky frame rests against the vending machine in a totally relaxed stance as he is pummeled with Michael’s stressed out blubbering, “Jim, we're getting crapped on. Word is that our branch sucks, and we have to do something about it.” Seeing a worked up Michael is nothing new to Jim so he handles with a calm response that‘s even tinged with a little bit of humor, “So what are you going to do?” Still on his little revenge kick Michael has a plan, “What are we going to do? We are going to make a monster sale, that's what we're going to do. Corcroan dropped Staples,” (I have no idea if “Corcroan” is correct, I’m relying on officequotes.net on that one! Where‘s a script when I need one?).

Jim snaps out of his Michael mode and immediately responds, “Did they?” His face scrunches up in confusion and is coupled with blatant interest in the fact that a big sale with Staples is up for grabs. There’s a little spark in his eye at the prospect of a challenge. This is a significant little spark in that it shows Jim isn’t necessarily bored with his job if it presents a challenge. Jim actually likes a stimulating challenge every now and again. It doesn’t often come up in his job, but when a challenge is placed before him he will likely take it on. Although his work ethic in last season was geared toward moving on from Pam, his new job was more stimulating, given the extra responsibility.

Now that he’s back at Scranton and has the very thing he tried to escape his motivation levels are down as boredom with his job has once again settled into his mindset. However, Michael’s mention of a large sale peaked his interest. This little signal presents the possibility that Jim could truly be happy at Dunder Mifflin if presented if more stimulation surrounded his job. He is simply bored with his job, which in turn makes him hate what he does. Jim is very creative (his pranks are enough proof), a people person, and a hard worker if presented with a task that interests him.

Unfortunately, his current job provides very few opportunities for Jim to utilize his talents. This is where Jim needs to start making decisions about his career and life in general. Clearly he has some interest in the sales industry as he is obviously gifted in that arena. His skills even present him with a source of confidence. He has to start asking himself if selling paper is enough. Pam cannot be the only anchor in his life. Just like every other move or decision Jim has made in his life, he needs a catalyst to push him towards taking action. Pam may be his anchor, but there is also the chance that she can be the spark as well. After all, she is his biggest motivation.

Heading to Utica:

Thinking Dwight and Michael are intent on landing a huge sale with Staples, Jim rides along in Michael’s PT Cruiser. Things begin to go awry as soon as Jim notices they have missed the exit for Corcroan. Michael hollers “Surrpise!,” with Dwight following suit soon after. Jim’s face is a mix of befuddlement, uncertainty, and confused amusement. He’s not quite sure what to think as he searches Michael’s face and surveys his surroundings with a baffled grin. After Michael and Dwight poke fun at his surprised face, Jim gets right down to business, “What are we doing?” A super hyper Dwight (he has waaaay to much sugar in his system), informs Jim they aren’t going on a sales call. Michael breaks in immediately and reveals their true mission, “We are going on a panty raid to Utica, is what we're doing.” The grin on Jim’s face immediately falls, transforming his face into a shocked and horrified expression. His stomach likely wrenched into a tight knot at the prospect of coming into contact with Karen.

Michael and Dwight are effectively throwing him right back into the ring with one angry and skilled gladiator. Jim is well aware of the mistakes he made with Karen and isn’t exactly thrilled at having to face them all over again. He stares out the window in disbelief as his eyes shift back and forth almost desperate to believe this isn’t really happening. He looks straight at Michael and asks, “We’re going to Utica?” with a continued air of desperation tinged with aggravation at Michael’s blatant disregard for his past with Karen. Michael is oblivious to Jim’s apprehension and obnoxiously answers, “Uh-huh.” Jim is still stunned at this turn of events as he quietly states, “I’m not going to Utica today.” Jim’s intent with this statement is to tell Michael he’s not going, but his strength has abandoned him leaving him weak and unguarded. Michael hit him in a sore spot where he had no defense in place, figuring Karen was a done deal he wouldn’t have to contemplate any further.

On another level, he doesn’t want to accept his misfortune and immediately goes into a short-lived denial to allow his brain to catch up to his situation. He just can’t face the person he hurt just a few months before. The past is calling back to him in a very different way as his mistakes refuse to simply let him be. Jim carries around a load of guilt for all his antics with Karen. He is well aware she didn’t deserve to be caught in the firestorm of his own self-destruction. Furthermore, his last known encounter with her in the kitchen (Fun Run) was not pretty. Jim doesn’t handle confrontation well and is likely a little afraid of facing both Karen’s temper and his error in judgment.

