Foreigners

Texan mom: It says here that the French gave this statue as a gift.
Texan dad: Ain’t no way France coulda sent that. They ain’t got no boat big enough.
Texan mom: But it says here…
Texan dad: Ain’t possible means ain’t possible. Gittit?

–Liberty Island

Overheard by: Colman

8-year-old tourist-in-training, looking at transsexual: Do people in New York all look like that?
Mother: No, not all, but most of them don’t look like they did in Kansas.

–LaGuardia Airport

Girl #1: Yo, all these places are Greek. Owned by people who are Greek, ya know?
Girl #2: That means they’re from the Middle East, right? Like Yugoslavia and shit.

–28th & Steinway, Astoria

Overheard by: Gregorio

Scottish guy #1: No, I don’t like her. Should I break up with her?
Scottish guy #2: Yes, definitely!
Scottish guy #1: Nah, I think I’ll rent a stretch limo, take her to see Mamma Mia in Glasgow for Valentine’s and rent a hotel room and then break up with her.
Scottish guy #2: What?
Scottish guy #1: What, is that bad?

–Planet Hollywood, Times Square

Overheard by: Cherie

New Yorker: Coney Island is fun if you like that stuff. I mean, there’s a lot of nationalities down there so their accents are all…They talk like the Sopranos. Do you know about the Sopranos?
Tourist: Um.

–R Train, 28th St

Overheard by: Nick McDowell

Bartender: I have absolutely no desire to go to work and make ginger cosmos for a bunch of proud gays.

–Montague & Henry

Foreign guy: He’s not gay. He’s almost gay. He spends most of his time with a lot of gay actors. But he’s not really gay.

–Stairs of the Met

Overheard by: wankerbob

Little English girl: Where are we now, Mummy?
English Mummy: We’re in New York, in America.
Little English girl: [sigh] We’re still in America?

–Union Square East

Overheard by: Manhattman

White guy: There are many Africans where I live. I like them, because they’re more spiritual.
Chinese girl: They’re closer to nature.

–Verb Cafe, Bedford & N 7th, Williamsburg

Overheard by: Outmacked

Russian driver: I don’t know, she stop right in front of me.
Cop: She just slammed on the brakes? Why did she do that?
Russian driver: I don’t know, light was yellow. You know, green is go, red is stop, yellow is go faster.
Cop: Sure, absolutely.

–21st Ave & 77th St, Bensonhurst

Overheard by: Joel

Man: I can’t believe how many immigrants there are.
Woman: Send ’em all back, what do I care.
Man: Isn’t, like, your mom an immigrant? We all came from immigrants, you know.
Woman: Wah wah, send ’em back.

–D train, Columbus Circle

Overheard by: Lauren Michelle