quotes from the street » life in england

keep calm and keep it to yourself

Rachel Steed — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 09:46:32 +0000

“no, i’m sorry, ruthlessly expressing one’s emotions is wrong”

overheard: London, UK

context: englishman to an american on their cultural differences

you don’t say

Rachel Steed — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 21:15:42 +0000

“it just sort of feels like britain is a nation in denial of its primal urges”

overheard: London, UK

context: an englishman to his international friends when prompted to comment on his nation’s prudishness

popular history

Rachel Steed — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 07:46:06 +0000

guy #1: “in the Britney/Christina whore-off, the Dirrty video was like Hiroshima”

guy#2: “so does that make Nagasaki the ‘Oooops i did it again’ of international conflict?”

overheard: Cambridge University, England

context: two gay guys walking through Newnham College (an all-girls college), wishing they lived there

how to sell it

Rachel Steed — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 08:00:30 +0000

“of course, but you know charlotte, the money i make at JP Morgan is merely a drop in the ocean compared to the money my family has”

overheard: Tramp, London

context: a banker courting his evening’s prey

i dare say …

Rachel Steed — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 08:00:05 +0000

englishman #1: “i think that’s what people do”

englishman #2: “what? talk about their emotions?”

overheard: brompton cemetary, london

context: two englishman walking and talking on a sunday afternoon

brilliant

Rachel Steed — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 09:01:19 +0000

“there is a broken train in front of us that can’t be moved … so we’ll be here for ages, probably, i think”

overheard: London Underground, London

context: train driver over the intercom to passengers on the district line

can’t touch this …

Rachel Steed — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 08:00:17 +0000

“two bottles of crystal – one drink, one spray”

overheard: Tramp, London

context: a russian guy explaining his bottle selection to the table one over

that’s one way of putting it

Rachel Steed — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 12:57:02 +0000

girl: “and you, where are you from?”

guy: “well, i’m half french, half greek – i’m a freak!”

overheard: Chelsea, London

context: two twenty-somethings chatting at a party

little britain

Rachel Steed — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 11:12:12 +0000

“quit your whining kev or you’re not getting macky d’s for dinner!”

overheard: Primark, Oxford Circus

context: chav mum to her son whilst shopping as he complained he was hungry

thank you, oh great one

Rachel Steed — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 09:37:08 +0000

“we are vigilantly scanning the heavens for the first snowflake”

overheard: BBC, London

context: Boris Johnson assuring the capital that he’s got it all under control