The Office - Season 3 - Episode 11, 12 and 13

OK, so I have been slacking a bit with my Office recaps - so now I will attempt to recap the last three episodes...

Episode 11 - Back From Vacation

Last episode Michael was depressed after being dumped and asks a mysterious person over the phone if they would like to join him in Jamaica. This episode starts with Michael returning from Jamaica in great spirits. He asks the planning committee to make a luau themed party. The committee thinks there isn't enough time and Michael tells them a lesson he learned on vacation "no shirts, no shoes, no problem."

Michael: At Sandals, Jamaica, when somebody says ‘hey mon,’ everybody says ‘hey mon’ back.

Michael: The Jamaicans don'’t have a word for '‘impossible'’.
Jim: Yep, it'’s English. It'’s '‘impossible'’.

Michael then is talking to Todd Packer about his trip and sends a picture of him and Jan (now we know who went) to prove they were on vacation together. It is a racy picture and instead of sending it to Packer he sent it to "packaging" where it quickly was forwarded to everyone at Dunder Miflin.

Michael: Officially, I did not see her. But I did see Jan there. In our room. At night. And in the morning. That’s all I’m going to say. Sex. We had sex. I had sex with her. I had sex with Jan.

Meanwhile Jim and Karen are having some issues because Jim doesn't want Karen to move into his neighborhood because they would just be too close then. Pam notices Jim is upset and she consoles him and tells him he should just let her move into the neighborhood. She fixes the problems between Jim and Karen and ends up very upset and crying in the hallway (where she is comforted by Dwight).

Karen: He said it would be like we were living together. In different houses. Two blocks away.

Dwight: [as he tries to comfort Pam] So you'’re PMSing pretty bad, huh?

The party begins and Jan shows up and wants to talk to Michael (who was avoiding her phone calls all day). We are all in fear that Jan knows the picture has gotten out - but instead we are surprised to hear that Jan actually has feelings for Michael (and probably has no clue about the photograph - lucky Michael!)

Jan: You’re wrong for me. In every way.

Michael: You complete me.

Episode 12 - Traveling Salesmen

We find out that Angela did not get important tax documents into corporate offices in time and Dwight (our hero!) drove all the way to NY to get the documents in on time for her. He gets into work a little late because of it.

Michael brings together his dream team sales people because today is a traveling sales day when the sales people go to the clients to get more business. Andy taunts Dwight for being late to the meeting. Michael tells them they will be pairing up (as per Andy's suggestion) to go on the sales meetings. Andy gets to pick his teammate first - and he picks Michael. Phylis picks Karen, Stanley picks Ryan, and Dwight has no choice but to pick Jim (he is the only one left).

Andy: Hey, Dwight, pass the tardy sauce.

Jim: Oh young Jim, there’s just so much I need to warn you about. And yet, tragically, I cannot.

They all head out to the parking lot and it is revealed that Dwight is still doing Michael's laundry (as his punishment for trying to steal Michael's job in episode 3 - The Coup). Michael refers to this as the Amazing Race - but without any prizes or winners. All of them are confused and head off to the sales calls - and Michael steals Phylis's keys and throws it under her car to delay her.

Andy badmouths Dwight during his entire time with Michael. Michael never bad mouths Dwight back - but Andy is just getting ammunition to screw over Dwight. At the sales call Michael talks about the personal attention and small town feel you get from Dunder Miflin and then Andy interrupts and says they are on the NY Stock Exchange (ever hear of it, it's in NY!). Afterward Andy apologizes for losing the sale, informing Michael that he really "screwed that up... I really Schruted it".

Ryan asks Stanley if he can take the lead on this sale and get critiqued from Stanley. Stanley laughs and agrees. They show up and three African American men greet Ryan and Stanley, and one is actually friends with Stanley. Ryan gets flustered and Stanley makes fun of him for it later.

Stanley: And you just said, “Hi. Hi. Hi.” You sounded like my niece. And she’s six months old!

Phylis insists that her and Karen go to the beauty salon. They walk out looking like bee-hived 1950's too much make-up housewives. Karen is confused but when they get to the sales call we see that the wife of the man they are speaking with has the same style which makes the guy relate to Phylis and Karen.

Later, Phyllis mentions her happiness for Karen and Jim's relationship as she had worried he would never overcome his crush on Pam, inadvertently revealing its existence to Karen.

Jim and Dwight are like the powerhouse when it comes to sales. Before the sales call Dwight pumps himself up by rocking out in Jim's car. They go into the sales meeting and they tag-team during the meeting. Jim talks about the personal service you get while Dwight asks to use their phone. He dials a number and waits on hold for several minutes. Then Jim calls Dunder Miflin and Kelly immediately answers, while Dwight is still on hold. That made the sale.

