1. Kids, when you're single,
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2. all you're looking for
is happily-ever-after,
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3. but only one of your stories
can end that way.
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4. The rest end with someone getting hurt.
This is one of those stories.
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5. - And it starts with a shirt.
- A shirt?
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6. Just listen.
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7. Because none of this
would have happened
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8. if it hadn't have been for that shirt.
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9. - Nice shirt.
- Right? Right?
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10. Look at those colors.
Green and brown, together at last.
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11. Hot top, bro. Is it new?
- That's the crazy part.
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12. I've had this shirt for, like, six years.
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13. Until this morning,
I wasn't into it at all,
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14. but now it's like my tastes have changed.
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15. - Booger.
- Yes, hello, Barney.
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16. Barney's offered me 50 bucks to say
some stupid word on a live news report.
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17. Not some stupid word. "Booger."
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18. - But I'm not doing it. I am a journalist.
- What? Journalist?
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19. You do the little fluff pieces
at the end of the news.
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20. Old people, babies, monkeys.
That's not journalism.
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21. That's just things in a diaper.
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22. For your information,
my boss is about to bump me up
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23. - to the City Hall beat.
- City Hall. Miss Thing!
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24. So I'm not gonna
jeopardize my promotion
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25. by saying "booger" for 50 bucks.
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26. Of course not.
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27. 'Cause now you're saying "nipple"
and it's $100.
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28. Step into my web.
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29. Hmm. Whose bourbon is this?
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30. I don't know.
It was here when we sat down.
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31. The point is, I seem to like bourbon now.
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32. I could have sworn I hated bourbon.
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33. First the shirt, now bourbon.
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34. I spent 27 years making up my mind
about things, right?
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35. The movie I saw once and hated,
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36. the city I'll never go back to
'cause it was raining the day I visited.
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37. Maybe it's time to start forming
some second impressions.
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38. You're finally gonna watch Goonies
again.
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39. Sloth love Chunk.
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40. Not Goonies. Girls.
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41. What if there's someone from my past
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42. who I thought was wrong for me
at the time,
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43. when, in fact, she, like this shirt,
is actually a perfect fit?
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44. Hold up. There are only two reasons
to ever date a girl you've already dated.
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45. Breast implants.
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46. This isn't a bad idea.
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47. Let's think. Ted's greatest hits.
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48. - What about that girl, Steph?
- Steph.
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49. Okay, this is difficult to say.
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50. Back when I lived in LA,
I was pretty broke,
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51. so I spent a month making adult films.
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52. Wow! Okay. How many did you make?
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53. A hundred and seventy-five.
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54. Say what you will about the porn
industry, they're hard workers.
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55. What about that chick, um, Jackie?
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56. and my bathing suit
had fallen completely off.
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57. I know the feeling. Once, when I was 16,
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58. I was driving and I hit this hitchhiker.
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59. Don't know what happened to him.
Just kept driving.
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60. Uh, no.
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61. What about Natalie?
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62. - Natalie!
- Natalie!
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63. Who's Natalie?
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64. Natalie. I had so many
fond memories of her.
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65. The tea candles on her dresser.
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66. The sock monkey collection on her bed.
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67. That one Belle and Sebastian song
she always listened to.
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68. Her smile.
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69. Man, I haven't seen her in,
like, three years.
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70. Well, why did you guys break up?
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71. I just wasn't looking
for a big commitment at the time.
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72. Course, now a big commitment
doesn't seem so bad.
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73. Maybe I should call her.
What do you guys think?
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74. You dumped a porn star?
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75. Friendship over.
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76. Friendship over!
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77. - Come in.
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78. All right, get back to me then.
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79. - You wanted to see me, Mr. Adams?
- Yes, I did.
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80. I need you to cover a story.
It's down at City Hall.
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81. City Hall? Oh, my God.
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82. So next time you're passing City Hall,
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83. make sure and stop by
New York's oldest hot dog cart.
