Phoebe reads her tea leaves and predicts she will soon meet the man of her dreams. After several chance encounters with a man named Jim, she goes on a date only to find he is a "social nightmare" who claims to write erotic novels for children. She later meets the genuinely cheerful Parker (played by Alec Baldwin) at the dry cleaners.

Desperate to break the tension after Joey's confession, Rachel invents a "problem" at work, claiming her boss, Mr. Zelner , wants to "buy her baby". Joey takes the lie seriously and confronts Mr. Zelner to protect her.

Ross attempts to retrieve his favorite "faded salmon" (pink) shirt from his ex-girlfriend Mona’s apartment. He sneaks in using a spare key but is forced to hide behind a couch when Mona arrives home with a new date. Cast and Credits

Episode Report: " The One With The Tea Leaves " (S8E17) This episode of Friends , originally aired on , navigates the awkward aftermath of Joey's confession of love to Rachel while Phoebe explores the mystical world of tea leaf reading. Plot Summaries