Gems abound...

In my opinion New York is the best place in the world to overhear some of the best quotes by everyday people. Like the time in Starbucks a few years back I heard a seemingly upper-middle class woman sitting at the adjacent table state, "But I'm not an American , I'm a New Yorker." It doesn't always need to be this substantive, or catchy- sometimes it's just a casual exchange or turn of phrase that sticks with me. This week I've had a few of these gems floating in my direction, which for one reason or another tickled my fancy.

Walking down 80th Street past a brownstone, I noticed two little girls and what looked their mothers conversing on the stoop. The moms were quietly discussing something while the girls interacted. One girl was struggling with a biggish toy rocket-ship like thing, that lit up and made noise. The other little girl was struggling to get rocket-girl's attention, in a very pronounced, proper British accent: "What's your name? What's your name?" To which rocket girl, finally in control of her contraption looked up and said in drawn out tones, "Scaaarlet..." The exchange made me smile. The British girl, the American girl named Scarlet playing with a rocket-ship; it could have been out of a movie, but here it was- out on a stoop, on a sticky New York summer evening.

Earlier this week I heard two guys at the gym talking about wrestling- like the Grecco-Roman variety, not WWE or the like- and different moves and holds or locks they knew. The one guy, who didn't really look like a wrestler- kind of lanky- claimed he busted his shoulder because he's always "rolling guys like way outta my weight class." The conversation turned to people trying to pick fights with them on the street or what have you (This portion instigated by the feather-weight). "Who would you rather fight [on the street]," he asked. To which the other, more husky gentlemen replied, "Usually somebody my size or bigger than me... if some guy starts in with me and he's a little guy- I don't want no part, because he's gotta be crazy, or ninja or something." Sound advice grasshopper, you have passed the test... beware the little, crazy ninjas loose in the city!

And finally, one that happened at Duane Reade- New York City's most prevalant purveyor of drugs and sundries. It so entertained and awed me, I actually posted this exchange as my status on Facebook shortly after it happened. I called it, "The Power of Listening."

Customer: Excuse me, where is your duct tape?

Cashier: What?

Customer: Duct tape...?

Cashier: Tape?

Customer: Duct tape.

Cashier: Like scotch tape?

Customer: DUCT tape.

Cashier: (points upstairs) Uhhh, aisle twelve-

Customer: (looks upstairs) Aisle what?

Cashier: Twelve.

Customer: Twelve?

Cashier: Yes.

Customer: Thanks.

I'd like to point I was in an isoceles triangle with these two gents, meaning I was equidistant from each of them as they were to eachother- and I could hear each of them just fine. Maddening, yet so entertaining.