A/N: This chapter is really, really long. I hadn't realized that there was still so much left, but everything is covered. This is also the second to last chapter, so I hope you enjoyed it. I'm working on my next story, so expect that one in the coming week, if midterms allow. Thanks again for all the reviews, means a lot. The last chapter will be up very soon, if not tomorrow.
8:56 pm
Michael and the accountants are finalizing Michael's taxes. Oscar is making the final calculations, Michael is filling out the appropriate spaces on his 1040s, Angela is reevaluating Michael's progress, and Kevin is bellyaching.
Kevin is checking the time on his watch, "(sighs heavily) I can't believe I missed 'Deal and No Deal' for this. Stacey and I were supposed to watch it together. Man."
Angela looks over to Kevin with an indifferent expression, "We all had plans for this evening. (looking towards the door, thinking of Andy) No use complaining. It's nearly nine, now anyway.
Oscar looked kind of sullen, "I had tickets to a sporting event. They're no good to me now."
Kevin curious, "Ooh, what? Phillies? Pirates?"
Oscar looking at Kevin arrogantly, "Please, I had tickets to a real sport."
OSCAR TALKING TO THE CAMERA:
Folding his arms with a resolute expression,"If figure skating isn't a sport, I don't know what is!"
Michael not phased by the conversation at hand asked, "Could I put Jan as a dependent, even though were not married?"
Oscar looked at Michael as if he was ludicrous, "For the last time Michael, NO!"
9:47 pm
Oscar was stapling the final forms for the filing, smiling with finality, "We're finally finished."
Kevin standing up stretching, "Thank God. I thought I was gonna die in this chair."
Angela glaring at Kevin, "Like anyone was gonna clean up that mess."
As Oscar passed the final forms to Michael, who was putting them into a brown envelope said, "Thanks again, guys. You really saved my ass."
All three accountants gave very dull and mumbled 'you're welcome's. Kevin gave Michael a raised fist.
As Michael was putting on his jacket his phone rang for the umpteenth time that evening, "I thought I turned that off."
Oscar looking curiously, "Who's been calling you all this time?"
Michael waving it off, "Just Jan. Probably wondering where I am."
Oscar and Angela froze at Michael words. Angela stunned asked, "You didn't tell Jan where you were? Why?"
Michael chuckling at their reactions, "Why would I do that? I'd just worry her." Looking at everyone's expressions, "What? It's not like she could have helped. Right?"
Oscar in complete disbelief rubs his face in frustration, "Yes, Michael. She could have helped you. Half of the stuff we did, she could have easily done."
Michael, realizing what he has done chuckles uneasily, "Oh, sorry guys. It's just that (face gets scrunched, choking up) Jan's been bitching a lot lately and is always crying 'cause we're broke (begins to cry) and crying about how fat she's getting and that she's unemployed and (talking faster, still crying) that no one wants to talk to her or hire her and that I'm all she has (cries harder) and I just didn't want to worry her anymore than needed be. I just wanted to give (cries even harder) her some (sniffs) some peace of mind, is all."
As Michael is crying in his hands, Kevin walks over and gives Michael a comforting rub on his back, "That's relationships, man. Stacey's been getting fat for years, but I stick around. Love is pain, my friend. Love is pain."
Nodding all-knowingly, Kevin continues to rubs Michael's back when Michael gets overwhelmed and comes in for a hug. (Speaking into Kevin's neck) "Thank you." Kevin just continues to nod, as if this display of affection is the norm.
At this sight, Angela rolls her eyes and Oscar scratches the back of his neck. Clearly his throat, "Ahem… um… we kinda need to get going. It's nearly ten."
Michael realizing the time, he lets go of Kevin and adjusts his jacket, "C'mon, troops. (Clapping his hands) Let's send some taxes."
Oscar looks around making sure everything is in order, "Michael, you have both copies, one for the IRS, one for Corporate?"
