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，纽约市的女人们都将一切抛于脑后，憧憬未来。这就是众所周知的时装周。

Samantha: Oh, there we are.
哦，我们的座位在那边。

Sharlot: We are in the front row?
我们在最前排？

Samantha: I had to pull some strings.
我走了点关系。

——《欲望都市》

pull strings （暗中）走关系
If you want to see our boss I can pull strings for you.
如果你想见我们的老板，我可以暗中帮忙。

String这个词原意是“线，绳，或者（乐器的）弦”等，pull strings的字面意思为“拉线、拉动绳子”，引申开来指利用人与人之间的关系或者影响力达到某种目的。类似的表达还有，have/keep somebody on a string（操纵、玩弄或欺骗某人），hold the purse strings（掌握财权），tied to one's wife's apron strings（受妻子操纵）等。

更多例子：

The police released him after his lawyer pulled strings downtown.
他的律师利用城里的关系之后,警察就把他释放了。
He got a plush job in City Hall after his father pulled strings.
他父亲利用私人关系后,他在市政府里谋到一个轻松的工作。
Mary pulled strings and got us two theater tickets.
玛丽走了后门,为我们搞到了两张戏票。