The other day I read about a whack site out of New York called "Overheard in New York," and I thought it would be so terribly cool to have an "Overheard in Victoria" page, too.

Ok, ok, unlike NYC, we're not a city of nearly 8 million people, but still... I bet there's a lot of funny and weird or just bizarre stuff out there. (Besides, think of the tourists! This is anthropology in action...)

So, if you have an anthropologist in your head hankering to express him- or herself, here's what you need to do: clean your ears, hang out in public spaces, and take note(s)! Any overheard weird, surreal, funny, bizarre, funky, strange, or whatever snippet of strangers' conversations that strikes you as weird, surreal, funny, ... well, you get the drift... send it to me via email (yheibelATpostDOTharvardDOTedu), or post it here directly (which any registered user can do),or leave it as a comment.

While I fully understand that there will not be an inundation of witticism of this page any time soon, please don't let it languish and dry up like Tofino... Whatever piddle you can cast this way will be so very much appreciated...

(It has been a week, and sadly, no entries. I offer the first one -- it's about death, so it's not as funny as I'd like, but it is weird...)


File this one under: "Life goes on... or else it goes out. In a box."

Middle-aged woman, at main entrance of long-term care facility, to male senior citizen taking cardboard boxes inside: "Boxes? What -- you needed boxes?"
Older man, matter of factly: "Well, when someone dies, you need boxes."
Woman: "We've got plenty of boxes inside!"

- overheard outside a Fairfield Hospital/ Care Facility

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A car heading south down Cook St. into the Village. Two young American women with Southern accents pull over and ask for directions:

"We're trying to find Nanna Moe. Is this the right way?"

"Excuse me?"

[Woman looks at map]

"Nanna Moe."

"Uh, you mean Nanaimo?"

"Yeah! We want to catch the ferry to Vancouver!"

"Uh, O.K., turn around and get over onto Douglas St. and head north."

"Thanks!"

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Butchart Gardens gift shop:

American tourist, holding souvenir Canadian flag: "Does this come in green?"

Gift shop employee: "...Ahh, that's our Canadian flag--it's red and white."

Tourist: "I can see that this one's red; I'm wondering if I can get it in green?"

Employee: "What?... Can I get an American flag in green stripes?"

Tourist: "Absolutely not!"

Employee: "Well, why do you think you can get a Canadian flag in Green?"

Tourist, waving flag in employee's face: "'CAUSE IT WOULD LOOK A HELL OF A LOT BETTER THAN THIS!"

[contribution by "Scaper"]

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Chinatown:

Man with Eastern European accent: "You know--Nanaimo?"

Me: "Nanaimo Street or Nanaimo the city?"

Man: "City. From here?"

Me: "Yes, go up one block to Douglas Street, turn left."