Starbucks-toting boy: I really want to go to one of those floating islands, though.
Hippie chick: Which islands?
Starbucks-toting boy: The floating islands. The ones that float.
Hippie chick: Don't all islands float?
Starbucks-toting boy: No.
Hippie chick: Yes they do. I mean, they float now.
–6th Ave & Union, Park Slope
Overheard by: Questioning impact of teaching career
Hippie, sarcastically to suit in '72 Cadillac convertible: Nice car. Where's the rest of The Sopranos?
Suit driving away, deadpan, without missing a beat: In the fucking trunk.
–Wall St
Gay black hipster to cop: Officer, of course he stole my five dollars! It was mine. It was right there.
Straight white hippie: I did not take anything of yours.
Gay black hipster to cop: Officer, who are you gonna believe, him or me? I mean, look at him–he's not even dressed well!
Straight white hippie: Dude, I hope something seriously bad happens to you.
–Union Square Subway Station
Hipster guy #1: I'm gonna be poor for a while.
Hipster guy #2: Forever.
Hipster guy #1: Forever, yeah.
–Chinatown Bus, Holland Tunnel
Hippie chick #1: Dude, I fucking love Demuth.
Hippie chick #2: I know, right!
Hippie chick #1: If I ever met that man, I'd totally rape him.
Hippie chick #2: Oh my god! I would too!
–The Met
Loud girl: Oh my god! So what did you say to him?
Dirty hippie-wanna-be: Well, then the man said he could hold his monkey for him…
–St. Mark's b/w 1st & A
Teenage hippie: Are we at Queens yet?
African American man: Yeah, duh.
Teenage hippie: How can you tell?
African American man: See those trees? Trees don't grow in Brooklyn. They only grow in Queens.
–J train
Overheard by: Charlie Zhen
Bearded man to hippie woman: I'm married, you're married, my ex-girlfriend's married, and we're holding hands!
Hippie woman: Weeeeee!
–University Place & 10th St
Overheard by: Murphy
Chipper, young, possibly gay guy with afro to random woman, after switching seats and moving closer: Sorry to bother you, but I just had to tell you this. I have this book of all these, like, African kings and queens and princesses and stuff. And I just had to tell you that you look just like one of the African queens in it. Like, just like her! Oh, I wish I had the book with me! I would show her to you.
–Q Train
Overheard by: katiek
Super-irate hippie chick in braids, yelling on cell: Thanks to you, everyone thinks I'm a fucking freak. Everyone looks at me like I'm fucking Pearl from the fucking Scarlet Letter!
–Court St & Bergen
Overheard by: Siobhan
Young deli clerk on phone, in confidential tones: William Shakespeare! Shakespeare!
–4th Ave & Bergen St, Boerum Hill
Cockeyed old man in hat to Strand employee: Where are the regular books?
–Strand Bookstore, 12th St & Broadway
Annoying rich girl to friend: So I got a library card so I can read more, but then I realized that I don't like used things and I stopped going.
–Bookstore, 71st St & Lexington
Girl (outside of her AP English classroom): Wait…Huck Finn never had syphilis!
–Stuyvesant High School
Woman to friend helping her find a book: You don't have to worry about giving away the ending. I know what happens to those six million people.
–The Strand
Young hippie girl: So you're too tired to go to the Empire State Building and you're too hot to go on the boats? So basically you don't love me.
Old, sweaty, stressed guy (laughing): We're here again?
–Central Park
