Black People

Large black man on cell phone: They did the deal with the diamonds, then the other guy got greedy and shot up the place.

–Union Ave

Overheard by: Seth Callaway

Teen, looking around: Where are we? Are we purchasing illegal arms?

–Turkish Restaurant, Montague St.

Overheard by: Mike N

Blonde chick in pink coat, perkily: … There was no exit wound, and no bullet.

–L train

Overheard by: Ladle

Girl talking to co-worker: I live near Wall Street and there are like army men down there with machine guns and it’s scary! How do I know they don’t have Tourette’s and won’t just start shooting their guns all over the place?!

–41st & 3rd

Older suit, calmly, to his two female coworkers: I’d like to put a gun to his head and say "Nickie do the right thing or I will blow your fucking head off."
[His companions nod in understanding.]

–Starbucks

Calm Jewish fraternity guy on cell: So, I’m being deported and drafted into the Israeli army… It’s okay, I’ll name my gun after you!

–NYU Waverly Building

Old white man: Go ahead, that’s right. Everyone go ahead. Fucking pathetic.
Black girl: Ha, ha. You smell like sardines.

–3 train

Overheard by: Dae Han

Hoodie: Who’s that guy who takes all the pictures of the little girls?

–Williamsburg

Overheard by: Keith Scott

Old Asian lady to black man, in thick accent: You stay back! (clutches her purse)
(white girl watching shakes head, laughs in disbelief)
Black man: Oh, like you know what's up, white girl.
White girl: Oh, I'm Jewish. She probably hates me, too. (pause, then sadly) Now the whole train probably hates me.

–1 Train

20-something woman to man: You've never been arrested? I have never met anyone that has not been arrested!

–Le Charlot Restaurant, Upper East Side

Angry guy on cell: If you ever send e-mail to my family again, I will wait outside your apartment door! (pause) I got arrested! I spent Thanksgiving in jail!

–11th & University

Overheard by: MissPinkKate

Man in US Correctional Services jacket to another looking around hectically in a large crowd: Make sure we don't lose him!

–Penn Station

Chubby well-dressed black dude to skinny white geeky friends: Time in prison can be good for the soul!

–F Train

Overheard by: MissMae

Guy on cell: Yeah man, she's like a young girl, and she's driving me nuts. It's like always a fight with her. I mean, she's so young, yo… But yeah, I mean, she's a sweetheart. I mean, she's a good girl. So young. Like, we've been together for 7 months and that ain't nothing to me, but to her it's a big deal. And I'm all like, shit, I've been in jail for longer than 7 months, you know, so I don't know what she's bitching about. I don't need her to make me miserable. I can make myself miserable.

–Metro-North Train

Overheard by: Meaghan

Fran Drescher sound-alike: What's wrong with you? Don't applaud, I'm going to jail!

–Eight Mile Creek, Mullberry Street

Overheard by: Adam Nathan

Skinny black chick: If someone says some mo’ fuckin’ racist shit to me, I’ma punch them in the fuckin’ face, yo, and give them somethin’ to be racist about!
Fat black chick: I thought that shit was played out. Racism is ignorancy, yo.

–M train

Overheard by: ignorexia-ists

Bodega guy: Hey, weren’t you at the Mets game?
Black guy: I’d rather be at a motherfuckin’ Ku Klux Klan rally.

–Bodega, Market & Monroe

Overheard by: benjamin lightle

Angry black lady: That asshole conductor said there is another train coming but did not say when! I need to get to Brooklyn!
Black conductor, trying to calm her down: Why are you screaming at me? I’m just as black as you are!

–2/3 platform, 34th St

Overheard by: Michmeister

Hispanic/black mom: Do you believe that shit? I was like, “You have got to be messin.'”
7-year-old daughter: Ya, I hope you told him.
Mom: Ya, I gave yo’ daddy some shit. He ain’t gonna come round no mo’.

–Water & Fulton

Overheard by: Fabiani

Passing black man, to white woman: Yo, sis. You so beautiful.

White woman turns away.

Black man: That’s a compliment. From a black man! To a white girl with no ass!

–106th & Broadway

Overheard by: inge