I frequently travel by bus and hardly ever wear headphones for the simple reason that overhearing snatches of everyday conversations are my secret pleasure.
I have started collecting strings of dialogue that intrigue, delight and sometimes disturb me.
Climb aboard all those who love stories.
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“She’d taken off the skin!”
(Sadly) “That’s the best bit.”
I *think* they were talking about rice pudding. I hope.
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“What about buying her a calendar for her birthday?”
“Hmmm… she’s getting on a bit. I’m not sure she’ll get full use out of it.”
Got to get good value out of a gift.
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“Rome in August… Prague in September… Skiing in November… It all just seems a bit… excessive.”
Yes. Yes it does.
‘The council were there… they said there’s no infestation. No rats. No mice. No flies …
Well, he never opened a window to let a fly in.’
“It could take 3 or 4 weeks to clean it.”
‘I expect they’ll need gas masks.’
“Hmm.”
Yikes.
“I said ‘Go and see him in hospital.’
But she says she doesn’t like hospitals.
I said ”You don’t have to see anything or anyone… you buzz the door and they let you in and you go straight through to his room.”
Mind Xxxx isn’t happy in there. He said to the doctor, “I’ve had enough of you incarcerating me in here.’
The doctor said “I’m sure you have Mr Xxxx, but it’s for your own good.’
And he has to wear a rubber band around his wrist.”
He’s been banded 😦
“Her?! She won’t have Blue Top milk in the house.”
Milk snob.
‘How do these girls do it? They push their babies around all day. On the bus. Off the bus…I’d be tired before I even started. We stayed at home and we liked it.’
Mothers – know your place!
“I heard they’re turning it into a shop… it was a lovely pub you know, I used to enjoy going in there. Then years ago it was the old station. (Angry) They just won’t leave things alone, will They?”
Angry nostalgia.
“I picked up a bottle and I went to pay and the shop girl said -‘This is organic milk. Did you want to buy normal?’
– I mean the price difference is about 35p!
‘No thank you’, I said. ‘We’ll have the normal.’
We don’t have anything fancy in our house.”
Just the normal.
“She lies down on the floor and lets them all tickle her tummy!
She doesn’t care. She just lays there and lets them all jump on.”
Sort of hoping that this lady wasn’t talking about a dog.
“I had to leave work early yesterday because my skirt felt funny.”
I actually know how this feels.
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“I was watching that Jeremy Kyle show…”
‘Ooh! Is that the show that’s on first thing in the morning? I never watch it. I’m never up first thing in the morning.’
Lazy lie-in.
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Last night my husband said ‘You’ve got glitter in your hair.’
I said ‘No, I’m just going grey’.
He said ‘Well, it’s lovely.’
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“We got off the bus outside that pub — you know, the one where Oliver Reed was always getting drunk.”
Celeb gossip snippet.
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“Alex is at home in bed, poor thing. Thinks he’s dying. But he should be OK for next week.”
Man flu?
“She’s got over her fall off the ladder, obviously.
But she didn’t go to see her dad on his birthday because she was looking after sick puppies.”
Bless her.
‘She’d been out of hospital less than a week. Now she’s broken both legs.’
OMG!
‘I TOLD Derek, “My cat-flap is closed!”
Poor old Derek.
‘Of course, I make her sleep on the floor.’
Is he talking about a dog???
‘He’s just like Roger, you know – that same, cold, dead, blank, face.’
Scary.
‘He was so drunk he was sick! I said to them, “Roll him on his side or he’ll choke!”
“Oh what a waste! Nearly £4 a pint.”
Austerity measures: keep it all in.
‘He had so many bags in his hands, he tried to ring the bell with his nose.’
I love the idea of this resourceful bag man.
“I’m just going for my usual bananas.”
“Oh yes. You and your bananas.”
The unspoken sub-text of fruit choice.
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“Ooh we went for coffee at one of those Star places.
They shouted out his name! Oh how we all laughed.”
Hugh Janus?
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“You know garlic bread keeps me awake all night.”
Anti-Vampire starter
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“He said, ‘I hope you have a nice day out!’
“I said we’re spending the day in the hospital with my eyes.”
I hope they had a good time.
the crone 
Oh my God! I LOVED reading these! I can’t stop giggling. Almost makes me want to take the bus…almost! Brilliant, Jaqueline! Thank you.
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Thank you Grace! I must add some more. I love observing people and imagining their lives. Everyone has a story, don’t they? x
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Hilarious.
“She lies down on the floor and lets them all tickle her tummy!
She doesn’t care. She just lays there and lets them all jump on.”
Sort of hoping that this lady wasn’t talking about a dog. <lmao.
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Loved these. Especially “You have glitter on your hair.”
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[quickly retypes]..IN your hair.
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Thanks Jason 🙂 I must get round to adding some more.
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Wonderful
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