Business and Commerce

A cashier hands a girl her change.

Girl: Excuse me, but can you give me another 20 dollar bill? This one looks counterfeit.

The cashier takes the bill, examines it, and puts it back in the register. He gives her another bill.

Girl: Thanks. I just didn’t want that one, you know? It didn’t have the stripe down it. It looked too new. It just didn’t look right. So don’t give it to me; just give it to the guy behind me or something.

–Bagel Maven, 7th Avenue

Outside a Manhattan club: “Of course we’ll get in. We’re their customers. And of course those girls will get in first — they’re the product!”

Who: Puerto Rican teenage girl
Where: East Village
What: “I can set whatever rings I want on this phone for whoever calls me. So all my business calls are Scooby-doo.”

Suit: We’re really quite busy, actually. The lack of work hasn’t really affected the amount of work.

–9th Ave.

Overheard by: Brad Wilson

Broker #1: That dog is really cute.
Broker #2: Yeah, but we still need more coke.

–St. Mark’s Place & 2nd Ave.

Overheard by: Kate

20-something girl to much older date: So do you smoke weed?
Guy: Not so much anymore.
20-something girl: Me either… Not much… I mean, it's been a long time… But I do know this awesome guy on St. Mark's who gives me cheap pipes and has great shit. He always has something new for me.
Guy, after pause: Actually, it sounds like you smoke a lot.
20-something girl, after embarrassed pause: Well… I buy a lot of gifts.

–G Train

Conductor over PA: Attention passengers, ladies and gentlemen, this is the train to… Um… Where the hell are we going? Train to somewhere. Let's go somewhere!

–LIRR, Penn Station

Overheard by: Rob T Firefly

NJ transit conductor: If you are getting off at Linden, you need to be in the front two cars. If you are wearing your headphones, I don't want to hear you complain later. (five minutes later) If you are getting off at Linden, you need to be in the first two cars. If you are confused about where the front of the train is, it's the way we are facing and the way the train is moving. Just turn the same way the train is moving and walk up to the front two cars.

–Penn Station

Conductor: This is a downtown 1 train. Sorry, an uptown 1 train. The next stop is 110th. Actually, the next stop is 103rd. Stand clear of the closing doors.

–1 Train

Overheard by: Samantha

Conductor: Next stop is Wall Street. Wall Street, where they compromise everything.

–Downtown 2 Train

Overheard by: Ellen

Angry conductor: We apologize for the delay in service while the police inspected the train. Contrary to popular belief, there are no dead people on this train.

–Downtown N Train

Overheard by: Dead Men Can't Talk

Conductor: Ladies and gentlemen, we are stopped because of… Because of… Fuck! I don't know.

–6 Train

Guy: I finally found someone who's as crazy about me as I am!

–1st Ave & 2nd St

Young guy to girlfriend: Sometimes I listen to myself and I think, "How do I know *so much* about marketing?"

–Downtown E Train

Guy to friend in movie theater, just before movie starts: Dude, my blog post today was *so* good.

–Loews Theater, 34th St

Girl: I'm attractive and I have a lot of friends!

–PATH Train

Overheard by: tb

Girl to friends: Hey guys… I'm really glad we're us. Or else I'd be really jealous of us.

–West Village

Overheard by: Max

Male Columbia student: So I really need an idea for a business venture.
Female Columbia student: How about, you da pimp, they da hos?

–112th & Amsterdam

Overheard by: Megan W.

Woman to male teacher: I thought you were a middle aged Latino woman.

–Fordham University, Lincoln Center

Overheard by: Alex and Colin

Chubby Latino: I don't want to go there. It'll just be a bunch of angry Dominicans throwing tables.

–Cooper Park, Williamsburg

Overheard by: Confabulation Nation

Drunken lady, sitting uninvited at a Hispanic family table: Cinco cuatro cinco… en Chicago. I have a business at 545 Chicago. In Chicago. I am a successful woman. Stay in school, sweetie. Learn your math and arithmetic… Yes, your math, and your arithmetic. And be good to your mommy. You only have one mommy, so be good to her. Alright, ciao, guys. Adios, coco! What? A cab? No, no, I'm fine.

–Pio Pio Restaurant, 91st & 1st

Overheard by: HJWC

Hasidic Jew answering cell: Hola? Hola? Hola!

–30 Rock

Overheard by: Micky

Bespectacled man on cell, walking a dog: And I owe it all to the politically incorrect Frito Bandito.

–Bryant Park