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84. Today, a delicious hot dog
will cost you $2.50,
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85. but back when the stand
first opened in 1955,
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86. you could get one for only a nipple.
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87. Reporting live, Robin Scherbatsky,
Metro News 1.
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88. I said "nipple" on the news.
That was so unprofessional.
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89. I said "nipple" on the news.
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90. At least it's better than "booger."
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91. Booger.
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92. - There she is.
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93. Hey, is it cold in here?
'Cause I can kind of see Robin's nickels.
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94. Now, for your next challenge.
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95. There is not going to be another
challenge.
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96. I don't care how much you offer me.
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97. Oh, search your soul, Robin.
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98. You and I both know
this wasn't about the money.
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99. Sure, Metro News 1 pays you jack.
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100. And, hey, a little green salad on the side
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101. is good for you, me, and Mr. McGee.
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102. Seriously, who talks like that?
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103. What baby really likes
is the thrill of pulling one over
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104. on those bean counters
who under-appreciate you
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105. and still haven't promoted you.
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106. And, so, for two more hundy-sticks,
baby's gonna look in the camera
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107. and say this.
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108. Ew.
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109. I'm just assuming.
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110. I gotta get back to work.
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111. - See you.
- Bye.
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112. - Baby's gonna think about it.
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113. Found it. I found Natalie's number.
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114. Hey, Ted, nice shirt.
Is it yesterday already?
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115. Thank you.
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116. I am calling her. This is crazy.
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117. I haven't talked to her in, like,
three years.
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118. I wonder if she even remembers me.
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119. - Hello?
- Natalie.
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120. - It's Ted Mosby.
- Go to hell!
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121. She remembers me.
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122. - Why would Natalie hang up on you?
- I don't know.
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123. - Did you sleep with her sister?
- No.
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124. - Did you sleep with her mom?
- No.
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125. I'm losing interest in your story.
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126. Well, you must have done something.
Why did you guys break up?
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127. - He wasn't ready for a commitment.
- Uh-huh.
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128. And her birthday
might have been coming up.
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129. Uh-huh.
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130. Okay, so I didn't want to get
a boyfriend-level gift
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131. for a girl I was just about to break up
with.
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132. So you dumped her
right before her birthday?
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133. No! I didn't dump her
right before her birthday.
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134. Oh-oh.
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135. Natalie! Hey, happy birthday!
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136. Listen...
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137. Never break up with a girl on her
birthday!
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138. Lily, please! The shirt!
I know! It was a mistake.
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139. - Well, did she cry her eyes out?
- I don't know.
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140. How do you not...
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141. You didn't.
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142. Natalie! Hey, happy birthday!
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143. Listen,
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144. you're awesome.
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145. You really are awesome.
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146. I'm just, like, super busy right now,
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147. so maybe we should just call it a day.
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148. But you're awesome.
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149. - On her answering machine!
- Okay.
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150. - And on her birthday!
- Lily, come on.
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151. Oh, who breaks up with somebody
on their answering machine
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152. - on their birthday?
- Yeah, dude, e-mail.
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153. Not exactly the point
I was trying to make, Marshall.
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154. That is a terrible way
to break up with someone.
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155. Okay, in my client's defense,
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156. is there an un-terrible way to break up
with somebody? No.
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157. Personally, I'd rather hear the bad news
on an answering machine
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158. than face the humiliation in person.
It's the least painful way you can do it.
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159. - Who are you calling?
- Hi, Marshall, it's Lily.
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160. We're not gonna have sex
for at least a month,
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161. but you're awesome. Okay, bye-bye.
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162. No, that was a big mistake, Ted.
You should have done it in person.
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163. Thank you.
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164. Desperate, please-don't-leave-me sex
is amazing.
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165. Okay, it was childish and stupid.
I just... I didn't want to see her cry.
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166. Well, guess what? She cried.
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167. You just didn't have the sack
to face those tears.
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168. That was me then, okay?
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169. This is the new, old-shirt-wearing,
sack-having Ted.
