Thirty-love, Charles.
Two months into her marriage with Trey,
Charlotte's life appeared to be a bed of roses.
You bastard!
At least, that's what it looked like to an objective onlooker.
Can you believe my boys have been playing against each other
since prep school?
And they're still not tired of it.
Come on! Let the girls play.
She's wearing pastels. It's whites only.
Come on, you old fuddy-duddy!
I think we can make an exception this one time.
Trey, your father would roll over in his grave
if he heard you talking like that.
Well, I don't think Charlotte's been issued
a copy of the MacDougal house rules.
No, but I think it's time I got one.
You'll find it next to the Bible, on your bed stand.
Very funny.
Tradition is a very undervalued virtue.
You know, girls, when you marry a MacDougal, you're marrying history.
Yes, well... I guess I better go change.
Charlotte had no interest
in hearing any more about the MacDougal family history.
Her history with Trey was depressing enough.
After a few half-baked attempts at a fulfilling sex life,
Trey seemed to give up.
The only place he even tried to score nowadays
was on the tennis court.
-Good morning. -Morning.
Beautiful... roses.
Thank you.
I don't know what it is. I'm strangely drawn to him.
Of course you are. You know the man can plough.
He had the most intoxicating scent.
Like, sweat mixed with something else, something sweet yet pungent.
-Manure? -And these full, sensuous lips.
Does he water plants in Manhattan?
This is insane. I'm married. I can't be looking at gardeners.
Honey, what's the point of being in the suburbs,
if you're not gonna fuck a gardener?
He is so tan and muscular.
And the sweat ran down from his chest onto his perfectly defined stomach.
See, you read a couple Harlequin romances in high-school,
haunt you the rest of your life.
Okay. Whatever you do, don't look up.
Oh, my God.
My god, did you see the way she looked at me?
Did you see the look her friend shot us?
Contempt, like I was Pol Pot or something.
He's dead.
Yeah. I'm sure she wishes I was.
Who does she think she is?
Big's wife.
God, that was awful. I can't believe that there's a person in New York
who could hate me that much.
Oh, God.
After lunch, I was so devastated by Natasha's withering look
that I decided my only recourse was to go shopping.
But I took a wrong turn looking for the right shoes,
and somewhere south of Houston Street I quite literally lost my direction.
Oh!
Excuse me sir, I know this sounds ridiculous,
but can you tell me which way is West Broadway?
Give me your bag.
-What? -Your bag.
-It's a baguette. -Let me have it.
I couldn't believe it. Fifteen years in New York,
and just when the city was getting safe, I was getting mugged.
-Is this for real? -Your watch and your ring. Quick.
Oh, Jesus.
-This won't... -Come on.
And your Manolo Blahniks.
What?
-No. -Give me your fucking Blahniks.
These guys weren't just after money anymore.
They were after fashion.
Please, sir, they're my favorite pair.
I got them half price at a... at a sample sale.
Thanks.
Oh. Oh!
Somebody... somebody stop him, he took my strappy sandals!
Oh! Please, somebody... Ow!
Ugh! Gross!
I've been robbed!
I've... I've been robbed.
And then he said, "Give me your Manolo Blahniks,"
which I thought was a joke.
And the next thing I know,
I'm barefoot on a New York City sidewalk in the middle of summer.
So, anything else other than the watch,
and the bag, and the ring, and the shoes?
My dignity.
Oh!
-My God, are you all right? -Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks for coming.
-I can't believe he took your shoes. -I know!
-Probably got trichinosis. -You only get that from pork.
Oh! Well, I'm sure I stepped on a piece of it somewhere.
Uh-huh.
Hey, um...
Detective Stevens, this is my friend, my lawyer, Miranda Hobbes.
Nice to meet you. Any chance of catching this guy?
Uh, we hope so.
Maybe you can come along with me and read him his Miranda rights.
-Sorry, that was a little lame. -No, that was funny. A little cop humor.
You Irish?
No. Why?
'Cause you have beautiful red hair.
I guess anybody can be Irish with the right colorist.
That's very funny.
A sense of humor, I like that in a lawyer. It's very rare.
Well, uh...
Miss, I'm gonna get back to you as soon as I have something.
Can I have your card? I will need your card...