Michael refuses to relent, “Yes you are. Oh, buckle up Jim.” As the reality of the situation sets in, Jim is overcome with mental nausea. His mind is spinning and swirling with a thousand different scenarios of what could go wrong. With disoriented eyes he quietly, yet desperately utters, “No.” His eyes continue to shift frantically, searching for a way out of his predicament. His fears of confrontation overwhelm him as he knows the encounter will not go well. Michael continues to make things worse by hitting Jim right where it hurts, “We are going to make Karen wish that she had never been dumped by you.” He feels those words shoot right through him.

Jim knows he hurt Karen, and to a certain extent that hurts him. He may not have loved her, but he did care for her. She did nothing wrong, yet she paid the ultimate price of a broken heart. Jim can empathize with her pain better than anyone. Knowing he is the cause of it weighs on him heavily. Jim looks away with a mix of guilt and apprehension on his face. His hand immediately engages in his sometimes nervous tic of playing with his hair when cornered with difficult circumstances. He scratches his head and runs his fingers through his hair as if he trying to find the magic answer to all of his problems. He is essentially entering a battlefield where he has no defense.

Amidst chants of “Utica, Utica, Utica” from Michael and Dwight, Jim sits in a quandary as anger and annoyance define his thoughts. As he pulls out his cell phone he voices his displeasure, “I can't believe you guys. I'm not gonna go further piss off my ex-girlfriend.” He knows he’s not ready to face her and he knows all too well that Karen will give him the reaming of the century if he runs into her. He’s not about to put himself in that position if he can help it. He holds his phone up to his ear waiting for the other end to answer. Michael accuses him of calling Karen, to which Jim adamantly denies. Of course, Michael doesn’t buy it and incites Dwight to take Jim’s cell phone. Dwight is all too happy to oblige and grabs Jim’s cell phone. Jim is infuriated as he struggles to maintain a grasp on his phone, but it slips from his fingers and flies out the window of the car courtesy of Dwight.

Jim is beyond angry at this point at both Michael and Dwight’s antics. Not only are they pulling him into his worst nightmare, but now they’ve chucked his phone out the window. He looks at Michael with another round of aggravated disbelief, “Are you kidding me?” He continues to leer at Michael with a somewhat clenched face as Michael insists, “It had to be done. It had to be done.” In disgust, Jim shifts his gaze to the passenger window and releases his anger with a fresh batch of sarcasm meant to let Michael and Dwight know their behavior is unacceptable, “Well, that kind of sucks, because it had all the photos of my brother's new baby on it, so…” This segment really shows one of Jim’s strongest assets as an individual. Even when he’s angry he is able to maintain control of himself and his behavior. He knows the situation is out of hand and there’s really nothing he can do. Instead of throwing a fit, he maintains a quiet dignity. His comments surrounding the baby pictures on his phone are enough to get Michael and Dwight’s attention and realize their own stupidity.

To Jim’s credit he didn’t yell or scream over the incident with his phone, instead he simply played his strongest card. Michael and Dwight are idiots but they can certainly understand Jim’s emotional attachment to his family. Moments later they are on the side of the road, searching for Jim’s phone.

Playing Along:

Once Jim locates his phone he informs Michael he will be calling a cab to make his way back to Scranton. However, he changes his mind once he finds out Michael and Dwight’s plans to hit Utica with gasoline bombs and silly string. Jim immediately realizes Michael and Dwight both need a babysitter. Once again, he takes on the role of a father figure by watching over both of them. It’s a role he’s had from the very beginning as he is usually the only rational thinker in the building aside from Pam. His character’s symbolic role of normalcy and morality again play out as Michael and Dwight’s lunacy must be balanced out by some semblance of reason. Despite his better judgment he dons a warehouse uniform and a fake mustache in the hopes of preventing acts of stupidity while avoiding Karen at the same time. It almost seems fitting that Jim should arrive in Karen’s realm wearing a disguise. Karen never really saw the real Jim as he hid behind his carefully constructed disguise of New Jim throughout Season 3. A fake mustache is reminiscent of his façade of ill-fitting suits and emotions.