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170. - I'm gonna make this right.
- You know what else?
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171. "My younger sister just got married
and I'm about to turn 30" sex.
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172. Fantastic!
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173. An occasion that was supposed
to be joyous suddenly turned tragic
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174. when Ethel and Sadie Margolis,
New York's oldest twins,
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175. suddenly passed away on this,
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176. the eve of their 100th birthday.
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177. I'm a dirty, dirty girl.
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178. Aw.
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179. Reporting live, Robin Scherbatsky,
Metro News 1.
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180. Joel Adams wants to see you in his
office.
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181. Before you say anything,
I just wanna say
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182. I really like working here
at Metro News 1.
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183. That's great. So my dog keeps going...
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184. What?
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185. What? Well, you have dogs, right?
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186. What do you...
What do you think that means?
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187. Take him to the vet.
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188. Genius. That's one I owe you.
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189. - Was that all?
- Yeah.
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190. - And nothing about the twins story?
- Oh, yeah. Great job on that one.
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191. New York loves you.
You're a superstar. Bye-bye.
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192. That's when Robin realized
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193. no one, not even her boss,
watched Metro News 1.
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194. Hi.
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195. Natalie, come on.
I just wanna say I'm sorry.
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196. I only came down here
'cause you wouldn't take my call.
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197. Hey, here's an idea.
Why don't you leave a message?
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198. Good one. Okay, fine.
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199. I'm just gonna leave
this sock monkey here.
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200. Goodbye.
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201. Okay, okay.
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202. Look, look, look, I know you're mad,
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203. but happy birthday, three years ago.
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204. Oh, yeah? Up yours, three years ago.
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205. Look, look, I was an idiot,
leaving that message.
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206. - I realize how much that sucked.
- No, you don't.
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207. Maybe we should just call it a day.
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208. But you're awesome.
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209. Okay, bye.
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210. Surprise.
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211. There was a surprise party that night?
How come nobody told me?
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212. People think I can't keep a secret,
but I totally can.
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213. Sorry. Not the issue.
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214. Look, Natalie, I was just a stupid kid
back then, terrified of commitment.
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215. And I suppose you're suddenly ready
to get married and settle down?
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216. Well, yeah, actually.
I'm a different guy now.
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217. Give me another chance.
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218. You must think I have
absolutely no self-respect.
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219. Come on. Just a cup of coffee.
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220. Please, Natalie, give the guy a chance.
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221. Self-respect is overrated.
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222. On a beach tree...
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223. Wow!
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224. Maybe it was the caffeine,
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225. but you really brought your game up
to a whole new level.
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226. Thanks.
I did just start subscribing to Esquire.
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227. They have some helpful columns.
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228. The following is from the October issue.
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229. So Natalie and I
started dating again.
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230. And, just like that, it all came back.
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231. The tea candles.
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232. The sock monkeys.
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233. Belle and Sebastian. All of it.
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234. It seemed like happily-ever-after
wasn't far off.
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235. Well, I better run. I have
my Krav Maga class in half an hour.
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236. Krav Maga.
How cool is it that she does Krav Maga?
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237. Thanks, honey.
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238. - Bye, guys.
- Bye.
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239. - Bye.
- Take it easy.
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240. Dude, what's Krav Maga?
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241. I have no idea. Some kind of yoga?
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242. You know, that Natalie, she's good times.
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243. Yeah, she's, like, the best girl
you've dated in years.
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244. - Yeah, Ted, hold on to that one.
- Yeah.
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245. I have to break up with her.
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246. I don't get it, man. Natalie's awesome.
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247. I know. She's terrific,
but I have to break up with her.
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248. Why couldn't you leave
that poor girl alone?
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249. I know. I hate this.
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250. These past three weeks
have been great.
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251. I should be in love with her,
but I'm not feeling that thing.
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252. It's ineffable.
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253. Ineffable. Good word.
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254. So when are you gonna do it?
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255. She's probably on the subway by now.
You could call her voicemail.
