Getting on the crowded E at rush hour, a couple from Long Island forces into the train as the doors are closing.
Long Island woman: Come on people, make some room. [To companion] Can you imagine what it’s like in that city in Asia, in China I think, what’s it called?
Long Island dude: Japan?
Long Island woman: Yeah, Japan, that’s the city! They push you into the cars there!
Random suit: You mean like you just pushed all of us?!
–5th Ave E station
Overheard by: Greg the E train rider
Yuppie tween #1: Avril is so hard core.
Yuppie tween #2: Yeah, but Ashlee is way more rock than Avril.
Yuppie tween #1: Avril is, like, … woah!
Yuppie tween #2: But Ashlee has black hair and sings about her life!
Yuppie tween #1: Avril is so hard core that sometimes I have to plug my ears ’cause it’s like, “Avril, you are so hard core!”
–86th & Broadway
Boy: Yo, you know what would be cool? If they made black-out instead of white-out.
Girl: Yeah! And yellow-out, too!
–Stuyvesant High School
Overheard by: Mary Button
Kid : What kind of things do you make?
Balloon-twisting clown: Animals, minerals, vegetables. That kind of thing.
–Gramercy Street Fair, 3rd Ave
Girl #1: Uh, so what’s with these black lights in the tunnels? Are they doing construction? I feel like I’m in a club or something!
Girl #2: Sweetie, that’s daylight.
Girl #1: Oh. But the buildings are glowing!
–1 Train approaching 125th
Overheard by: Melissa Coppola
Rasta steel drum guy: This next song is about the comin’ of the Messiah.
Jewish woman: Yeah! We’re still waiting!
–Battery Park
Overheard by: Robin Christiansen
White girl #1: Look at that Asian girl! She’s such a whore!
White girl #2: Dude, there’s this Asian girl in my psychology course, she’s a whore, too.
An Asian girl: Excuse me? Um, what is your problem? What, do you think all Asians are whores?
A very long pause.
White girl #1: Yes.
–Madison Square Garden
Girl #1: That Major English Texts class is ridiculous. You had to memorize soo much.
Girl #2: You’re not even in that class! I’m in that class…so I would know. You shouldn’t be complaining!
Girl #1: I’m the TA, asshole.
–Columbia University
Construction worker #1: …I don’t know, maybe a dozen or so.
Construction worker #2: Okay, but how many relationships have you had?
–55th between Park & Madison
Overheard by: Katie Compa
Bored tour guide: Will your son use the gym? Does Satan like team sports?
Parents of shy 17-year-old: Uh. . .our son’s name is “Sie-tahn”. No team sports, but he’s been a life-guard.
Tour guide: Oh, Satan likes to swim?
–Outside Dodge Fitness Center, Columbia University
