Since I have inhabited New York City, I’ve met and socialized with many characters right from a movie or book. I’ve also overheard fragments of conversation or been approached with the strangest requests or suggestions. Much like someone contributing to overheardinnewyork.com, I too have been writing down all the interesting blah blah blah I encounter.
So I share with you some culture of the city. These short excerpts are directly from my notebook and completely unaltered (except for spelling mistakes because that’s just embarrassing):
1) Man in mid 20s talking to woman in mid 20s walking down Crosby Street in Soho:
“So I put on my face this morning and then realized I looked like my boyfriend when he dresses in drag!” Both laugh at this everyday occurrence.
Huh. That explains the random glitter spots on your face.
2) Three obnoxiously loud people on the Path train from Newark to New York at 1 am. Two men, one woman, between 25-28. One man says to the other:
“Take a train to Ocean City and you’ll drink like a god.” The other replies, “I always drink like a god,” to which Loud Idiot #1 says, “I’ll make you drink like a super god.” Insert stupid grin here.
Wow. Lot’s of deep, religious, God talk on the train tonight…
3) Same group as above. Now the woman would like to say something. In a piercing voice she exclaims for the whole train to here:
“I CAN’T BELIEVE MY EX MARRIED MY BEST FRIEND!!” Luckly Loud Idiot #2 was there to console her. “Um. It will be okay.”
Nothing like some good old compassion between a few close chums.
4) While I’m paying for my food at the bagel place, a new guy rings me up:
“$3.80.” (Pause) “Red head?” he says it almost like a question. “Yeees,” I respond. He smiles and turns to get my coffee. He comes back with my coffee. “Yes. Red head?” (Pause and tilted-head-look) “Red.”
