Jim walked back into the office and nothing had changed since he had left about 1 hour ago.  Dwight was away from his desk at the moment, so Jim took this opportunity to add another nickel to Dwight’s phone, the plan was to occasionally add a nickel, and once the receiver was full, Jim would empty out all the nickels at once and Dwight would then hit himself in the head. Pulling semi-funny pranks on his very annoying desk mate. But for some reason he stayed. Week after week, month after month, year after year, for 8 years. He made some sales calls and did some paper work. Then his mind wandered to the girl at the art supply stores, “Dammit, I should have asked for her number.  I could go there tomorrow and see if she is working. No. That’s bordering creepy and stalkerish. I have to see her again and actually talk to her, not just about things related to work. Oh, god, what if she’s in  a relationship, or she could be married.” He hated his anxious tendencies, “ Even if that is  the case you could still be friends with her.”  He thought optimistically. He went to the vending machines in the break room and got a grape soda and sat to clear his head. When he finished his soda, he headed back to his desk. He checked his email, even though it was 4:30 on a Friday, and he knew there wouldn’t be anything in his inbox. Nothing happened for the rest of the day. As Jim was shutting down his computer, Meredith walked by and announced, “ A group of us are going to Poor Richard’s, who else wants to come?” Jim pondered for a few seconds, then replied, “I’ll come for a drink or two.”

He arrived just as most everyone was getting out of their cars and he rushed a bit so he could join the group. They all walked in and sat at the tables near the front, ordered drinks and everyone began to discuss plans for the weekend and complaining about their boss’ antics. After 10 minutes of this Jim’s attention turned to looking around the bar, looking at the decor, which had not changed in the time that Jim had started to join this outing with his co-workers, so he already knew every little detail of it, as he was looking at the signs behind the bar, he noticed a girl there, sitting, clearly waiting for a drink, with hair just like Pamela’s, “That can’t be her, can it? That would just be so weird.”  “I am going to get another beer, anyone else want something?” Jim asked, mostly just to be polite, Angela replied “ I will have another water. Thank you.” Jim stood up, walked to the bar and ordered the items, and sat to wait, there was just one stool between them now, but she was looking away, signaling to her friends in the back. She then turned back to the bartender and asked how much longer it would be. “That is her, how weird is this.”

“It’s you.”

“Well, weird coincidence running into you here, James.”

“I actually go by Jim, nice to see you again Pamela.”

“That does suit you better, and I really must have that nametag changed, I don’t particularly like my full name, I prefer Pam.”

They were interrupted by Angela ,” Jim,would you stop flirting, like you do with any girl that will look at you, I would like my water.”

“I am sorry Angela, here is your water, and an extra coaster.” She takes it from him and stiffly walks back to the group table.

“I’m sorry about her, she is just a bit judgemental.”

“A bit?”

“Alright, a lot”

“Seems like quite the cast of characters for a paper company.”

“Trust me, one of the only things keeping me at this job is the antics that happen because of them. That’s not even all of them. It’s weirder and more fun when we are all together. I feel like I am one of the only rational ones there at times, even though I pull pranks on my deskmate.”

“Which one is that?”

“The one with the glasses and the parted bangs, sitting across from Angela. Get this he has a 60 acre beet farm, that he owns and runs with his cousin.”

“That is very interesting.”

“One of the most annoying people.”

Their conversation went on and on, discussing coworkers, Jim always beat Pam at weird work stories. They didn’t even notice when their respective groups left the bar, they just kept talking.