Photo by anokarina
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, and check out the archives here.
D.C. has a lot going for it, and one of them is well-educated, informed people. So here’s a new game—Jeopardy! based on D.C. cell phone conversations. Remember, you must answer in the form of a question.
Overheard of the Week
Afternoon at the Cava on Connecticut just south of Dupont:
Early 20’s, entry-level professional guy, on his cell phone: “He had a Polish-sounding name and was national security advisor to Jimmy Carter.”
We can’t have Overheard in D.C. without your submissions! Email your Overheards to overheard(at)dcist[dot]com and don’t forget to include who was talking, to whom, and in what context.
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Good for you, bad for everyone else
On a Tuesday evening in Nordstrom Rack:
A young woman, otherwise professionally dressed, proudly asserts during her phone call, “I don’t brush my teeth!”
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This is why Trump won?
In the White House driveway following an East Wing tour:
Very nicely dressed woman and man are walking away.
Woman: “That was a joke!! We should be embarrassed. How can we be a world power?! I have been to many other countries’ White Houses and they were so much better. I mean, most other leaders live in palaces and we just have a house!!”
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Well that’s helpful
In front of Marrakesh’s outside seating on P St NW around 7 p.m. on Tuesday, June 6:
Diner 1: “Really? Where is it?”
Diner 2: “Uh…I or L streets? One of the letter streets I think.”
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I guess this era is good for some people
At a downtown public relations firm day of Trump’s Paris Accord announcement:
“The world might be going to shit, but at least we’re getting some great media coverage out of it.”
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You’re half right?
Two older guys are chatting at a bus stop Thursday evening, the day of Comey’s testimony:
Guy 1: “Oh yeah, I watched that live stream. Wasn’t interesting. McCain looked senile.”
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Let’s all adopt this
Near Duffy’s Tavern on Thursday, June 8:
A young man is talking on the phone to someone else, maybe coming to town for Pride: “Ok, text me once you’re close to Baltimore, and I’ll head back to the apartment to let you in. I have to go covfefe.”
(Pause as the other person responds.)
Young man: “It’s a D.C. thing. In New York you kiki. In D.C. we covfefe!”
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Maybe the mother of the Nordstrom Rack lady?
Uber Pool ride Tuesday night around 10 p.m.:
Elderly woman to her companion after they leave MedStar Georgetown Hospital:
“They tell you not to use toothpaste on dentures. My mouth feels like the Russian army is marching through barefoot.”
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🙁
Group of four parents and three children out to dinner at a la Lucia in Old Town:
Woman across the table to eight year old boy: “How was your cruise to Mexico?”
Boy: “It was great! I got to see so many cool places!!”
Woman: “Well, I can’t believe they let you back in the U.S.”
Boy: “Oh, Trump wasn’t president yet so they let me right back in.”
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Empathy? Or anthropomorphism?
At the National Zoo, in a group of high school students:
Student 1: “It’s basically animal imprisonment. It should be illegal.”
Student 2, sympathetically: “Yeah, Pokemon Go is rough.”
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Leaning towards cute rather than argh
At the Museum of American History’s exhibit on First Ladies’ dresses:
A group of middle schoolers on a class trip to D.C.: “Wait… Hillary Clinton has a dress in here! She was a First Lady, too!?”
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This isn’t New Orleans!
Exiting the train at L’Enfant Plaza after a Nats game:
Girl: “I really have to pee but there’s no bathroom here.”
Guy 1: “Not with that attitude!”
Guy 2: “We live in a country where you can pee wherever you want.”
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The White House?
In an elevator in Old Town:
Early twenties man and woman, maybe interns, are walking onto the elevator.
Man is talking about some opportunity he just got.
Woman: “Oh my gosh! That sounds awesome!! How did you find that?”
Man, laughs: “Well it was this REALLY shady organization.”
Woman: “I LOVE shady organizations.”
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