Overheard #1

I wouldn’t necessarily call it eavesdropping. Four or five years ago, I discovered that just by listening in a public place, I became privy to some fascinating pieces of dialogue. I’m sure you’ve probably defaulted to the line, “Oh, I just love to people watch.” But how often do you find yourself people listening? It’s become my favorite hobby on the road. In airports. Restaurants. I originally recorded these snippets of conversations, because I thought I might use them sometime in pieces of fiction. They were just so real or outrageous or odd, that I knew I could never make them up. I don't hover near conversations I haven’t been invited to join. They come to me. Rather than "Eavesdroppings" I settled on calling the collection "Overheard."

“I don’t know if y’all know this song or not, but the band was playing ‘Push It’ by Salt And Peppers.”

-Yes, this early-30s, Sportscenter anchor Linda Cohn-lookalike—with long, straight, brown hair and those giant eyes—not only shucked the rap group’s abbreviations but pluralized them. She was addressing a group of students who were probably at Wake Forest U, because I was in Winston-Salem, NC. Spinderella would be proud.

My idea is far from original. A friend of mine shared a couple of sites designed to showcase gems like these. I'm just glad I'm not alone.

www.overheardinnewyork.com

http://eavesdropdc.blogspot.com/