Sure.
-I mean, just in case. -Sure.
Thanks.
Oh, no. I can't wear these.
Well, I'll call you.
I don't understand this. I get mugged, and you get him?
Oh, I guess that's my karma.
Just because he said he's gonna call doesn't mean he's going to.
What are you talking about?
-The man was smitten with you. -Oh.
He probably wants free legal advice. That's generally my karma.
That evening, Samantha discovered
that her number had been passed around as well.
Hey, this is a message for Sam Jones.
Sam, if you're getting this, it's Brian.
I'll see you tomorrow around 10:00. Can't wait. Later.
Sam? Sam, are you there?
Sam! Anyway, this is Rob, Mike's friend.
You don't know me, but I'll be there tomorrow night
with some very fine party favors.
- Hello, Sam? -Yes, this is Sam.
-Sam Jones? -Yes. This is Sam Jones. Who is this?
The Sam Jones who's having the big blow-out party tomorrow night?
Exactly who is this Sam Jones?
And where is this fabulous party?
The next evening, Miranda had a date with my detective.
Hello?
I'm having an anxiety attack.
The most gorgeous man I've ever met
has been in my living room for 20 minutes
-and I can't figure out what to wear. -All right, breathe.
Now shut your eyes, and go with your first instinct.
The problem is I've been in here for 20 minutes.
By now, he thinks I'm some kind of a freak.
Um...
I'll be right there.
What are you getting so worked up about?
He's too good-looking for me. He's out of my league.
I don't have any outfits that go with Hunk.
Wait, wait. Wait a minute. Maybe this is karma.
You're finally getting what you deserve.
Right.
Maybe after years of dating odd men, the universe is throwing me a bone.
And if you're lucky, a boner as well.
Okay, I can do this.
Right. Now go have fun.
Hey, and tell Detective Stevens if he sees a woman
wearing last year's pink suede Manolo Blahnik strappy sandals,
bring her in for questioning immediately.
-Bye. -Bye.
While I always ascribed thoughts about karma
to the fortune-cookie school of psychology,
I wondered, does a string of bad dates really equal one good one?
And will treating someone badly in one relationship
ensure that you'll be treated badly in the next?
Does everything that goes around really come around?
And if so, will it come around to bite you in the ass?
Is there such a thing as relationship karma?
Later that night, I agreed to accompany Samantha to a party
thrown by the mysterious Sam Jones.
I can't believe we're going to the party of a total stranger.
He's not a total stranger, we do share the same name.
Why are you walking so slow?
I keep waiting for someone to jump out of the bushes and steal my bra.
Oh, look.
If the guy's a loser, I'll tell him to stop having his friends call me,
and we'll go for dinner. If not, who knows?
His friends sounded cute on the phone.
How can you tell if someone's cute over the phone?
I can. Besides, Washington Square, very money address.
And I just feel like there's some kind of cosmic purpose to all this.
It's... it's just too much of a coincidence.
So, what do you think the cosmic purpose was
of my getting snubbed by Natasha the other day?
Okay.
If I told you I had a piece of information about Big and Natasha,
would you consider it a cosmic connection
or just a random act of gossip?
I guess I'd have to hear it first.
Natasha left Big. Their marriage is over.
She's back to working for Ralph Lauren.
Oh, my God.
Who told you that?
A little bird I fucked at Ralph Lauren.
And you waited 15 blocks to tell me that?
I wanted you to have fun at the party.
I can't believe I'm responsible for breaking up their marriage.
You are not responsible.
It probably wouldn't have worked anyway.
I don't think I could feel any worse.
Oh. Here we are.
It's a dorm.
Well, look at that, I feel worse.
You think all these cute boys are still in college?
Yes.
Well, I'm going to find Sam Jones, and then we're outta here.
Excuse me. Could you tell me where I can find Sam Jones?
-Sam Jones? -Yeah. Who are you?
Sam Jones.
Excuse me?
Well, it appears that we have a little problem here.
We have the same name, the same exchange,
and it appears I'm getting all of your fucking calls.
Well, if you're getting all my "fucking" calls,
I guess that explains why I'm still a virgin.
And while Samantha was wondering
what kind of message the universe was trying to send her,
Miranda had no doubt.
