callofkaren | [Lecture Circuit.]

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[Lecture Circuit.]

After enough time spent on the island and getting to learn its varying levels of weirdness, Karen knew there was nothing she could really do when, for three days in a row, all she get off the bookshelf was the same reel of The Office. And she knew if she ever wanted to watch another movie or read another book or comic or magazine again, she was going to have to give in and watch it.

Didn't mean she had to like it.

The last time Karen had seen an Office reel had been so long ago, it felt. Like an entire lifetime had passed in a year, and remembering watching that first one, the looks on Jim and Pam's faces, seemed like a weird, barely remembered dream. She knew there was nothing she could really do, or nothing could really get worse than the last one she'd watched — she'd made it to regional manager, hadn't she? Whatever version of herself was back home was doing okay, and so was she.

That didn't mean she couldn't shake the nerves as she set the reel up during one of the relatively slow times in the compound, hoping there was nothing too embarrassing she couldn't explain away if anyone wandered over. She at least had the faint hope that anything she could do couldn't be worse than the best thing Michael Scott ever did.

As she started watching, the reel opening with Michael being Michael, Karen's nerves slowly melted away until she was actually giggling along. It was like nothing had changed at Scranton, except Jim's desk. Of course, when Michael explained what he and Pam were doing on the road, Karen saw exactly where it was going.

Still, it was a bit comforting to know that Scranton was as batshit insane as ever.

Karen prided herself in being smart enough to follow along and prepare herself for the weirdness that would be watching herself onscreen. She could take it, right? Nothing could be worse than that first time watching with Jim and Pam. She could have done without the knowledge that Michael pictured her naked. Hey, there was her voice and there she was, looking—

She blinked.

And then, practically echoing Michael but at a higher and more shocked tone, "Oh my GOD."

Half of the rest of the episode flew by Karen's wide eyes as she just stared and stared, trying to process what in the hell she was watching. She was still half in shock when the explanation came, and barely registered Michael's stupid mouth or any awkwardness. All Karen could focus on was the strange, almost disconnected feeling that came with watching herself up there being happy and starting a family.

[Find her at this scene or at this one, your pick! Dated to some arbitrary time this weekend.]

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"Yep." That was just like Andy. Even though the point two seconds she'd felt sorry for him earlier had been weird, it looked like he was still a dumbass. "That's Andy. Stanley's talking to some woman and Andy fell for her at first sight or something. I guess Stalking 101 was a class he took at Cornell."

"Wow," he said, drawing out the syllable as he watched him start up two car alarms. He didn't doubt he probably didn't get along too well with him. Any thoughts further of the subject was gone when he saw it'd switched to...wherever Karen and Michael and Pam were. Utica, if he remembered the weird thing that showed up on Karen's door right.

"It's good to see Michael's still exactly the same," he sighed, pulling a face as he realized he was lying about death to an entire group of people. Karen on screen didn't seem too pleased either.

Karen shifted a bit nervously seeing herself up on the screen again. "Sometimes I think I forget exactly how horrible he used to be, but then..." She shook her head as poor Pam threw a bunch of candy bars at everyone. "That happens."

Much as it was painful to watch, Jim found himself almost glad for the distraction.

"You get used to it after a while," he said, and it was almost sad how true that was. The sad thing was, he never really seemed to mean to be insulting. He just didn't have the normal thing in his head that kept him from opening his mouth. As it turned out, the show apparently was showing that right as he thought it. "...Did he just call that woman sugarboobs?"

"Sugarboobs," Karen just repeated, shaking her head. She almost couldn't stop, and wouldn't have been surprised if the look on her face matched the look on TV-Karen's face.

She'd never really been a fan of 'getting used to' Michael. "This is kind of amazing. In a totally horrifying way."

"Pretty good description, actually," he said, almost embarrassed for him. Whether this was a show or not, Jim knew technically this was real life for the two of them that they were watching. To start thinking of himself as just a character was probably not a great idea. It was because of that that made it hard to watch.

As was watching the Andy guy, too. Of everything he'd seen of him - this scene now, too, with him singing to Stanley and the girl - he was starting to really think he was as bad as Dwight was. "Wow. You know, I'm starting to think I'm glad I've never met this guy."

"I really want to say he wasn't this bad," Karen couldn't seem to keep from cringing. Watching Andy embarrass himself like that was almost painful, but she'd seen that kind of behavior from him before, both in Stamford and Scranton. "But then I'd be lying."