Jim now finds himself barreling towards Utica in a ridiculous disguise, while also having his patience further tested by Michael uncouth inquiries. Without a second thought, Michael asks, “So, why did you and Karen break up?” Jim shakes his head in annoyance. If he could will Michael’s mouth shut, he would. Michael prods even further, “Was it the sex?” Jim’s head snaps towards Michael in another wave of irritation. He can’t believe (and yet he can) that Michael just asked that question. Jim isn’t about to talk about any aspect of his relationship with Karen, (especially in terms of sex), least of all with Michael. Jim is by nature a very private person anyway, but his relationship with Karen has the added bonus of ending badly. It’s not his favorite topic of discussion now or ever. However, Michael refuses to drop the subject and wander off into even more inappropriate territory, “I can't imagine the sex being bad, I mean her body is…” Jim is absolutely horrified, but manages to keep his cool. 

Reverting to babysitter mode, he uses the time honored tactic of distraction to redirect Michael’s attention, “Okay, you know what? . . . Why don't we play that alphabet game that you were talking about?” As usual, Michael is receptive and immediately goes into a rhyme with the letter “A.” He has successfully distracted Michael, but he soon finds himself in his own version of Adventures in Babysitting (remember that movie?). Between Dwight’s urine, a can, and Michael’s erratic driving, Jim has his hands full with the “kids.”

The chaos of this scene is a direct contrast to the subsequent scene of Pam’s FTC taking place back in Scranton. Her corresponding moment is a picture of civility and order while he is careening into disaster. The contrast provides a glowing representation of the status of both Jim and Pam in terms of personal growth. Pam has found peace with herself and her goals, while Jim is hanging on for dear life as he searches for direction. The incongruence between them in this area has never been more apparent.

Utica Parking Lot:

Jim waits in the car as Dwight and Michael head into the Utica branch offices. He mans the walkie talkie, listening to ridiculous updates of their progress. He continues his babysitting duties by trying to talk Dwight and Michael out of stealing the branch’s industrial copier. His concern quadruples as he hears disaster ensue over the speaker. No amount of logic or reason can save Michael and Dwight at this point. All he can do is listen with his mouth hanging open. However, his problems are about to hit nightmare status as Jim catches sight of Karen in the parking lot. In a single hurried motion he signals the camera to duck as he crouches down below the window as much as his tall frame will allow him. 

Michael’s panic continues as he tells Jim to take Karen to a hotel and make love to her. Jim is horrified by Michael’s statement, but his concern of being caught overrides any discomfort caused by Michael. Michael continues on this topic as Jim continues to refuse. All the while, the cameraman can’t help but ignore Jim’s earlier request to stay down. The frame zooms in on Karen in the parking lot, who soon notices the camera focused on her. Jim notices the camera’s angle as well and freaks out silently. He pushes the camera back down and shoots an aggravated and desperate face in the lens, “What are you doing?” He then looks up directly at the cameraman, mouthing, “C’mon, man” as part of a desperate plea to keep him hidden.

All of Jim’s efforts to stay under Karen’s radar meet with failure as Karen taps on the window calling, “Jim?” Caught. He resituates himself into an upright position, completely defeated. He opens the window and does all he knows to do to mitigate the damages. In a friendly tone he greets her, “Hey Karen.” His body is aching with discomfort, but he does his best to appear as if he is relaxed and everything is normal. Karen is surprised to say the least, “Uh, what are you doing here?” Jim is at a loss on how to answer her, so he goes into his patented mode of self-defense. He tries to turn on the charm, hoping to redirect Karen curiosity, “First of all, hi.” He tries to smile warmly and uses a friendly and kind tone.

Karen doesn’t budge and again asks him, “What are you doing here.” Only this time she is more serious and forceful. She’s learned her lesson in falling for Jim’s charms. Jim attempts one last ditch effort to get her warm up to him, “You good?,” but he can see immediately that Karen is non-responsive. The tactic of charm quickly evolves into a lame excuse, “I'm just checking on the other branches. Michael wants me to do that from time to time, so…” He can’t believe that’s the best he can think of, but he looks at Karen with slight hope that she will buy it. However, the rational part of him knows full well Karen is too smart to buy into something so ridiculous.

Of course, his real reason for being in that parking lot is far more insane than anything Karen could fathom. As if on cue, Dwight’s voice comes over the walkie-talkie, “Do not tell Karen about the industrial copier.” Busted again. All Jim can do is find a small bit a humor as he faces Karen’s glare, “Copy that.” Her nervously smiles in her direction, knowing things have completely fallen apart. A disguise on any level isn’t going to hide him; he’s got nowhere to run.

