Dads

Italian father: Hey, son, look at this knee cap.
Son: Cool. What is that stuff?
Italian father: You see the part that looks like calamari? Well, that will give you trouble one day.

–Bodies Exhibition

Overheard by: hrln

Angry 20-something girl: Dad, you realize that when you refuse to give me the keys to my car that he's been illegally driving, you are effective enabling him to steal from me!
Confused-looking dad: Well, I understand how you feel, honey, really I do, but…
Angry 20-something girl (cutting him off): Don't fucking placate me, you sonofabitch!
Confused-looking dad (looking helplessly toward his wife): Cheryl…your daughter is yelling at me using profanity and words I don't know.

–Bay Ridge, Brooklyn

Overheard by: Krystal

Proud Asian father to friend: And my little one here, he's going to be a football player when he grows up!
Little Asian boy: No way, Jose! I'm gonna be a Power Ranger!

–East Flatbush, Brooklyn

Overheard by: Frado

(dad is making Care Bear stuffed animal “dance.”
Little girl: Stop shaking her, daddy! You’re gonna make her cry! Except she’s a mommy and mommies don’t cry, right?
Dad: Only when they want money.

–Manhattan-bound F Train

Overheard by: alisha

Little girl: Daddy, are there people inside the big balloons?
Father: Only in Scooby-Doo. He’s a carnivore.

–77th & Columbus

Red-faced toddler in stroller: Nooooo!
Dad: Once more, with feeling!

–82nd & 2nd

Overheard by: Jamie

Little girl: Daddy, what’s wrong with Chinese people? Why do they never smile?
Dad: It’s because they’re robots.
Little girl: What about black people? Are black people robots?
Dad: No, not that I’m aware of.

–4 train

Overheard by: Audrey

Four-year-old girl reading tag on the platform: B-A-C-K-F-A-T!
Supportive dad: Yeah, honey! That spells ‘back fat’!

–Ft. Hamilton Pkwy station

Overheard by: howardbannister

Little boy: Buuuuuuuuuuuuuuu! (points at bus with excitement)
Young dad: Close buddy, close. “Bus.”

–77th & 3rd

Overheard by: Ali

Toddler boy: Look, Daddy! The airport!
Dad: That’s the moon, Milo.

–86th & 3rd

Overheard by: Claire Keaveney