Tourists

Forget Signaling — Put on Your Hazards

Tourist girl [standing in middle of busy sidewalk]: Oh, excuse me! [spins around] Oh! [turns around] Omigod! Like, I just ran into like four people and I’m not even walking!
City guy: Try walking.
Tourist girl: What?
City guy [reluctantly drawn in]: Look, in New York most people aboveground get where they’re going by walking. The sidewalks are the main roads in the city.
Tourist girl: [blank stare] City guy [getting frustrated]: If you were driving on a busy road, you wouldn’t just stop or take random turns in traffic without checking your mirrors or signaling, right?
Tourist girl: How do I signal?

–43rd & Broadway

“C” You Then!

Fat tourist: A, I hate Spongebob. B, I’ll see you over the summer.

–R train

Overheard by: Laurea de Ocampo

Like, I Wish It Could Autograph My Butt!

Tourist #1, pointing to the Met: It looks just like the Louv-rey in Paris.
Tourist #2: Oh my god, that is like the best museum.

–91st & 5th

Wednesday One-Liners Are Brimming with Consumer Confidence

Asian student on cell: Yeah, I haven’t had time to go shopping. I’ve had all this school work to do… Yeah, me either — I haven’t been since, like, Saturday… I miss shopping, too.

–NYU computer lab

Overheard by: Cpt. Kate

Bimbette: We should go to Boston to go to the big Victoria’s Secret. It would be, like, the most rational thing we’ve ever done.

–Fordham University RamVan

Overheard by: wishmewell

Three-year-old Barenaked Ladies fan: Mommy, if I had a lot of money, I’d buy you a green dress.

–59th & Lex

Overheard by: But not a real green dress, that’s cruel

Texan: Don’t you have malls here? Well, I guess New York is like one big strip mall.

–23rd St & Lex

Overheard by: Not a Texan

Tourist bimbo: What mall is this?

–Outside Bloomberg office tower, 59th & Lex

Overheard by: Russ Wall

Trains and Trainables

Tourist Chick #1: There’s a subway on every corner in New York.
Tourist Chick #2: Really? Wow. How about the trains?

–Starbucks, Times Square

Overheard by: rei-ray

I Think TV and Times Square Are in a Dead Heat on That One

Teenage tourist: This is so cool! It’s like everything you see on TV but real!

–Times Square

Overheard by: scott

I’m Happy to Let a Man Drive

Tourist girl: Excuse me, does this bus go to 61st?
Bus driver: Yeah.
Tourist girl: How much is it?
Bus driver: 20 bucks… or a kiss [points to cheek].
Tourist girl: Okay!
Friend: What is with you and public transportation workers?!

–Bus stop, 49th & Madison

Bring Me a Chocolate Glazed and We’ll Talk

Blonde tourist: Excuse me, officer. Can you tell me where the nearest liquor store is?
Cop: Hmmm. Don’t know. If you asked me where the nearest doughnut shop is, that would make more sense.
Blonde tourist: Um, can I get a picture with you?

–44th & 8th

Why New Yorkers Get Mad: Explained

Tourist #1: Once you get down into, like, Park Avenue in the 70s, there are mad famous people.
Tourist #2: That's because it's mad close to Midtown.
Tourist #1: Midtown is mad nice.

–M86 Bus

Overheard by: Erin W.

Wednesday One-Liners. (And by That We Mean Exactly What You Think We Mean.)

Hipster to friend having problems with ATM card: Maybe it's for normal people and you're just abnormally large.

–Village ATM

Overheard by: rafa

Overenthusiastic father of new skater: Oh, you know, it's her first time, so I wanted to make sure that I was there to help her through it so that it'd be extra-special for her.

–Wollman Rink, Central Park

Overweight woman: Where's Wang? Guys, where's Wang?

–Hard Rock Cafe

Tourist mom: It's not big enough to impress me.

–Grand Central

Overheard by: Not The Empire State, Surely

Loud woman: It was a three-legged pussy!

–Union Square Subway Station

Overheard by: Rachel K

Modern literature professor, after ending class early: Well, that's it, I've blown my load.

–Columbia University

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