Karen’s Office:

Jim, Michael, and Dwight sit in Karen’s office with the same demeanor as students in a principal’s office. Jim sits quietly as Karen basically scolds them for their behavior at her branch. Michael and Dwight only make matters worse by threatening to burn Utica to the ground. Jim is beyond embarrassed by association. Michael leads the way out of Karen’s office and Jim is quick to follow hoping to escape another confrontation with Karen. However, Karen has other plans, “Jim, hang on a second?” Jim stiffens with nervous anxiety at Karen’s request. He whispers a soft, “Yes” as he realizes his hope to escape is completely blown. He looks at the camera knowing he is in a lot of trouble. 

This meeting was inevitable at some point, but Jim was hoping it would be later rather than sooner. Jim generally tries avoid confrontation at all costs (The Coup and The Carpet come to mind). He’s never been very good at standing up for himself due to low confidence in some areas of his life. Women and relationships definitely qualify as an area of low confidence. He’s about to face his two weaknesses all in one shot. All his earlier reasons for avoiding Utica are staring him right in the face. Karen’s strong exterior is forbidding, but Jim can see right through her. He can see her pain and scorn, despite her best effort to put up a strong front. His own experience at the same game, makes him an expert at spotting a façade. He tries to approach the situation with as much grace as possible, by once again relying on his charm and good nature to lighten the mood. Jim knows things ended badly between them and he would like to reconcile the pain he caused. He doesn’t expect to make a new best friend, but he does want to soften some of the hard feelings between them. Part of this emanates from Jim’s difficulty with people having a negative opinion of him. He needs to fit in and gain validation. He made a mistake with her and he takes responsibility for that, but part of him still needs to make things right with her. 

He sits down and smiles at her with his boyish grin, hoping it’ll be enough to make way for a civilized conversation. Jim has always relied on his charm to get his way with people and pull pranks. It’s a huge asset in his arsenal of people skills. Karen stares him down and asks, “So you’re still doing this kind of stuff, huh?,” with a disappointed tone. It’s no secret she attempted to change Jim in many regards, with his pranks and playful nature sitting at the top of her list. He sits in front of her like a child with his hands folded as she criticizes his behavior. As per his usual self defense barriers, he uses humor to deflect her disapproval, “Yeah, trying to quit though.” Karen is unimpressed and proceeds to rip into him with every bit of contempt she’s compiled since Jim dumped her, “If you wanted to see me, you could have just called me like an adult.” She is clearly taunting him into a fight where she is prepared to rip him to shreds. Jim knows this, yet is completely unprepared.

The jab at his maturity sends Jim deeper into his defense mode, but he is barely prepared to deal with Karen’s offensive. He was already caught off guard by being in Utica in the first place. This unexpected confrontation with Karen is pummeling an already weak defensive line. Weak defenses are coupled with low confidence as Jim completely blames himself for what happened with Karen. He knows he doesn’t have a leg to stand on with her, which makes him a sitting duck. The blocking of the scene itself, shows Jim is at a disadvantage. Karen is standing taller than him as she leans against her desk. He practically has a target on his forehead as he sits at a lower level. As a result, Jim is all thumbs when it comes to responding to Karen’s taunts. Cue foot in mouth syndrome.

Jim loses his ability to finesse his way through a situation when he is cornered. Before Jim can stop himself he says, “Oh no, I didn't want to see you.” As soon as the words fly out of his mouth he wants to reach out and take them back. It was the complete wrong thing to say at the wrong time. He immediately tries to compensate, “Not that I'm not happy seeing you, right now, I'm just saying ultimately I was here for the copier. Equal, I'd say it was equal.” He babbles relentlessly as he tries to figure out how to be polite without giving her the wrong idea. He’s not happy to see her, but he doesn’t want to hurt her feelings anymore than he already has. It’s a Catch-22 where anything he says is wrong. He tries to smile as he speaks, but it doesn’t hide his nerves and squirming discomfort. He can feel the scrutiny of Karen’s disdain for him and it’s incredibly unsettling.