Dwight: Here’s my card. It’s got my cell number, my pager number, my home number, and my other pager number. I never take vacations, I never get sick, and I don’t celebrate any major holidays.

When they all return from the sales calls Karen and Jim go for coffee where Karen asks about Pam. Jim says he is over her and is happy Karen is in Scranton.

Andy steals Dwight's car keys and sees a toll receipt from NY. Andy tries to convince Michael that Dwight is going behind his back again which prompts Michael to question Dwight, call him a liar and says he will be fired for not giving an explanation for his trip to NY.

Andy: Someone told me a story about this, with, like, laundry and betrayal.

Michael: I want you to think about it long and hard.
Dwight: That’s what she said.
Michael: Don’t you dare. I want to know what you were doing this morning by the end of the day.

Dwight doesn't tell Michael why he went to NY because Angela has privacy issues about her relationship with Dwight. Instead of being fired, Dwight reads this resignation speech:

"Although I love this company more than almost anything in the world, I have decided to step down from my post and spend more time with my family. I do not fear the unknown. I will meet my new challenges head-on, and I will succeed, and I will laugh in the faces of those who doubt me. It's been a pleasure working with some of you, and I will not forget those of you soon. But remember, while today it is me, we all shall fall. In other words, I'm quitting."

Dwight: One of my life goals was to die right here, in my desk chair. And today, that dream was shattered.

Andy gloats about Dwight leaving.

Andy: [to the tune of the Oompa Loompa song] "Oompa, loompa, doompity, dawesome. Dwight is now gone, which is totally awesome. Why was he gone? He was such a nice guy. No he was not, he was a total douche. Doompity doom. "

Episode 13 - The Return
Dwight goes to work for Staples after many interviews (which he is not very good at). At one interview with a woman in a frilly pink office he lists his "three" greatest traits as "hard-working", "alpha male" and "jackhammer."

Andy is really annoying his coworkers with his nicknames, awful ringtone (Rockin Robin sung by him) and his constant ass kissing and following around Michael.

Jim: I miss Dwight. Congratulations, universe. You win.

Michael: Love that Andy, right? Solid fellow, seems smart enough. Likes me a lot. A lot. Too much. Like a crazy person a little. Not super crazy, just … there’s something about him that creeps me out. I can’t really explain it. He’s always up in my bid-ness. Which is ebonics for “being in my face and annoying the bejesus out of me.” I don’t understand how someone could have so little self-awareness.

Oscar is back in the office and Michael wants to throw a party that has something to do with Oscar - so they throw a Mexican themed party. Kevin greets Oscar back and asks him how his "gay-cation" was. Yes, he thought of that weeks ago.

Jim is growing very sick of Andy and wants to play a practical joke. Karen is too busy because she now has Dwight's clients and Ryan is just mean and Pam happily agrees to help Jim.

Karen: … each file is password-protected with a different mythical creature …

Jim: Hey, Ryan. Do you want to pull a prank on Andy?
Ryan: Not right now. But ask me again ten years ago.
Jim: I liked you better as the temp.
Ryan: Me too.

Jim: Would you like to pull a prank on Andy?
Pam: I’m kind of in the middle of … yes, please.

They steal Andy's cell phone and hide it in the ceiling and call it over and over again - driving Andy nuts because he can't find it. Andy eventually loses it and runs his fist through the wall.

Jim: You know what? Maybe it’s in the ceiling.
Andy: You know what? Maybe you’re in the ceiling!

Karen notices Jim with Pam and confronts him on it. He admits he still has feelings for Pam. Uh oh!

Angela reveals to Michael why Dwight left early. Michael thinks Dwight did this for just a normal co-worker (not his girlfriend Angela). Michael gets really sick of Andy and realizes Dwight was the best employee he ever had. Angela makes sure to note that Andy would never do anything so great for a co-worker.

Michael goes to Staples to win back Dwight. Michael admits he was wrong and Dwight accepts but asks to stop doing Michael's laundry. Michael says he will think about it. They get back to the office and Dwight asks Michael if the party is being thrown for Dwight and Michael says yes - aww poor Oscar.

Michael: I don’t want somebody sucking up to me because they think I’m going to help their career. I want them sucking up to me because they genuinely love me.

So what is going to happen now with Karen and Jim? Will she end it? Will she leave Scranton? Will Andy get fired too? Will it be back to just the old crew?

Quotes and pictures from The Office Tally
Pictures from Life in the Office
Pictures and Quotes from Wikipedia