Directions

Southern tourist: Do you know where this boat takes us?
Upstate tourist: Ummm, Staten Island.
Southern tourist: Thanks! Everything is so confusing here.
Upstate tourist, to friends: Who the hell gets on a boat without knowing where it goes? And it’s the frickin’ Staten Island Ferry!

–Staten Island Ferry

Tourist: Excuse me, can I ask you a question? Where’s the apple?
Cop: What?
Tourist: You know, the big one? [Cop stares at her, then shrugs and points arbitrarily down Broadway.] Thanks!

–Times Square

Overheard by: I Just Work Here

Foreign tourist: Do you know if this train goes to Madison Square Garden?
MTA worker: Madison Square Garden? Whaaat? No… Madison Square Garden is in New York City. You’re in the wrong city, guys. [Foreign tourists look at each other, panicking.] Must have taken the wrong train gettin’ here, huh?
Foreign tourists hesitate, then run to catch up to MTA worker: How do we get back to New York?!

–Whitehall station

Overheard by: dan.j.w.

Customer: Do you sell Lacoste here?
Sales associate: No, but they have a door right down on Spring Street.
Customer: How do I get there?
Sales associate: You go out our front door, make a right, and at the intersection make a left and the Lacoste store is right around the corner.
Customer: And they sell Lacoste there?

–Bloomingdales, Soho

Hardhat: Sir, what are you looking for?
Guy: There’s a store on this street that sells toupées for old ladies’ cunts.

–E 1st & 2nd

Overheard by: Cassie

Bimbette #1: Wait, I have to figure out where I am.
Bimbette #2: You are at Broadway and Houston.
Bimbette #1: No, I mean metaphysically…

–Broadway & Houston

Overheard by: KrisNYC

Tourist: Excuse me, ma’am? Can you tell me how to get to the Golden Gate Bridge?
Local, after long pause: Up two blocks, make a left. You can’t miss it.

–Union Square

Obnoxious woman: Excuse me, excuse me! Do you know where Park Place is?
Jaded youth: Next to Boardwalk.
Obnoxious woman: Where is that?

–E Broadway

Overheard by: Mr. Money Bags

Third grader: The only thing people know about New York the state is that Washington, DC is in it.

–Essex & Houston

Chick to friend: God, it’s not like we’re some third world country like Puerto Rico!

–33rd & 3rd

Overheard by: cait

Girl on cell: But I’m all the way downtown. I’m literally about as far downtown as you can get.

–13th & Broadway

Asian chick on cell: Amsterdam. It’s in Sweden… Or Switzerland… Oh, I don’t know. I have to go now.

–1 train, UWS

Overheard by: minerfa

Little girl looking at a Queens bus map: Donde esta Bolivia?

–Q38 bus, Elliot Ave, Queens

Overheard by: eMily

Tourist: Excuse me, how do I get to Times Square?
Ghetto dude: This is Times Square.
Tourist, slower and louder: No. Times Square.
Ghetto dude, slower and louder: This is Times Square.
Tourist: No, I’m looking for the actual square. Where’s the square?
Ghetto dude: Oh, you want the square… Go down six blocks, turn left, and go down three. You can’t miss it.
Tourist: Hey, thanks a lot, man.
Ghetto dude: Dumb fuck.

–42nd & Broadway