The Little Things

So there's this episode from the first season of The Office called "Diversity Day". One of the major plot devices in the episode revolves around Jim, and his struggle to close a sale with a business client, one he desperately needs to make because this one client has accounted for around 25 percent of his annual sales commission in previous years. Unfortunately, he has to deal with bad reception, a required diversity training class, a power hungry coworker, and the most obnoxious and inept manager on the planet.

After missed call after missed call, by the end of the episode, Jim finally gets through to his client to close the deal. However, it turns out that during the diversity training, Dwight, the power hungry coworker, took his client from right under his nose and closed the deal under his name. You can hear the frustration in Jim's voice, from having to work in such crappy office; to have to deal with Dwight arrogance and audacity; to have to sit through a disastrous diversity training meeting set up by his manager who's oblivious to the fact that he's the reason for its requirement; and most of all, for his lost sale. Accounting for a quarter of his yearly sales commission. That in itself was the final blow.

Clearly agitated, and silent in his utter defeat, he trudges back to finish whatever's left of the training session, and sits next to Pam, his office crush. As the session winds down, Pam ends up taking a nap on Jim's shoulder. It only lasts a couple minutes, and when she wakes up, Jim tries to hide his satisfaction.

Through all of his struggles, his ordeals, his suffering.... at the end of the episode, with the simple act of having the one he loves leaning on him and sleeping on his shoulder, all Jim can say is:


"Hmmmmmm...not a bad day....."