And, at yet another "hip" "downtown" "restaurant," Berger wends his way toward Carrie, who's in a cute muted-blue satin slipdress and a cheetah-print coat over her arm, and some ridiculous old-lady hat avec veil. Oh, that hat. It's so fugly. So theatrical and ridiculous. It's so thrift-store. Right in front of their faces is a woman wearing...a scrunchie. They both see it at the same time. Carrie looks away, not wanting to cop to it. Berger relishes the moment, then says quietly to Carrie that he thinks he sees, "in Manhattan proper, standing on line at a hip downtown restaurant," a woman wearing a scrunchie. He's so smug. Carrie smiles and says through her pulled-tight lips that the woman isn't from New York. Berger immediately taps the woman on the shoulder and asks her what part of New York she lives in. The woman, fifty-ish, in a red ersatz Chanel (or should I say Channel) twinset and baby pearl necklace, plotzes. Why, honey chile, she's not from Nyoo Yor-uhk! She's from Macon, Georgia! And she's so flattered to be mistakenly identified as a New York resident that she claims Berger "made her whole night." Oh, boy. Now, while I am a total Yankee, I love the south. People have amazing manners there, and each region has a different style. Like, Nashville? Is like L.A. Memphis is probably my favorite city in the south, just because of all the great music that comes from there (that, and the food). To say this is an unflattering portrait of a Southern woman is an understatement. The one thing I really don't buy is that the woman would be flattered to be identified as a New Yorker. New Yorkers are pushy and rude! ["I believe you meant to say 'assertive.'" -- Sars] This woman is genteel as hell. But whatever -- Carrie was right, and Berger continues to resent her for it.

Now we're at an Indian restaurant. I can tell by the guy with the sitar. It's the one between 1st and 2nd Avenues with all the lights hanging from the ceiling. You may have seen it on film before. ["It's called Rose of India, if anyone's interested in making a pilgrimage, but Brick Lane a few doors down has much better food." -- Sars] Mir is ending a successful date with a peep Char hooked her up with. She offers coffee at a place around the corner, and he says he has to call it a night. She laughs and says it's okay. "You're just not that into me!" He denies it. Mir insists, with a smile on her face. "It's okay, you don't have to lie!" He looks serious and says he isn't lying. Mir challenges him to "just be a man!" He does, and after a heavy pause, he says he "has diarrhea." Then he takes quick, tiny steps away, holding his bum.