Being too picky could cost Caroline the chance to reclaim money she lost at a malfunctioning ATM, since she doesn't really want to bank staff to see her picking her nose on the videotape record of the transaction. Meanwhile, Richard may end up in the doghouse after he attempts to dump the clinging Shelly on the pretext that he is allergic to her beloved dog.

Caroline is annoyed that Del refuses to accompany her to the opera; then her interfering Aunt Mary arranges a blind date with an old high school classmate of Caroline's, who turns out to be handsome, successful and rich.

Caroline is blown away by an opportunity to march in the Thanksgiving Day Parade - something she had dreamed of since high school mononucleosis kept her out of her marching band - when the giant balloon of her character Caroline escapes, injures parade marshal Florence Henderson, and threatens Staten Island.

Botched attempts to plan a holiday trip with Del lead Caroline to reconsider their relationship; Annie brews an elaborate scheme to help Richard break up with Shelly.

Three months have passed, and Caroline is thinking about advertising for a new assistant, so Charlie tries to demonstrate he would be perfect for the job and knocks Salty out the window. Sparks fly between Caroline and the vet who treats Salty, despite her fears that at 24 he is much too young for her. Meanwhile Richard, having failed as an artist in Paris (his only customer is knocked into the Seine just before buying some paintings), returns to New York and is forced to take a menial job in an ice cream parlor, where he just misses seeing Caroline on her first date with Joe, during which they helped raid an animal experimental laboratory and were arrested. (One of the participants is Shelly, still wistful about Richard, in her final appearance to date.) Caroline wakes up in bed with Joe and is unable to sneak out before he wakes and demands to see her again that evening, and on her way home she and Richard suddenly meet face to face.