When Stabbing a Stranger Is Okay: An Overheard Everywhere Short Story

Indecisive young woman to stranger: It's just so hard to chose which wallet I want!
Stranger: Er, yeah. I'm shopping for a gift for a friend.
Indecisive young woman, holding up two wallets: What do you think, the red or the black?
Stranger: Ummmmm… The black.
Indecisive young woman: Hmmmm. It's just that red is so classy, you know?
Stranger: Then take the red one.
Indecisive young woman: But red doesn't go with everything… Black goes with everything.
Stranger: Then take the black one.
Indecisive young woman: I don't know. I don't like the way it looks inside. I liked that brown one over there (points) but it's a color that would just get dirty so quickly, you know?
Stranger: Mmmm-hmmm.
indecisive young woman, holding up two other wallets: What do you think, what suits me best?
Stranger: Um, they're both nice. It's hard to say which is best.
Indecisive young woman: Oh, I know… Choosing a wallet is such a personal thing, you know?

Mall
Australia

Overheard by: which is why you ask a complete stranger for their opinion

Posted on June 15, 2010
Australia, Compare and contrast, Fashion, Gifts, Malls, Questions, Shopping, Strangers, Women

What? You've Never Heard Of Rounding?

Young teenage girl to friend: $3.25 for a Rockstar? That's like, wait… (pauses for a few seconds) That's like five dollars.

Tacoma Mall
Washington

Overheard by: Not impressed by the math skills of today's youth.

Posted on March 11, 2010
Money, Shopping, Stupidity, Teens, Washington

The Goal Is to Prevent That, Not Hasten It

Son, in dog food aisle: Why don't we buy this one?
Mom: Because he won't eat it.
Son: But it's cheaper!
Mom: And therefore not good for him.
Son: I don't see what the problem is, he'll be dead soon.

Tesco Supermarket
England

Posted on February 27, 2010
Animals, Death & dying, England, Food, Moms, Shopping, Should have used a condom

Welcome to the Twilight Zone

30-something guy to seven-year-old kid: So even when you get older you will be spending a lot of time in stores waiting for women to shop… It's boring for us, but looking around and not buying anything is somehow fun for them.
Seven-year-old kid: Oh. You aren't American. Where you from?
30-something guy: I'm from Ireland.
Seven-year-old kid: Ireland? What do they speak there?
30-something guy: English.
Seven-year-old kid: You speak English?
30-something guy: Well, we're speaking English now.
Seven-year-old kid, incredulously: We are?

Long Island, New York

Overheard by: Jack

Posted on January 24, 2010
Foreigners, Gender issues, Kids, New York, Questions, Shopping

Clustered Around the Mayonnaise and Wonder Bread

Aunt: Jared*, put the toy back. We are going to go over to K-Mart, because they have a better selection.
Four-year-old: I don't want to go to K-Mart, auntie! There's too many white people over there!

Ocean City, Maryland

Overheard by: His (embarassed) Mother