Overheard on the Peckham Omnibus

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Eavesdropped at the dentist *shudder* actually but there's no poetic licence in that title.

Oldish lady: "During the war my mum worked in the broom factory in Nunhead. She went home to lunch and the cat brought in a sparrow. 'Oooh no!', she said, 'That's bad luck.' She got back late from lunch and was sacked!"

What tantalising snippets have you overheard?

[catgirl]

This is cheating as it's not something I overheard myself. THere's a fantastic thread on Guardian talk called 'conversations overheard in public' which is very very long but does contain some absolute gems.

A few of my favourites are:

On a beach in France a few years ago, a middle-aged English couple walked past me, deep in conversation. I only heard two words, but they were enough:

"...and fourteenthly..."

and

"swiss cottage is the only tube station named after two different types of cheese"

and

"They say the best place to test a vibrator is the tip of your nose."

Long pause.

"Okay, second best place I suppose".

[SimonM]

Falls off chair laughing at all three....:))

[Thequietone]

At Tottenham Court Road to bus driver.

"Does this bus go past Baker Street ?"

No.

"Are you sure, how do you know ?"

At Waterloo to bus driver.

"Does this bus go via the Strand ?"

No.

"Why not ?"

I should add these people were English and had the vote. They should have been on a leash.

Paul

[SeanMacGabhann]

I get my weekly does from the front pages of Time Out - I just love them.

Even knowing they may be taking out of context you can't help but think "well, what context would that work in"

The one I remember most (and have now heard enough times for it to be possibly apocryphal) is the one with one guy saing to his mate on the tube "I mean, do I LOOK like a f@@@ing people person?"

[Narnia]

This is more 'witnessed on a Dublin omnibus'

Driver stops at bus stop in Blackrock village (not the end of the route). Driver disembarks. Driver enters pub next to bus stop.......10 minutes later driver exits pub wiping his lips, and returns to bus and continues on journey. Not one word of dissension from passengers!

[Marmora Man]

Genuine overheard - London circa 1975

"It was criminal, criminal. The judge put him away for three years - just for a bit of burglary. Criminal that's wot I think."

[Dulwich Born And Bred]

I liked:

1st Person: I don't like that man, he'll be the death of me he will.

2nd Person: Yeah I know what you mean, the feeling is mutual.

1st person: You mean the feeling is NEUTRAL...not mutual, you always get your words mixed up.

2nd Person: My bad, sorry you are right...yeah the feeling is neutral mate.

Ahhh poor 2nd person...she got it right the first time!

[citizenED]

In Sainsury's on Saturday a guy and his girl rushed past me down the biscuits ailse, he was saying to her "...it's not like I need it that often, but I need it NOW..."

citizen