My version of Season 3 - Episodes 24 & 25.
Fictional story about fictional characters.
*****
It seemed to Pam Beesley that her life had come full circle, a full 360 degrees, and that she was right back where she had started that day a few years earlier when she had been hired as the Receptionist at the Scranton, Pennsylvania branch of paper company Dunder-Miflin. In the meantime, she had been through many heart-wrenching and life-altering experiences; but in the end she was right back where she had started: no boyfriend, and no hope for advancement in the company. There might as well be a "Dead End" sign around her neck. She was trying desperately to maintain her normal effervescent demeanor, but there was no denying she was depressed.
That morning, her longtime crush (and now someone else's boyfriend), Jim Halpert had left for New York City for a promotion interview at the corporate headquarters. She was fairly certain that he would get the job because he was definitely the most qualified. Although they had never actually dated, Pam had finally come to the realization that Jim was the one she wanted to spend the rest of her life with...and now he was gone for good. From the first day he had started in the Scranton branch, there was an unmistakable chemistry between them. If she had not had Jim to joke with and confide in, the tedium of the Scranton office would have driven her mad. They especially liked to team up and play pranks on the Assistant to the Regional Manager (not an actual title), Dwight Schrute. Dwight was actually a fine paper salesman, but a real character in the true sense of the word.
When Jim came to Scranton, Pam was already dating a warehouse worker named Roy. She kept expecting him to announce their wedding date, but he kept putting it off. It had become a running joke in the office and the Regional Manager, Michael Scott had given her a "Dundie" award for "The Longest Engagement" at the last ceremony. Michael had invented the "Dundies" as a way to increase morale, but it was really just an excuse for a party. Finally, on a "Booze Cruise" office party, a drunken Roy had announced their wedding plans and Jim had kissed Pam, telling her that he loved her. She was, of course, stunned and told Jim she was committed to Roy (never saying she loved Roy); even though she knew that her heart actually belonged to Jim.
A brokenhearted Jim had immediately transferred to the Stamford branch and eventually began dating fellow salesperson Karen. Meanwhile, Pam became fed up with a constantly drunk and out of control boyfriend, and sent Roy packing. Months later when there was corporate downsizing and the Stamford and Scranton branches merged, Jim returned to Scranton. Pam had been overjoyed at the prospect of reuniting with the subject of her affection, but soon learned that he and Karen were a couple. Things were initially cool between them, but the temptation of playing more pranks on Dwight soon loosened Jim up and he and Pam resumed their friendship. Just a week ago, Dwight had come to work and found all his office supplies (pen, pencil cup, stapler, etc.) were for sale inside the office vending machine. The best part of the pranks was that Dwight could never prove that Jim was behind them.
Everything had culminated the day before when Michael had once again closed the office without authorization and taken the employees on a "beach day" picnic. The "beach" was actually the semi-sandy bank of a lazy river. At the picnic he had announced that the next day he, Jim and Karen would be going to New York for the promotion interviews. Confident that he would secure the position, Michael devised a series of contests to see who would be his successor in Scranton. He told everyone to just have fun, but instructed Pam, "I want you to keep detailed notes of everything that is said and done today."
To which she mumbled, "right...I never get to have any fun so why should today be any different." Of course the notes weren't really necessary because everything that went on in the office had been recorded for months by a film crew making a documentary. By the end of the day, Michael had appointed Dwight as his successor.
Jim had sought out Pam as she wandered by the riverbank and told her, "you know the reason I took the transfer to Stamford was because I couldn't stand to see you with Roy...I wanted to be anywhere but here. Even when I came back...I was not really...back."
"Well I wish you would," she confessed, "because I missed you, and the fun we used to have. Good luck tomorrow."
As soon as the trio left for New York the next morning, Dwight began to assert his reign over the office...he even started to paint Michael's (now his) office completely black. "Everyone will be intimidated by this color when they enter my domain," he declared, "also I will be installing video surveillance cameras in the office...there is already one in this room, but no one knows where it is." Wandering over to the reception desk, he whispered to Pam, "I would like you to be my Secret Assistant to the Regional Manager. I can sense there is resistance in the ranks to my power coup and I need a spy."
"I accept," Pam readily agrees and tells the documentary group when Dwight walks away, "Jim always told me to accept anytime Dwight asks me to be "secret" anything."
In New York, Michael is told by corporate executive David Wallace that he is actually interviewing for the job of his on again/off again girlfriend Jan, who is about to be fired. Michael recently resumed his relationship with Jan (who also works in the New York office) after admiring the results of her breast-enhancement procedure. Of course he immediately disobeys, tells Jan, and she storms into Wallace's office to make a scene. She grabs her breasts and demands, "it's because of these, isn't it."
Wallace corrects her, "Jan it's because your work has become nonexistent. You're never in the office and when you are, you're on the phone with Michael." She refuses to leave the office and is escorted off the property by Security. Wallace tells Michael that he will not be getting the promotion, but the position in Scranton is still his. Michael, of course, plays the chivalrous role and tells Jan that he refused the promotion because of the way she was treated.
Jim's interview proceeded flawlessly. David Wallace joked that, "I don't know how I would feel having a Sixers fan here. Jim you are clearly a very personable, competent guy who gets along with everybody."
To which Jim replied, "I'm sorry, is the question, "how did I get to be so awesome," I don't have an answer."
Wallace continues, "it's just a formality, but do you have you sales reports for the last quarter." Jim fumbles through his file, knowing that Pam had graciously copied them for him, and is stunned when a small gold-foil yogurt lid falls out with a note that reads, "don't forget us when you're famous," and is signed, "Pam." They had used the yogurt lids as medals for an impromptu "Office Olympics" once when Michael and Dwight were out of the office. His eyes involuntarily watered as he thought of Pam, knowing she was his true love. Eventually, although it was clear the promotion was his for the taking, he told David Wallace to withdraw him from consideration.
In Scranton, a depressed Pam decides to go for a liquid lunch at a nearby restaurant called Poor Richard's, a place that some of the office employees frequented. She was going to go the the nearest Chili's, but remembered that she had been banned from all Chili's because at the last "Dundies" party, she had taken half-full drinks from nearby tables, gotten completely wasted, and had fallen off her stool onto the floor. They had actually taken a copy of her driver's license and distributed it to the entire chain (supposedly). Losing count of the number of margaritas she ordered, while consuming very little food, all Pam could think about was that she had missed her opportunity with Jim. Noticing the way she stumbled to the register, the restaurant owner had called a cab to take her back to Dunder-Miflin.
As soon as she took her seat behind the Receptionist's desk, too drunk to do anything but press the HOLD button on the phone when it rang, Michael burst into the office announcing, "I'm back...and I'm never leaving...ever." Dwight was stunned, of course, as was Michael when he saw his office painted black, "what is going on here...it looks like the set of some low budget porno movie. Now get your stuff out of my office."
Dwight wandered over the the Receptionist's desk and whispered to Pam, "I just wanted to say that you performed you duties as Secret Assistant to the Regional Manager admirably."
Her head swimming, Pam looked blankly up and saluted him, adding, "it was my pleasure."
The margaritas now taking full effect on her libido, Pam was growing more horny by the minute, wishing Jim were there but knowing she may never see him again. Everyone in the office, including the documentary crew were still out to lunch as she stumbled into Michael's office. "Hey Pam-a-lam-a-ding-dong," he joked, "did you miss me."
He watched as she shuffled to the inside windows and closed all the blinds, softly shut the door and then calmly said, "you've always stared at my ass, haven't you."
"That's what she said," he laughed, flustered at her statement. "Is this some kind of HR test...did Jan set you up to this."