He can see he’s meeting with minimal success as Karen’s hurt starts to show on her face. He tries one more time to save face by almost speaking under his breath, “So, good to see you . . .” He knows that look all to well as he wore the same face for the better part of a year. It’s like looking in a mirror, only he has a splash of his own guilt to mix into the pot. He did this to her and she didn’t deserve it. This makes him even more nervous as he knows Karen is giving him everything he deserves. He just wants it all to stop, but the end is nowhere in sight. He looks directly at her and can see everything he said is only making her feel worse. Furthermore, he can feel Karen’s scrutiny piercing right into him and it sends into panic mode. Jim’s rational thought is again suspended as he says the first thing that comes to mind, “I mean, it's just that- You know, Pam and I are still dating, so, and, I just mean that things are going really well, so I didn't want to see... You…” His nerves propel him into thinking he needs to justify his reasons for avoiding her, but everything he says continues to come out completely wrong. The last thing Jim intended to do was hurt Karen by flaunting his relationship with Pam. He’s already in the doghouse, he doesn’t need to make it worse for himself. The combination of his nerves, discomfort, and panic gave him little time to think of any other way to deflect Karen’s death stare. Furthermore, her earlier jab at his maturity level still stings. Pam is a safe haven and Jim naturally went to thoughts of her to save him.

Unfortunately, those same thoughts came flying out of his mouth. He knows it’s wrong halfway through his statement, but his foot remains firmly entrenched in his mouth as he continues to ramble. He’s dug himself in a hole and has nowhere to go but deeper. The last part of his explanation, “I didn’t want to see . . .you,” pinpoints Jim’s awareness that he has said too much. He knows he hurt her again, although it wasn’t his intention. The wrath of Karen knows no bounds as it swallows Jim alive, “Oh, things are going really well? Are they? They are? That's great, that's so great.” Her comments are dripping with scathing sarcasm. Jim can do nothing but sit and take it as she rips into him. He lets out a nervous smile as he mentally kicks himself. Part of him has to laugh at his own stupidity and the situation in general. He can’t fight her as he feels she has a right to respond this way. He takes the blame for everything.

She continues her rant, “I wanna hear more about how happy you are with Pam. Can you tell me more about that?” Jim feels himself slipping further into loser-land and can’t help but smirk at the situation. It’s getting out of hand and a little over the top. He understands Karen is angry but he’s not about to submit himself to any more of Karen’s fury. He doesn’t need anymore confirmation that there is no chance for peace between them. Karen’s verbal onslaught goes even further and is further drenched in angry sarcasm, “Thank you so much for coming to Utica, and breaking my copier, and telling me how well things are going in your relationship, really, thank you.” At this point, Jim has had enough. He’s tired of having his ass handed to him on a silver platter. That being said, Jim is not going to fight back or sling mud in return. He knows he's in the wrong and would only exacerbate the situation. There’s no point in trying to rectify the situation as Karen is clearly still mad at him. 

Despite his empathy for Karen’s position he can help but respond with a touch of sarcasm as a result of his own frustration, “Alright, you are welcome. I'm going to go because of, um, traffic.” He slowly gets up from the couch and makes his way toward the door, hoping to dodge Karen’s verbal bullets. His excuse of traffic is lame, and Jim knows it, but really it doesn’t matter. He turns to face her before walking out the door. Part of him still wants to salvage the situation. He keeps searching for some miraculous phrase that will quell Karen’s pain and anger. His guilt is multiplying as the result of his actions continues to play out ferociously in front of him, “Traffic, yeah. Oh, def- go, go because of traffic, definitely, beat-beat the traffic, mm-hmm.” Her contempt continues to amplify Jim’s nerves and sense of defeat into a virtual state of helplessness. His moral center continues to hope he can find the right words as he slowly retracts from her office. However, he realizes it’s a losing battle despite his best intentions. He sputters a few awkward parting words that do little to convey his regret and guilt for hurting Karen, “I... will... “ He walks away with his shoulders slumped in total humiliation.

Back in Scranton:

Jim walks back into the Scranton offices with his gaze firmly on Pam. He smiles and raises his eyebrows at her in relief. She is the most comforting thing he’s seen in hours. He hangs his jacket on the coat rack and walks slowly past her desk, stealing another glance. It’s steeped in non-verbal cues. He’s acknowledging their failure in losing Stanley, but there’s also a hint of his own failure in dealing with Karen. He lets her know it’s been a rough day with one small smirk. He knows Pam understands him and after his dealings with Karen, it feels reassuring to know she’s “listening.” If anyone can put him back together again, it’s Pam.