Michael holding up both envelopes, "Check and Check. (beat) Checkmate." Laughing at his joke as usual, Kevin laughs at it too, "Good one."
Angela, who obviously wants this all to end, "Will you three come on, you have to get to the post office before it closes."
Michael, seemingly more upbeat shouts, "I just have to go into my office for something." (Fifteen minutes later) "Alright, (claps his hands) last one to Oscar's car is a rotten egg!"
Angela sighs exasperatedly, "Finally."
Oscar, new to this news, "Wait, you're riding with me?"
Michael, looking at Oscar like the answer is obvious, "Duh. Who else would I ride with. No car, remember?"
Oscar, completely taken by surprise by this revelation, "(sighs) Oh God."
IN THE PARKING LOT:
As Michael is running to Oscar's car, Angela walks towards her car. She says to Oscar, "Good luck. Make sure he gives the envelopes directly to the people. With our luck, he'd put them through the slot to 'save time'. Goodnight." As Angela takes off the car alarm, she shouts over her shoulder to Kevin, "See you tomorrow."
Kevin, who was talking to Oscar waved goodbye. Kevin asks Oscar, "After you drop Michael off, you wanna grab a drink at Poor Richard's. I was heading that way, you want in?"
Oscar, looking at Michael as he dances around Oscar's car at his victory of getting there first, he replies, "You buyin'?" Kevin nods. Oscar nods, "I'll see ya there in like 20 minutes."
IN OSCAR'S CAR:
As Michael is rubbing Oscar's car's console, he says wordlessly, "Man, the German do it right, huh?"
Oscar rolls his eyes, "Buckle up, Michael."
As they pull out of the parking lot, Michael waves goodbye at Kevin, who is next to them. Looking back at Oscar, "We had a good time, didn't we? Had some great food, had a few laughs –
Oscar points out, "You did that."
Michael not listening, " – even had some tears."
Oscar points out again, "You also did that."
Michael not phased. "Yep, good times. Good times."
After another ten minutes of Michael ranting about how lousy the Phillies are doing, Oscar points out, "Hey, we're here." Looking at the long line outside the post office, "(Under his breath) Wow, and I thought there was only one idiot in this town."
As they get out of the car, Oscar pulls out his cell phone and calls Kevin, "Hey man, looks like I might be a little longer than I hoped, I'll see ya in a half hour." As Michael and Oscar pass the line of people waiting in line to get to the end, someone recognizes Michael, "Hey Michael."
Caught off guard, Michael looks around until he sees the person who called him, "Meredith? What are you doing here?"
Meredith shows them an envelope, "Well, when you and Oscar were fighting about doing your taxes at the office, (gesturing to Michael) I remembered that I hadn't done mine either. Guess it must have slipped my mind." Chuckles a little until she sees Oscar's expression of shock, recoils. "So, you finally got yours done too, huh?"
Michael nudging Oscar in the arm, "Not without the help of my amazing accountants."
Oscar simply shrugs, "It was nothing."
At that moment, a patron standing behind Meredith taps Michael on the shoulder, "Hey Buddy. (points his thumb behind him) Back of the line!"
Meredith, seemingly annoyed, stands up for Michael, "Hey, buzz off! Can't you see we're talking here!" Gestures to Michael and Oscar. "Go bother someone else ,will ya?"
The patron, obviously offended, "Hey, wait a minute –
At that moment, Meredith did a crude hand gesture, having the angry patron recoil. Michael and Oscar recoiled slightly as well. Apologizing, "Sorry, (speaking loud enough for the bothered patron to here) just these guys get under my skin."
Michael, speaking quiet enough for only Meredith to hear him, "Thanks for letting us cut." Meredith just gives him a quick wink, which however gave Michael a creepy feeling.
INSIDE THE POST OFFICE:
Meredith is the next in line, which Michael and Oscar are after her. Michael is adjusting his weight back and forth on the balls of his feet, impatiently waiting. "God, how long does it take to send out a couple of envelopes. Geez."