Well, this was really fun, and I would invite you in,
but you've already been in, and I've got a really huge day tomorrow,
which isn't to say I wouldn't like to see you again.
I really would, that is, if you'd like to see me.
Although, it's--
I'll call you.
Okay.
Bye.
She felt like she had just hit the cosmic jackpot.
Please don't tell anyone we were here.
-Some of those boys were cute. -Some of those boys
-are young enough to be your-- -Don't you dare say it.
Excuse me, ladies.
Excuse me, ladies. Excuse me, Mom.
Ow!
Stop!
Natasha fell down the stairs, now I fall down the stairs.
This is an open and shut case of karmic retribution.
Those guys were drunk. It was an accident.
This was not an accident.
Yesterday, I get mugged, favorite shoes gone,
and now I can't even get a freaking taxi.
And I can always get a taxi. My karma is shot.
Well, if everything happens for a reason,
why am I getting all those calls for Sam Jones?
What's the karmic connection there?
I don't know about your karma, I only know about my own karma.
Maybe the universe is telling me that I should fuck that cute virgin
and give him the great first-time experience that I never had.
That's not karma, that's statutory rape.
- Taxi! -Taxi!
-Here, here.
-Come on. Hey! -Hey!
What's up?
- Meanwhile across town,
Charlotte was getting a message of her own.
-Wake up. Wake up.
Wake up. Wake up.
-Huh? -A nightmare. You're having a nightmare.
Oh.
-You're all wet. -Mmm.
Later that week,
my knee still hurting from my karmic trip down the stairs,
I decided to take matters into my own hands.
Ralph Lauren. Natasha's desk. Kathy speaking.
Yes. I'd like to speak to Natasha, please.
-It's Carrie Bradshaw calling. -What's this regarding?
-Uh, its... it's personal. -Hold.
I didn't know how to tell an assistant
that it was a matter of cosmic significance.
-She's in a meeting. -Oh, I'll hold.
I don't mean to be rude, but you'll be holding forever.
-Okay then, I'll... I'll hold forever.
Obviously, this wasn't gonna be easy. I had some tough karma to overcome.
The next week, Charlotte flirted with her own karma.
Where did you get such a green thumb?
Runs in the family. We're gardeners for three generations.
What a wonderful tradition.
I'm Charlotte, by the way. Trey's wife.
I know. I'm... I'm Burt.
These roses are so beautiful. What kind are they?
A special hybrid of American Beauty.
-They're very fragrant.
And Charlotte's karma flirted back in a most unexpected way.
Downtown,
Samantha was working out some karmic issues of her own.
I just came over to apologize for all those calls.
Oh!
Thank you.
Anything else?
I've been waiting for a woman like you my whole life.
You are the hottest thing I've ever seen.
Slow down.
Oh!
Oh, Lord. Oh, my Lord!
Oh, here we go.
That was awesome.
Yes, it was.
Sam?
Yes, Sam?
I think I love you.
Oh, honey, that wasn't love.
That was sex.
No, ma'am. I...
I love you.
Okay.
Time to move.
Do I have to?
Oh, yes. I've got stuff to do.
Good-bye to the sweetest lips I've ever kissed.
Buh-bye.
Later that night, the MacDougals
were enjoying their cocktail hour,
which generally lasted from 5:00 p.m. to last man standing.
Beat you three sets in a row, Charles.
We didn't finish that last set, damn it. It was getting dark, as you recall.
Boys, stop bickering.
- Sandwiches, ma'am? -No.
No, thank you.
Well...
I certainly had an interesting day.
I went riding in the morning.
In the afternoon, I took a long walk around the property
and saw Charlotte kissing the gardener.
Charlotte, you're a MacDougal now.
And back in the city, Samantha came home to discover
that the universe had sent her many messages.
You have 35 new messages.
Sam, it's Sam Jones. call me. I can't stop thinking about you.
Sam! Hi.
I have to see you tonight. It's really important.
Sam, it's Sam. Listen, I...
I don't think I can live without you, okay?
Okay, Sam.
Sam, are you there, babe?
I have to see you tonight. It's really important.
Sam!
Okay, Sam. It's Sam.
And across town,
Miranda met her karmic treasure for dinner.
