PAPER RINGS ━━ Jim Halpert ¹

LVI. DISABILITY 101

          For once, it felt like a normal day. Michael hadn't grilled his foot and Dwight hadn't run head first into a giant pole. They were there to work and be present. "You're a good dance partner," Evelyn said. Their hands fell apart and Dwight huffed, clearly out of breath, taking a seat at his desk. Her hands moved to her waist with a sigh.

          The door to the break room popped open, Michael's voice tearing the employees away from what they were doing. "Can I have everyone's attention, please?" he asked. "Phyllis... Oscar... Ryan, who is supposed to be dead." Confusion played on the woman's face as she slowly sat down on the corner of Jim's desk. "Can I ask you all a question?"

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EVELYN
Cue the dramatics.

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          "Do you know what it's like to be disabled?" Michael asked, his voice cracking. Phyllis slowly raised her hand. "Um... I had scoliosis as a girl," she replied. Michael scoffed. "Never heard of it. No... a real disability. Not a woman's trouble."

          "Scoliosis is a real disability," Evelyn argued, "It's a sideways curvature of the spine." His sharp gaze landed on the brunette. He obviously didn't care. He was too much in his own feelings. "When I was a teenager, I was in an iron lung," Creed said. Both Evelyn and Jim turned curiously toward the older man. "Wha– How are yo– No, it– Look, the point is... I am the only one here who has a legitimate disability. Although I'm sure Stanley has had his fair share of obstacles," Michael continued.

          "I'm not disabled, and neither are you," Stanley replied in a bored tone. Frustrated, Michael threw his crutch across the room, kicked up his foot, and let it rest on the man's desk. "Okay, what does this look like to you, Stanley?" he asked. Stanley clearly wasn't amused with their boss.

          He looked at the appendage wrapped in bubble wrap with a blank expression. "Mail boxes, et cetera," he replied. Michael glared at him in disbelief. "Shut... it," he hissed. "Okay, well... Well, you know what?" The employees watched as he hopped angrily on his uninjured foot toward his office. "Disabilities are not things to be laughed at or laughed about," he continued, picking up his thrown crutch. "You people are jerks. Imagine if you had left Stevie Wonder on the floor of that bathroom instead of me."

          "Oh, we wouldn't," Phyllis told him, "We love Stevie Wonder." Evelyn met Jim's eyes. Of all people to say that, they never expected it to be Phyllis. "Cold," Jim whispered, the woman beside him struggling to maintain her blank expression. "I burned my foot!" Michael suddenly shouted, kicking out his injured foot. He paused, heaving heavy breaths.

          "Okay," he huffed, agitated, "twenty minutes, conference room. Everybody's in there!" Evelyn pouted. She had just started really enjoying her day. She glanced over at Dwight, noticing the confused look on his face. He was staring at Creed, silently, taking in every bit of the old man's features. "Dad?" he whispered.

          Her mouth opened in surprise, her head turning toward the camera. Something isn't right, she thought. Creed only stared back at Dwight while his papers printed.

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          "While we are waiting for our special guests to arrive, I wanted you all to take a look at a few of the many, many disabled icons who have contributed so much to our society," Michael said as everyone made their way into the conference room. Evelyn sat down beside Jim, sitting between him and Angela. "Quick question," the man next to her said.