Oscar, however is only able to resort to rolling his eyes, too tired to argue. Looking at his watch, which reads 10:54, he too, is wondering what the hold up is.
The patron in front of Meredith is haphazardly filling out her address on the top left corner of her envelope. Seemingly finished, she hands back her envelope to the cashier. "Wait a minute, I forgot a stamp." She shakes her head at her overlooked mistake.
Michael, reaching his breaking point blurts, "Oh, come on! You gotta be kidding me!"
Oscar agitated as well tries to calm down Michael, "We only have her than Meredith. It won't be much longer."
"Fine." Michael thinking about Jan for the first time since she calls remembers, "Hey, could we stop by McDonald's on the way back to my place. I'm sure Jan must be starving."
Oscar, who has found a new level of tolerance for Michael shrugs, "Yeah, sure. Let's just get this over and done with."
Michael, finding a place to use his favorite anecdote yarns, "That's what she said."
At that moment, Meredith finished up at the window, "Okay, well, see ya guys in (checking her watch) 9 ½ hours." Laughing, she waves goodbye to Michael and Oscar and leaves.
Michael and Oscar walk up to the window. Michael pulls out the envelopes out his pocket and hands them to the women. "Would that be all?", the cashier asks as she is tallying up their total. Michael and Oscar nod. "Okay, that will be $8.26." Michael hands her the money and gets back the receipt.
As they walk back to the car Michael gives an unaware Oscar a bear hug, "We did it! We sent my taxes! Oh yeah! Oh yeah! We did it." He proceeds to do a 'happy dance', which is very similar to the 'cabbage patch'.
Oscar can't help but laugh, admitting he too is relieved that this ordeal is over. "Come on, let's get you home."
As Michael is running over to the other side of the car shouts, "Don't forget, we need to go to McDonald's."
Oscar nodding, gets in the car, "Let's go to McDonald's."
IN FRONT OF MICHAEL'S CONDO:
Michael, standing aside the car with the door open, "Thanks for driving me home. And thanks again for everything. You're a real pal."
Oscar gave a nonchalant smile, "No big deal. Just doing my job." Giving Michael a wave, "Have a good night."
Michael taps the roof a couple of times and shuts the door. As Michael is walking up the sidewalk to his door, he turns around and gives Oscar a final wave as Oscar drives away.
MICHAEL TALKING TO THE CAMERA BEING USED A VOICEOVER:
Before the trip to the postal office:
Michael is reading from his computer, which is on Dictionary .com, " 'Camaraderie - Goodwill and lighthearted rapport (mispronounced) between or among friends.' (Looks at the camera) Hmm. (Points at the computer screen) That's what an office is about. That's what this office is all about. We enjoy each other's company. (Footage of Michael playfully hitting Stanley, who looks annoyed) We make each other laugh. (Footage of a conference room meeting, Michael is laughing, no one else is) We help each other out. (Footage of Oscar and Michael in front of the post office) It's what we do. I'd do anything for them, and I'm sure that they would do the same for me." Nods in reflection
After the day's events:
Oscar in his car, "Yeah, I mainly did it because if I didn't, I would most likely have been deposed. (looks more stern) Trust me, no one wants to be a part of that fiasco."
Angela standing along side her car in the parking lot, "I take pride in my work, no matter what may transpire. (looking thoughtfully) Even though it may include a complete nitwit, it is still my job.
Kevin standing next to his car in the parking lot holding his leftovers from 'Hooters', "Yeah, I did for the Hooters. There's always Hooters." (smiles stifling a giggle)
MICHAEL TALKING TO THE CAMERA:
His previous talking head:
My employees, my comrades, my friends. (thinks about it in reflection) My friends. They saved my ass today, (Footage of Michael walking into his condo with a bag of McDonald's in his hand) and that is something that Ryan will never understand.
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This is actually the end of the episode, but I have a great tag that should be up by the end of today.
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As always, PLEASE REVIEW!!!!