General Idiocy

Head trainer: Let’s face it, if you could be all that you could be, you wouldn’t be working here…
Class: [Silence.]Trainee #1: [Applause.]Trainees #2 and #3: [Applause.]

Mutual of America, 320 Park Avenue
New York, New York

Guy #1, in Hebrew: So, what retarded kid are you working with today?
Guy #2, in Hebrew: Dude. Those kids are around here, you know.
Guy #1: Yeah, but no one here knows Hebrew.
Guy #2: This school’s like half Jewish. They might.
Guy #1: Not the retarded ones. They have enough trouble with English. You should know that — you work here, too.

University of Maryland
College Park, Maryland

Overheard by: Knows Hebrew

Female coworker on phone: Is that 'k' as in 'cat'?

Independence, Missouri

Cube rat #1: Dude, I’m going to send you a poem.
Cube rat #2: Okay.
Cube rat #1: Don’t get offended, okay?
Cube rat #2: Okay.
Cube rat #1: Dude, promise me you won’t get offended.

4949 Westown Parkway
Des Moines, Iowa

Inadequate manager called Chris*, muttering quietly to himself in different voices: You're a hero, Chris. (pause) I know I am, Chris, I'm a real hero. (pause) Chris, I'm just the best.

Council Office
London
England

Coworker: If I ever have a kid, I’m going to send them to Catholic school. I went to Catholic school and I feel I got a gooder education.

150 Batson Drive
Manchester, Connecticut

Loud partner to secretary, giving his lunch order: I don't want it spicy, but I don't want it un-spicy.
Secretary, pretending she knows exactly what he means: Oh, sure, okay.

Los Angeles, California

Overheard by: first year associate

Teacher: Fix the photocopier, it’s not working.
Secretary: What did you do to it?
Teacher: Nothing, it’s just jammed, unjam it.
Secretary: Oh my god, what is that smell…what did you do?
Teacher: Nothing.
Secretary: Did you put transparencies in here? Oh my god, you did! Dude! You can’t do that! They’ll melt! This is a colour photocopier.
Teacher: I wanted colour transparencies.
Secretary: You are so demoted to mimeograph!

557 Church Street
Toronto, Ontario
Canadia

Random stranger: Is that the ATM from upstairs?
Worker, hauling ATM down hallway: Yep.
Random stranger: So now I can't get money upstairs?
Worker: Oh, no. The money's still there in a pile. Just take what you need.

Bethesda, Maryland

IT guy #1: Asian. Asiaaaann.
IT guy #2: Like, 800 years old. A thousand. Thousands of years old.
IT guy #1: Asian. Asian. Asian.

43rd & Madison
New York City, New York

Overheard by: WTF?!