It was like the episode was bouncy between one crazy person after another. After Andy got what he wanted, it went back to Pam, Karen, and Michael. He just sort of stared as he tried to start a chainsaw.

"We're from a comedy show, right? They wouldn't have anyone get any limbs cut off on a comedy show," he said, almost as if he was trying to convince himself that. He actually felt himself a little on edge seeing him have that near the two of them. It was almost a relief to see it not start up. "I can't believe he made Pam lug that -"

He trailed off when he realized Pam was talking about the baby with her. Jim knew enough this was something she probably wanted to listen to, so he went quiet. Truth be told, he found himself a little curious about it, too.

Karen was grateful when Jim stopped talking, because as much as she appreciated a distraction as they watched, this she needed to see. The first reel she'd watched on her own had been enough to see that she'd moved on and made out okay, but this was...

Actually, Karen didn't know what this was. She was still confused and a bit shocked, but also just plain pleased to realize that she was as happy back home as she was here. And she couldn't stop noticing every time she touched her stomach on the screen.

"No," she gasped, when the camera focused on a truly dorky picture. "Oh my God, look at that," she laughed.

Jim couldn't keep the laugh that came out at the sight of Karen in a cheeseburger outfit. There was about nothing more hilarious he could picture her in.

"Wow. You make a pretty great cheeseburger, you know," he said, and it almost sounded like a compliment. He had to admit, even he was happy to see her so happy, especially after the last episode he'd seen from home.

"Shut up," she replied, though it was entirely goodnatured. God, she had to wonder how in the hell she'd been convinced into doing that. At least she'd found a guy good enough to wear a hot dog suit with her.

If Jim had been wise enough to be quiet when Karen's explanation came up, she went quiet when she asked about Jim on the screen. It hurt a little to see Pam so obviously hesitant about telling her the news, and to see her own reaction, but it was good, too.

Then, of course, Michael ruined the moment.

Jim's expression went neutral, his interest only seen when he leaned forward a little as they started to talk about the them. He felt his breath catch in his throat hearing the word 'engaged'. A part of him had always hoped he'd have something to go back to, if the island made him go back. It was like he was meant to be stuck with her wherever they were, though he wasn't really entirely surprised. He knew even now, with the Pam on the island, he felt almost exactly the same as he had before as time went on. He was still trying to make sure it was her and not his memory of her, but the line seemed to blur and disappear more and more each day.

"Wow, engaged," he said, letting out a nervous laugh. Any attempt at trying to act natural and like it didn't effect him at all was a pretty bad failure, and it was written all over his face anyway. "We must be really into the future from the last episode I saw."

He barely noticed the scene shifted again. The last one had given him plenty to think about already.

Karen knew what that hesitant pause before she congratulated Pam meant, but she also knew herself well enough to know that she had been genuine. She liked to think of herself as someone who could act like an adult and move on, and she was glad she had.

"Engaged," she said, a hint of teasing creeping into her tone as she looked over at Jim. She knew what hearing something like that had to have meant for Jim, and she gave his arm a squeeze.

Jim offered her a weak smile though he was stuck on what was said still. He barely even noticed the scene between Andy and the girl, even though he was still watching the screen. Engaged. He wasn't really sure why he was surprised, yet he was anyway.

He eventually shook it off enough to focus it was going on, and he let out a sort of half-hearted laugh seeing what was going on.

"He's pretty subtle," he said, dryly, as Andy tried to obviously find out if the girl had a boyfriend.

"Oh, I can't even watch this," Karen groaned, feeling embarrassed for Andy. It was just painful, knowing what he was like and seeing him like this. "This can't get anything but weirder."

"It's good to know Creed's still exactly the same," he said, knowing already any advice he was going to give would be bad. Unsurprisingly, he was right. "Wow. He's not really going to do that, right? I mean -"

It was probably not going to go down well, that was for sure.

"Squeaky Fromme," was all Karen could gasp, trying to hold back her laughter enough to keep from drowning out the sound. Maybe she could see why people would watch their show. They were pretty much all crazy.

She'd gotten enough of her laughter tampered down when Michael and Pam were back on, then made an indignant sound. "I am not mean! Michael's just...Michael." At least Pam liked her.

Jim found himself more than a little amused at her protest. Michael, he knew, thought anyone who didn't let him do what he wanted was mean. That was why Toby and he never got along.

"Well, I don't know," he said, looking mock thoughtful, as Pam explained to Michael why she was glad she went. "You did take away his chainsaw."

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[Lecture Circuit.]

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