Pam felt guilty. She’d spent the last two weeks avoiding the internet as much as possible—not just her AOL account but really the whole thing. This hadn’t been as easy as she’d hoped, but every time she logged on, browsed, or even glanced at her computer screen she was reminded of the fact that they weren’t talking. Things with Roy hadn’t been particularly good either, but she found that didn’t bother her as much. He was like a puppy; very excited that she was coming to work with him in a way that was alternately annoying and cute depending on her mood. Because her mood was foul, right now it was very annoying. She forgave him for it, though, because she knew it wasn’t his fault. It was all her—her and WScranton8. She couldn’t explain it to Roy, though, which meant he was like a puppy she’d kicked: confused, disappointed, and prone to lashing out.
Because of that, he hadn’t come up to see her on her first day. He’d been in the warehouse; she’d been up in the office; and she’d quickly learned that the two did not mix, at all. That in turn meant she’d had to deal with her new co-workers entirely on her own, which hadn’t felt entirely fair. So she was back at her place, tired and cranky, and she needed an outlet.
Without really thinking about it, she booted up AOL.
There he was in her Buddy List. She clicked and took a deep breath.
MorganLaFey: hey
MorganLaFey: I’m sorry I haven’t been around
MorganLaFey: and I overreacted before
MorganLaFey: you’re a good friend, and I don’t want to lose you
WScranton8: hi
WScranton8: don’t worry, you don’t get rid of me that easy
WScranton8: but I appreciate the apology
WScranton8: sorry I was so pushy
MorganLaFey: no you were fine
MorganLaFey: I shouldn’t have signed off in a huff
WScranton8: I was wondering if I’d ever see you again
MorganLaFey: well…here I am
WScranton8: hi
MorganLaFey: hey
It was like a giant weight had lifted off of her chest. She hated not talking to him. She hated feeling guilty. She hated feeling cut off from the person she was when she was online. That feeling gave her the momentum to continue.
MorganLaFey: so I did end up leaving
MorganLaFey: and I started my new job today
WScranton8: can’t say I’m not disappointed
WScranton8: but that was quick
WScranton8: congratulations
WScranton8: how is it?
MorganLaFey: oh my god you have no idea
MorganLaFey: on my first day my boss called me by like fifteen different versions of my name
WScranton8: so what, like, organ? Borgan? Sorghum?
MorganLaFey: basically
MorganLaFey: only worse
WScranton8: worse than organ? wow
MorganLaFey: yeah
MorganLaFey: and then one of the other guys spent twenty minutes questioning me about whether I was a “corporate saboteur.”
MorganLaFey: I’m not even sure what he meant, so I’m not sure I convinced him
WScranton8: that you were, or that you weren’t?
MorganLaFey: that I wasn’t, duh
WScranton8: sounds like a missed opportunity to me
WScranton8: I bet you could have got him running in circles a lot longer than that
WScranton8: just namedrop your competitors in otherwise innocuous conversation
MorganLaFey: oh genius
MorganLaFey: I might just do that
WScranton8: let me know how it goes ;-)
MorganLaFey: will do ;-)
WScranton8: and good luck
WScranton8: it sounds like a madhouse
MorganLaFey: understatement of the year
WScranton8: well, you know where I am if you need to vent
WScranton8: not literally but you know what I mean
MorganLaFey: :-)
MorganLaFey: thanks
She looked over at the carton of ice cream she’d bought on the way home to reward herself for getting through her day. For some reason she didn’t think she needed it anymore. At least not right now. She got up, put it back in the freezer, and sat down to play a game of trivia.