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256. Beep. Dumped. Click. Done.
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257. I have to do this face-to-face. I just...
I don't know what I'm gonna say.
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258. - "I'm not ready for a commitment."
- Oh, that's such a cliché.
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259. It's not a cliché. It's a classic.
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260. It's the Stairway to Heaven
of break-up lines.
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261. - Well, I think Natalie deserves better.
- Better.
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262. There's no "better" in breaking up.
There's only less awful.
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263. A cliché is a cliché for a reason.
It's comforting.
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264. It doesn't matter. I already told her
I am ready for a commitment so...
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265. Oh, my God, there's no way out.
I'm gonna have to marry her.
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266. No, no. We're gonna get you
out of this. Okay.
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267. How about, "It's not you. It's me"?
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268. Hmm, hmm. Six words.
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269. "You look fat in those jeans."
You're free to go.
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270. Ted, have you considered
telling her the truth?
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271. Seriously, honey, men are working here.
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272. Ted, what is the truth?
Why do you wanna break up with her?
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273. - The truth? She's not the one.
- So tell her that.
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274. Oh, you can't tell her that.
That's horrible.
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275. Why? What is so horrible about that?
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276. Yeah, what is so horrible about that?
She's not the one.
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277. Why is that such a heart-breaking thing
to hear?
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278. The-The chances of one person
being another person's "the one"
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279. are, like, six billion-to-one.
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280. Yeah, you have better chances
of winning the lottery.
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281. Exactly. You wouldn't take it personally
if you lost the lottery.
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282. All right, man, tell her the truth.
She's gonna cry.
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283. Yeah, and he's gonna sit there,
and he's gonna take it like a man.
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284. - I have to do the mature thing.
- Wanna talk mature?
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285. I just wrapped up a live newscast
by honking my own boobs.
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286. - And great TV was had by all.
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287. All right, Scherbatsky, new challenge.
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288. And this one's big,
but so is the cash reward.
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289. For $1,000... You heard me.
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290. All you have to do is get up there
on the news and do one of these.
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291. - What the hell is that?
The Ickey Shuffle.
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292. Then, as you do it, you say this,
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293. "Elbert 'Ickey' Woods,
the Bengals were fools to cut you in '91.
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294. "Your 1,525 rushing yards
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295. "and your 27 touchdowns
will not be forgotten.
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296. "So, Coach Dave Shula, screw you
and your crappy steakhouse."
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297. - Just write it down for me.
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298. What do I care? It's not like
anyone's watching anyway, right?
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299. And she's gonna cry.
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300. Sloth love Chunk.
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301. Thanks, Lil.
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302. So the next night,
I took Natalie out to dinner
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303. to do the mature thing.
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304. Look, uh, Natalie, there's something
I have to say.
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305. Oh, wait, wait.
There's something I have to say first.
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306. Today at work I had not one, not two,
but three birthday cakes.
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307. So, tonight, can we just skip the cake?
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308. - Today is your birthday?
- Yeah.
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309. No, it's okay.
I wasn't telling anyone about it.
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310. Today is your birthday!
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311. I...
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312. - I didn't get you anything.
- Oh, it's okay.
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313. You know, you've already given me
the best present of all.
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314. I can trust again.
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315. You're welcome.
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316. Oh, so much more wine.
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317. Henry, as New York's oldest
hansom-cab driver,
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318. you've seen quite a lot.
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319. In your past 60 years on the job,
what is your most exciting memory?
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320. Well...
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321. - Ha! This is it.
- Oh, boy, here we go.
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322. Everyone, everyone, if I may
direct your attention to the television.
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323. You are about to see something
amazing.
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324. And then in '72,
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325. Mickey Mantle rode in my cab
for the fourth time.
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326. Come on, baby, bring it home.
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327. But the most exciting moment,
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328. that would have to be this one, right now.
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329. - What?
- Look at me. I'm on TV.
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330. I never thought I'd have my story told.
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331. Thank you, Miss Robin Scherbatsky.
