Category: Listening in public

On a bus. An elderly lady hops on and starts talking to another across the aisle.

“There’s a fine hassle at the bank! What a cue. And one man fell on top of me. He fell on me! He was feeling dizzy you see. He had a dizzy fit. And was sent to the hospital. After the fall… I didn’t need to [pause] Luckily nothing happened to me! Even though I was squished right under him! [laughter]”

“Yeah, sometimes things…”

“…once a man’s shopping tote broke on the escalator, a canvas tote, the seam in the bottom tore up, all the books scattered around… I lost my step among the books. Yes… well…”

***

In a restaurant, lunch hour. Two middle-aged women talking.

“Our girl, she’s really social and outgoing but the boy – just like his father.”

***

 

On a train. Afternoon. Voice on the tannoy.

“And for the English speaking passangers: we are having technical problems so we can’t go as fast as we want to. We will be late about five to fifteen minutes. Apologize.”

***

Coffee house, afternoon. Two young men talking.

“He had a wife, did you know that? For years. And now he’s dating, a woman. Like… I didn’t see that coming. ”

“Yeah, I’ve seen… in concerts, I’ve seen him together with…”

“Yeah, hmm. Didn’t see that… but I’ll be in Berlin so I won’t be…”
“Maybe they’ll do a broadcast in radio or…”

“Yeah, I’m sure….”

***

Evening at a bus stop. Two women talking.

“I’m going to the church. The church is. It is! I want to go. I’m going now. The church is!”

“Me too.”

***

Morning, in a train. A woman talking to a man.

“Sorry what did you say to my father just now?”

“I told him I have a Philippina girlfriend.”

“We come from China.”

“Oh, China is closer.”

“Well, they are neighboring countries.”

“We’ve been together for a year, but we are both poor so… You know. Text messages, video calls.”

“Yes.”

***

Evening. A young man chatting up to two young women.

“No no, it’s better in the night. The air is cold and the water is warm. You just stay in the water and it’s really wonderful… You should definitely bring your bathing suits.”

[The women giggle.]

***

Evening. Two elderly men, dressed smart and smelling of fresh after shave, walking in the street.

“Why am I so nervous?”

[silence]

***

Morning. A group of under five-year-old kindergarteners with two teachers walking in the rain.

“Ok then, let’s move on. Who’s hungry?”

[Kids] “Meeeeee…..!”

“Who’s tired?”

“Meee…!”

“Who wants to go play in the park?”

“….? ”

[Two kids] “… me?”

“Great, let’s go then!”

***

On a train, evening. A couple discussing.

” [reading] The roof is usually chosen on the grounds of aesthetics. A tile roof is quieter during rain than a tin roof. A tile roof is more expensive to install. A tile roof requires to be placed on a waterproof roofing… We’re so getting a tin roof.”

“I’m sure that won’t be the deal breaker.”

***