Photo by SpecialKRB

Welcome back to Overheard in D.C., DCist’s weekly column of funny, strange and poignant things that our readers and staff overhear and send in. We’ve been doing it since 2006, so check out the archives here.

Well, Congress is looking to shut down D.C. for the umpteenth time. Maybe they should think of other things they’d be harming: like romance in D.C.

Overheard of the Week

At the Carnegie Library:

Twenty-something woman at a fundraiser: “Well, actually I’m dating a Democrat so I’m pretty bipartisan.”

As always, Overheard in D.C. relies on you, so make sure to send in what you hear to our special email address. Please tell us who, what, where and in what context.

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Only in D.C.?

Two mid-20s female professionals, at least one of whom is from Texas, walking to work in Crystal City:

Girl 1: “Hey, happy birthday! Sorry your Senator sucks so much.”
Girl 2: “I know, right? What was with that faux-filibuster. Doesn’t he know what Green Eggs and Ham is really about? It’s about TRYING something.”
Girl 1: “Right? Dr. Seuss would say give Obamacare a chance.”

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Take that, Congress

At Labyrinth Games:

A young woman talking to some prospective players about Chicken Caesar:

Said young woman: “It’s the most political game we have, even though you’re a chicken.”

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Uphill both ways, etc.

Group of teens talking during the morning commute at the Navy Yard/Ballpark Metro station:

Girl 1: “Wait, we had homework in EVERY class?!”
Girl 2: “Every class.”
Girl 1: “Oh my god!”

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At least he didn’t say “Chinese Taipei”

At 15th and P Streets NW:

Twenties or thirties-ish guy on the phone: “Taiwan is an island. So it’s kinda out in the water. But yeah, it’s near China.”

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Been there, buddy

Saturday afternoon at the Marshalls in Columbia Heights:

A young man is contemplating his options: “Beer… underwear… beer… underwear…”

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Is our children learning?

On the Red Line, Saturday at noon:

Late 20s woman: “And she said, ‘Is that Michael Jackson?’ and then the other girl said, “No, that’s Malcolm X!'”

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Been there buddy

Around 7 p.m. outside of Union Station:

Young 20-something woman in a short dress with red heels, talking on her cell in valley-speak: “Well, you know, I am going out to Virginia to see them tonight. So I totally expect them to pay for dinner, right?”

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Still more informative than most D.C. tour guides

Two older women walking by the Smithsonian Castle:

“And that’s The Castle! They call it The Castle because it has … turrets and castle-like … things!”

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Your weekly “Oh, Jesus”

On a beautiful Sunday afternoon at the Lincoln Memorial:

A tourist paused to look at the plaque honoring Martin Luther King’s “I Have a
Dream” speech: “Isn’t this where Forrest Gump spoke?”

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And finally, kids say the coolest things

On the parking shuttle at Dulles Airport:

Small boy says to his dad: “Remember what’s inside us? FOOD!”