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332. Thank you.
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333. And, right then, Aunt Robin
realized how important her job truly was.
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334. It's an honor to tell your story, Henry.
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335. You know, Metro News 1
may not be number one in viewership,
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336. but this reporter takes pride in...
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337. Oh, my God,
I'm covered in horse crap!
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338. Oh, my God. And it's in my hair!
Oh, my... ow, ow.
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339. - You planned that?
My knee! Ow.
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340. - No, Marshall.
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341. That was beyond my wildest dreams.
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342. So if you ever come to Alabama,
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343. my mom throws
these huge crawfish boils,
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344. and she's just dying
to meet you, by the way.
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345. Look, Natalie,
there's something I have to say,
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346. and, uh, there's no good way to say it.
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347. I wanna break up.
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348. I don't think you're the one for me.
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349. I don't wanna waste your time,
because I-I really like you.
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350. I wanna do right by you,
and I think the best way for me to do that
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351. is just to be honest. I'm sorry.
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352. Just let it out.
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353. They're only tears.
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354. I'm not the one for you!
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355. I'm sorry. I just... I-I thought
the mature thing to do would be...
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356. - It's my birthday.
- Yes, I know. I didn't realize that...
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357. It's my birthday, and you're telling me
I'm not the one for you?
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358. It's really not such a big deal.
I mean, it's the odds.
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359. It's like you lost the lottery.
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360. Oh, so dating you is like
winning the lottery?
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361. - No, no, no. I didn't mean that.
- Okay, so what's the problem?
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362. - I-I can't explain it.
- Try.
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363. - It's ineffable.
- I'm not F-able?
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364. No, no, no, no, ineffable.
"Ineffable" means it can't be explained.
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365. - Oh, so I'm stupid?
- Oh, God, what's going on?
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366. Okay, what's going on is
you broke my heart
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367. over my answering machine,
on my birthday,
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368. waited three years for me to get over
you,
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369. tracked me down,
begged me to go out with you again,
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370. only so you could dump me
three weeks later,
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371. again on my birthday!
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372. No, it's... it's not like that.
I'm just...
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373. It's...
- What?
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374. I'm-I'm just, like, super busy right now.
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375. Remember when
Natalie said...
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376. I have my Krav Maga class in half an
hour.
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377. Turns out Krav Maga
is not a kind of yoga.
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378. It's a form of guerrilla street-fighting
developed by the Israeli army.
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379. This is compliments
of those two gentlemen at the bar.
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380. - "My knee!"
- "It's in my hair!"
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381. But isn't it nice to know
people are watching?
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382. Oh, my God! Are you all right?
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383. What happened to you?
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384. Told the truth.
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385. Turns out the truth has
a mean roundhouse kick.
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386. Oh, man.
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387. Oh, well, you did the right thing.
I'm proud of you.
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388. I'm bleeding internally.
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389. Hey, Ted, you know what always
picks me up when I'm down?
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390. Other people's misfortune.
You missed something so amazing.
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391. Please, can we just have one person
in this whole bar who didn't see it?
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392. Fine.
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393. Are you okay?
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394. I really thought I was doing it
the good way this time.
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395. I guess there is no good way.
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396. Sometimes, no matter how hard
you try to do the right thing,
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397. you just end up flat on your back,
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398. flailing around
in a big pile of horse crap.
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399. - You saw it?
- My phone gets the Internet now.
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400. It's okay. Grow up.
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401. And that's how it ended with Natalie.
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402. No happily-ever-after.
Just a whole lot of hurt.
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403. And, just like that, all those
wonderful memories were replaced
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404. by this one.
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405. But, you know, bad as that night was,
within a year Natalie was married.
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406. And now she has three beautiful children.
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407. So that's the upside of hurt.
Sometimes it happens for a reason.
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408. Wow.
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409. So you got beat up by a girl?
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410. Is that all
you're taking away from this story?
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411. You got beat up by a girl.
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412. Hey, she knew Krav Mag
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