Waverly Place and Mercer Street

Two NYU juniors.  He: skinny jeans, thin cotton hoodie (hood up), hands shoved in pockets.  She: skinny jeans, two layered T-shirts, silver ballet flats, oversized sunglasses.

NYU Girl: No this whole place is unrecognizable.  The new freshmen come in and they’re like, You used to live in Hayden, where is there to go around here? and I’m like, Honestly?  I have no idea.  This whole place is completely different.

NYU Boy: Pizza Mercato’s still here.

NYU Girl: Yeah but that’s the only thing.

NYU Boy: I know, even St. Marks.

NYU Girl: Totally!

NYU Boy: It’s like St. Marks got bought out by a major label.

NYU Girl: God, I know.

NYU Boy: I mean, I guess if you like Japanese food…

NYU Girl: Yeah but if you don’t.

NYU Boy: St. Marks went from like gutter punk to like, Asian fusion in the past two years.

NYU Girl: I know.  It’s so sad.

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Lafayette and Broome; 5th and A; Trader Joe’s on 14th and 3rd

Three unrelated fragments from the past 48 hours.

1.

Behind me, unseen, guy and girl walking.

Girl: Why are you walking so far ahead?

Guy: (icy) Because I’m upset.  And yes my knee is better, thank you for asking.

2.

Fiftysomething dude, sun-leathered, in twentysomething surferwear and shades, on his cellphone, one foot on the curb and one in the gutter.

Surfer Dude: Nothing.  Chilling.  Oh that girl I lent money to ten years ago called me from Spain.  She was like, Are you still mad at me?  I was like, I’m not mad at you, I just lost all respect for you.  She was like, Cool.  So that.  Otherwise nothing.

3.

Shaved-head guy with tiny gold hoop earrings behind me in line at the Trader Joe’s.   Picks up a can of Chunky Minestrone soup.

Shaved-Head Guy: (in disbelief) Chunky Milestone Soup?

He holds the can at arm’s length to squint at it–his forearm is ribboned with long, blurry tattoos of naked ladies.  Shakes his head in resignation, replaces the can on the shelf.

Shaved-Head Guy: Chunky Milestone Soup.