Names

Black lady #1: Dr. Marbles? Like marbles? Like marbles you pick up and play with?
Black lady #2: Girl, you need to change your tonation…

–Columbia

Overheard by: Tonation hopefully in check

Young gay man: I don’t want to sound cheesey, but to Christina, I’m a little bit stronger
Young straight girl: I think that’s Britney.
Young gay man: No, you’re wrong, that’s Christina.

— Midtown

Girl #1: Okay, what should I get? The Gombee burger sounds good. Hey, that kinda sounds like Gandhi…except he probably wouldn’t want to eat the burger. Remember that time he was on that hunger strike?
Girl #2: Aren’t cows like, sacred to Hindus or something?
Girl #1: Oh! That’s probably why he wouldn’t have wanted to eat it.

–Columbia University

Ghetto guy: So what was his name?
Ghetto girl: Confucius.
Ghetto guy: No, what was his real name?
Ghetto girl: Confucius!
Ghetto guy: He didn’t have no last name?
Ghetto girl: No, he’s like Madonna; he don’t need no last name!

–Museum of Natural History

Overheard by: Joanna Kim

Little boy: Now?
Grandma: No! Now? Now? You sound like Taco, my old cat. Now? Now? He had a funny way of meowing.
Little boy: He looked like a taco that you eat?
Grandma: No. I don’t know why they called him Taco.

–Myrtle & Washington

Overheard by: Kevin Michael Lee

Little old lady to little old hubby: Fuck you, Dick, I am not crossing against the light! I can’t do it. Fuck you!

–Houston & LaGuardia

Overheard by: Almost peed on myself from laughing

Little tourist to mom: We are jaywalking, yay!

–Outside Sak’s

Overheard by: also jaywalking

Guy on cell: … So it’s fucked up, nights in the city. Everyone jaywalks, and they all wear black… Shit, good point! Blacks! … Yeah, you get a black guy wearing black, jaywalking — that’s a perfect storm of trouble! … I dunno, but I bet it has something to do with why insurance is so high…

–Broadway & Bleecker

Two guys cross street on ‘Don’t walk’ signal as car is coming.

Traffic cop: Hit ’em! Hit ’em!

–35th & 5th

Overheard by: mike

Loud grandma tourist blocking crosswalk: What’s the matter with these people?! Why are they crossing the street? Can’t they see the ‘No crossing’ sign? Where do they think they’re going?

–Times Square

Tourist woman to crowd of pedestrians: No, don’t cross! Here comes the big red hand!

–51st & 5th

Overheard by: Micaela

Mom to straggling hefty child of her brood: Tired of walking, Donovan?
Donovan, gasping for breath: No.

–Strand Books

Overheard by: Casey Sandel

Cashier: Can you spell your name, please?
Man: … Ummm… yes.
Cashier: I meant, can you spell it for me?

–Beacon’s Closet, Park Slope

Overheard by: meyers of keswick

Girl #1: So, seriously, his name is Meredith? Like “A Boy Named Sue?” Seriously?
Girl #2: Yeah, seriously, it's like that show… The one with, you know, the guy, and that's his name… You know, that show we watched last night.
Girl #1: Yeah, that show, with the hot guys?
Girl #2: Yeah, seriously hot.
Girl #1: Seriously.

–6 Train

Overheard by: I don't think they were serious

Guy: So you don’t think neck tattoos are sexy?
Girl: No.
Guy: What do they make you think of?
Girl: Prison.
Guy: What if I get my name in Hebrew?
Girl: Jewish prison.

–10th & Ave B

Overheard by: Trying not to laugh