Only in New York

Boy, 7: Who’s that guy again?
Mom: Which one?
Boy, 7: Subway.
Mother: Bernard Goetz. 

–B48 bus

Crazy lady at crosswalk: I am a professional jaywalker! If you jaywalk, I will give you a ticket! If you don’t, I will not!
Young black woman: Yo! Being who I am, I will bop you on the head.

–E 124th St & Lexington

Overheard by: waitingforthefight

(in front of the steps of The Metropolitan Museum of Art)
Tourist: Excuse me, do you know where The Met is?
Pissed off local woman: Walk seven blocks that way, take a left and walk four blocks.
(tourist walks away)
Pissed off local woman to friend: The next time someone asks me that, I’m giving them directions to the Bronx.

–82nd & 5th

Overheard by: olivia

Stranger to six‐year‐old girl who is one dollar short when paying: Hey there, sweetheart! I will pay that last dollar for you. Don’t you worry.
Girl: No! You are fat!

–Dylan’s Candy Bar

Overheard by: Acrown

Man #1: Do you live in New York?
Man #2: No.
Man #1: Go ahead. Take my spot. I see that statue every fucking day.

–Cruise ship, Hudson River

My guy friend and I stopped on the sidewalk to finish up a conversation and say goodbye. A man walks by and gave a hard shoulder nudge to my friend and kept walking. 

Guy friend: Yeah, excuse me!
Man: You stopped in the middle of the sidewalk. You can’t stop in the middle of the sidewalk; people need to get by. 

An argument ensues, then the man walks away. He changes his mind, walks back and gets within inches of my friend’s face. 

Man: I have a cold and I’m going to talk right in your face! 

–Broadway & Fulton 

Overheard by: Jessie 

Frat tourist guy: Hey! I just hailed a New York City cab!
New Yorker, jumping into cab: I just stole your cab!

–Bleecker & Hudson

Overheard by: sean

Tourist: I read about this place in that New York book I got from the library.
Guy in line: Did it also tell you that when it’s a full moon everything is half off?
Tourist to friend: Dude! We should just both get the large, then.
Friend: I love this town and its little quirks like this.

–Gray’s Papaya

Bus driver: Move to the back of the bus. They’re giving free diamonds in the back of the bus. See that lady in the back for your free diamond. 

–M2 bus

Guy: I hate this city. You can’t swing a dead cat without hitting a production. 

–W 44th, near filming of Spiderman 3

Overheard by: Alex