Every spring, the women of New York leave the foolish choices of the past behind, and look forward to the future. This is known as Fashion Week.
每年春天，紐約市的女人們都將一切拋于腦后，憧憬未來。這就是眾所周知的時裝周。

Samantha: Oh, there we are.
哦，我們的座位在那邊。

Sharlot: We are in the front row?
我們在最前排？

Samantha: I had to pull some strings.
我走了點關系。

——《欲望都市》

pull strings （暗中）走關系
If you want to see our boss I can pull strings for you.
如果你想見我們的老板，我可以暗中幫忙。

String這個詞原意是“線，繩，或者（樂器的）弦”等，pull strings的字面意思為“拉線、拉動繩子”，引申開來指利用人與人之間的關系或者影響力達到某種目的。類似的表達還有，have/keep somebody on a string（操縱、玩弄或欺騙某人），hold the purse strings（掌握財權），tied to one's wife's apron strings（受妻子操縱）等。

更多例子：

The police released him after his lawyer pulled strings downtown.
他的律師利用城里的關系之后,警察就把他釋放了。
He got a plush job in City Hall after his father pulled strings.
他父親利用私人關系后,他在市政府里謀到一個輕松的工作。
Mary pulled strings and got us two theater tickets.
瑪麗走了后門,為我們搞到了兩張戲票。