Little boy: I don’t like your rules, Mommy!
Mom: They aren’t my rules, honey, they’re America’s rules.
Austin, Texas
Black woman to child: You just mama’s little white boy, aren’t you? Yes you are!
Passing Hispanic woman: Is he really white?
Wal‐Mart Parking Lot
Austin, Texas
Overheard by: Walk By Faster
Hispanic cleaning lady, about being a nurse in Mexico: It’s not like over there, like say, if you accidentally kill an old person, you have to buy another one.
Houston, Texas
Overheard by: high school aide
Seven‐year‐old boy: Just because he’s a kid doesn’t mean he should not have to moisturize his hair.
Houston, Texas
Overheard by: sandy
Professor: The French lords were so disbelieving. It was like your favorite puppy going ‘Rawr, rawr, rawr!’ and taking a chunk out of your arm — they were just like, ‘Huh? What?’
Burdine Hall, University of Texas
Austin, Texas
Overheard by: she actually growled
Student: I have that song “Ring My Bell” in my head.
Advisor #1: The one by Diana Ross.
Student: I think so.
Advisor #2, from adjacent cube: It’s not Diana Ross.
Advisor #1: Well, who is it?
Advisor #2: I don’t know, but not Diana Ross.
Student: And that song “In the Navy.“
Advisor #2: That’s not Diana Ross either. Just as gay, but not Diana Ross.
El Paso, Texas
Overheard by: Disco Dan
Guy going to study for finals: I’m kinda scared to sit in a cubicle alone… by myself… Alone with my thoughts. Not good.
PCL Library
University of Texas at Austin
Attractive passerby: And then she was all like, “my parents would never press charges against you.” And I was so touched…
Houston, Texas