And after almost ten years at the firm, I finally made partner two months ago.
Or was it three? I'm losing track.
-Congratulations. -Thank you.
Can I get you another drink?
Oh, another double vodka martini, please.
And you, sir?
Oh, I'm fine.
-Would you care to order? -Could we just have a minute?
Take your time.
You know what I thought about law school?
Of course, I loved Columbo so much growing up as a kid...
Miranda realized that every woman in the room
was staring at her date.
That's the kind of case, typical case that I see on the job.
Turns out, it's not as exciting as you might think. It's not homicide...
And she knew what they were thinking.
What is that incredibly attractive man doing with her?
If your friend didn't lose her shoes, then...
I wouldn't be sitting here right now.
Here you go.
Thank you.
So, she drank to feel better about herself.
And six vodka martinis later, she was feeling pretty damn good.
God, you're hot.
And you're a little drunk. You know that?
I'm fine. I'm great.
Hot, hot, hot.
You may be the most beautiful man that I've ever been with.
You know what, you're not so bad yourself.
Well, I'm no Mena Suvari, but I'm great in bed.
-Who-- -Shh!
When Trey didn't come to bed that night,
Charlotte went looking for him.
What are you doing out here?
Improving my serve.
Trey stop. You're upset, and what I did was so wrong.
-And I'm... I'm sorry. -Well, what can I say?
I'm apparently unable to meet your needs,
so from time to time, as much as I detest it,
I guess, I'm just gonna have to look the other way.
I don't want a husband who looks the other way.
I want a husband who takes me in his arms
and makes me not want to kiss the gardener.
Charlotte, no marriage is perfect.
And so much of what we have is wonderful.
We can have separate lives and still be together.
It's totally acceptable.
As Charlotte looked at her perfect husband
on his perfect tennis court,
at their family's perfect country house,
she realized the one thing that was missing
was that perfect connection with an imperfect person.
Trey?
When we get back to the city,
I think that we should separate for a while.
All righty.
Seven unreturned phone calls, and still no response from Natasha.
The Buddhists believe
you pay for what you do wrong in this life, in the next.
I knew what I'd done.
I just didn't think I could wait a lifetime to be forgiven.
The next morning,
Miranda woke up with the worst hangover of her life.
Detective Stevens?
On her hall table,
she discovered that Detective Stevens had left a number.
For her local AA chapter.
-And downtown,
Samantha got her karmic retribution.
I love you, Sam Jones!
She realized that in screwing Sam Jones,
she wound up screwing herself.
- I love you, Sam Jones!
A couple of days later,
Charlotte came home to her old apartment.
It was good fortune that she had only sublet it,
not to mention good sense.
Not wanting to come back in my next life as a dung beetle,
I asked Samantha's assistant to pump Natasha's assistant
to find out where she was having lunch.
I need to talk to you.
I'm gonna scream.
Please don't. I'm only gonna stay a minute.
I tried to call you at work, but...
Anyway, it's not important.
Okay.
Can I have a sip of this?
Thanks.
I heard about your marriage.
And it's...
just so terrible.
I never, never meant for any of this to happen.
And if there was something that I could do to take it all away, I would.
But I can't.
So, I came here today because I needed to say how sorry I am.
I am deeply sorry for what I did to you.
It was wrong.
And I'm sorry.
Are you through?
Yes.
Thank you for listening.
Wait.
I'm sorry, too.
You are?
Yes.
I'm sorry about it all.
I'm sorry he moved to Paris and fell in love with me.
I'm sorry that we ever got married.
I'm sorry he cheated on me with you,
and I'm sorry that I pretended to ignore it for as long as I did.
I'm sorry I found you in my apartment,
fell down the stairs and broke my tooth.
I'm very sorry that after much painful dental surgery
this tooth is still a different color than this tooth.
Finally, I'm sorry that you felt the need to come down here.
Now, not only have you ruined my marriage,
you've ruined my lunch.
I guess that's just what I had to say.
Natasha.
I was just leaving.
As I walked away, I realized
my actions had set into motion a karmic chain of events
that put Natasha back on the singles market.
As if single women in New York didn't have it hard enough.
And somewhere out there, Big was alone again.
The universe may not always play fair,
but at least it's got a hell of a sense of humor.