Pam’s Desk:

The battering Jim took in Utica still weighs heavy on his shoulders as he wanders over to Pam’s desk. He leans on her desk knowing he’ll find solace and peace with the one person that understands him better than anyone. He greets her with a weary, yet warm, “Hey.” She is his comfort zone and he needs her now more than ever. All he needs is a little escape into the bubble to lick his wounds and live all the reasons why he left Karen. Unexpectedly, Pam brings up the very subject he’d like to avoid for the time being, “I'm so sorry, Rolando told me everything. How humiliating.” Jim hangs in head almost embarrassed as he lets out a small groan. He doesn’t expect her to be privy to his earlier humiliation and feels very exposed and vulnerable. Of all people, he doesn’t want Pam to see this weakness.

His head hangs low and close to his body as if he’s trying to hide. Furthermore, he’s literally exhausted with facing his demons. Part of him knows he can talk about this with Pam, while the rest of him doesn’t want her to see his wrongdoing. Karen was a mistake in every possible way that hurt her, himself, and even Pam. Jim knows this and feels the weight of that guilt. He knows he probably got what he deserved, but he doesn’t want Pam to see just how capable he is of hurting someone else. He can barely stand to know that about himself.

Just when he feels the weight of it all crushing him from all directions, Pam steps in and begins to pick up the pieces by giving him a shot of much needed assurance, “Would it help you to return to another age? A time of refinement, and civility.” He begins to lift his head as she speaks, somewhat grateful the subject has shifted to something different. Pam holds a plate up in front of him and pulls off a cloth napkin to reveal fancy bits of food on a sophisticated plate. His face begins to light up and he feels Pam’s warmth surround him.

Just as in The Job, her summer contradicts the cold of Karen’s winter. He knows she did it to cheer him up and it means the world to him. He looks at her appreciatively and asks, “Are you inviting me to the Finer Things Club?” His earlier need to be in Pam’s club is again in play. It’s not that Jim necessarily wants to be in the FTC, but he needs to know he is welcome. He needs to feel that acceptance from Pam, especially at a time when his ego took a hit right in the gut. He already knows the answer by looking at her face. For the moment, his fears of losing Pam are quelled and his confidence is bolstered.

FTC – Angela’s Ashes:

As per Pam’s invitation Jim joins the FTC as they discuss the book, Angela’s Ashes. It’s apparent from the start that Jim is out of place. He isn’t comfortable in this setting as it doesn’t mesh with his laid back personality. In an attempt to brush off his uneasiness, Jim resorts to humor as a means to create a pocket of comfort. In an Irish accent Jim says, “Angela's Ashes, top o' the morning to us. Frankie's prose is funnier than a pot of gold, say I.” Humor has always been Jim’s “in” for most situations and he’s hoping for the same thing now. Unfortunately, everyone in the room is onto him, especially Pam. After subtle a reprimand from Oscar, Jim settles down and tries to take the FTC a little more seriously, “Yep. No, I mean I really liked it. I thought was uh, a fun read.” It’s obvious he hasn’t read the book, but his own need to be part of Pam’s world and have her acceptance causes him to do all he can to fit into the group.

Toby calls him out on his lack of effort in reading the book. Jim begins to squirm under Toby’s pressure, again carrying the demeanor a student who has been caught not paying attention. He fidgets with his fingers and gets defensive under Toby’s questioning. Oscar joins in soon after as the target on Jim’s forehead reappears. Toby hits him with one more question, “Who was the main character?,” to which Jim has no answer. Trying to save face Jim takes his best guess, “Angela. Nope. Ashes.” Jim was hoping his smooth charm and humor would help him blend into Pam’s world, but he found out the hard way it can’t always save him. Part of him knows he let Pam down by failing to take the FTC seriously, but he also knows it’s something that just isn’t him. He looks over at Pam knowing she is uncomfortable with his rambling and he does feel bad. Her offer to allow him to join the club meant a great deal to him, but he now knows it’s something he can’t share with her. Jim has yet another taste of understanding he can’t fit into every aspect of Pam’s life. He has to find a path for himself.

The Bottom Line:

Jim has yet to find the cheese hiding in the maze.

- - -

Questions to Ponder:

1) Is Jim aware of his faults?

2) Who did Jim call on his cell phone?

3) Does Jim love Pam for who she is today or just because he’s always loved her? Is loving her just a habit? (Please don’t throw garbage at me for asking this question!)

4) Does Jim need to change? Does he want to change?