Words

Wednesday One-Liners: ‘That’s What She Said’

Biology professor to students: Now that you’ve got the basic structure, I’m going to bone you for a while.

–NYU

Overheard by: i’m in the hard class

Conductor: Okay, folks, we’re actually running ahead of schedule. We’ll be stopping for approximately 40 minutes, so if you like you can get out and spread your legs. Spread your– stretch your legs…

–Amtrak train into Penn

Overheard by: KT

Woman on cell: It’s from the car accident. I can’t really move my head, and he woke up stiff this morning, and that never happens.

–5 train

Overheard by: Hobo Whisperer

Woman: Maggie has stopped eating. She’s just not putting as many things in her mouth as she used to.

–Union Square market

Girl on cell: Hey, Mom. Hold on a second, I’m gonna three-way Dad… Oh, wow, weird.

–Jamaica Station

Overheard by: Mike

Guy on PA: Hey, Mark, could you do me a favor? Just put it in, please? Yeah, I need you to put it in right now. Thanks, Mark!

–PATH

Overheard by: Ferocious Russian

Wednesday One-Liners Are Excellent Drivers, Excellent Drivers

Man to woman and her friend pushing a stroller: Listen, Jeanie, you like my sperm, and I like your car. I’m sure we can make a deal.

–60th & Central Park South

Firefighter after getting a call: Hey, boss, how many one-way streets do you think I can drive down the wrong way?

–Pathmark under Manhattan Bridge

Overheard by: tj

Midwestern woman in preppy clothes sticking head out passenger window of sedan: Excuse me, we’re trying to merge…

–Waiting to enter Lincoln Tunnel

Overheard by: Angela

Homeless musician with Casio keyboard plays entire intro to ‘Oye Como Va,’ then sings: Oye como va, ba da da, blah blah blah blah blah! [Abruptly stops] Well, ladies and gentlemen, that’s what you get for not having a car.

–L train to Williamsburg

Overheard by: Subway Goer

Or Are Those Croutons?

Tourist chick #1: What is ‘soup du jour’?
Tourist chick #2: You know, soup with all those little de jours in it.
Tourist chick #1: Oh, right.

–Quasi-French place, E 52nd St

Overheard by: Diner at same restaurant

Touchy-Ass Pagans

Hipster guy, after hipster girl sneezes: Oh, God bless you.
Hipster girl: Don’t bless me.
Hipster guy: Fuck you, then.

–Fat Baby, Lower East Side

Overheard by: RoninTy

Speaking of Cheesy Things?

JAP #1: Oh my god, is that how you spell ‘quiche’? I always thought it was spelled K-E-E-S-H. That is a really weird spelling.
JAP #2: Yeah, that is a totally weird spelling.
JAP #1: And I’m usually such a good speller!
JAP #2: Yeah, you are totally such a good speller! … Have you ever seen Sixteen Candles?

–Whole Foods, Union Square

Overheard by: unhipster

Or a Hologram — I Always Get Them Confused

Hispanic woman #1: … And he was all, ‘You’re not sick, it’s your diet.’
Hispanic woman #2: But you’re not on a diet.
Hispanic woman #1: No, no, he meant what I eat makes me sick. Then I told him when I’m sick I take NyQuil, and he said I can’t do that.
Hispanic woman #2: Why not?
Hispanic woman #1: Girl, he’s a Holocaust.

–34th & 8th

Overheard by: Lepidus

You’ve Been So Helpful — Thanks!

Thug teen: I wanna take out this fuckin’ book.
Librarian: Okay, well, go to the check-out desk.
Thug teen: I got to go to the other fuckin’ desk, mothafuckah?
Librarian: Yeah, motherfucker. The other fuckin’ desk.

–Brooklyn Library

Like Missionaries

Girl looking at GRE study guide: I’m not very smart. I took a practice test the other day and didn’t do good.
Friend: ‘Well.’ You didn’t do well.
Girl: No, it’s ‘good.’ A person is ‘well’ — like, ‘I’m doing well,’ but a person can’t do something well, they do it good.
Friend: You’re wrong.
Girl: No, that’s how it is.

–Barnes & Noble, 5th Ave

Nope, Only Pez

Columbia boy: So, are you a vegetarian?
Columbia girl: Yeah, kinda. You?
Columbia boy: I’m a pescatarian.
Columbia girl: Yeah, that’s great. So, do you eat meat or not?

–116th & Broadway

Overheard by: merc

Happy Birthday… Something… Something…

Not-so-Renthead: Have you seen Rent?
Potential Renthead: Yeah.
Not-so-Renthead: I have that song stuck in my head.
Potential Renthead: Which one?
Not-so-Renthead: I don’t know. I think it’s the one… where he’s like… yelling at her. I don’t know the words.

–The New School

Overheard by: La Vie Boheme

© 2026 OverheardinNewYork.com
Hat Tip 🎩 to The Marketing Scientist