ADVERTISEMENT

Sometimes you can’t help but overhear a conversation. The sound waves somehow reach your ears against your will and all that is left for you to do is tune in to the freshest gossip about John being a complete jerk or Margaret forgetting to bring homemade goods to the baking fair (how could she?).

However, not all chats that happen in public are this tame, and people in this Reddit thread definitely know this. From overhearing orders to eliminate some witnesses to receiving news about strange medical diagnoses, scroll down to find the most unhinged private conversations people eavesdropped on in public.

While you're at it, don't forget to check out a conversation with world-leading etiquette expert Jo Hayes, corporate etiquette educator Adrienne Barker, and modern-day etiquette expert and co-founder of Fresh Starts Registry, Jenny Dreizen, who kindly agreed to chat with us more about eavesdropping etiquette.

#1

Young student in a classroom, focused on writing notes during a lesson. I overheard a guy in my school, whom I didn't know because he was two years younger than me, telling someone over the phone that he didn't want to live any more - he was so tired of being lonely all the time and getting bullied day in, day out. His crying pierced my soul...

I was really popular at that time: had a lot of friends, was always pulling pranks with them, knew the teachers pretty well... So one day, me and my best friend followed him to the bathroom (this sounds so weird, but we had been observing him and we knew he hid in the toilets during breaks) and we kind of started a conversation on how his shirt was really cool and that we were a fan of the same band as him. And then we invited him to sit with us, and we kept that up until we graduated, and to this day, we're still friends. I regularly checked up on him during the time I knew he was depressed, without ever telling him I had overheard him when he was on the phone. He's doing great now - he's in his second year of music academy. I don't know if we "saved his life", but I sure bet we made it a little easier for him.

And seriously, he's become one of my best friends. Such a sweet kid then, and still a great guy now.

Idan_Orion_Vane , Getty Images / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

Multa Nocte
Community Member
9 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If this is actually real, then this is the best thing I've heard today.

View more comments
ADVERTISEMENT
RELATED:
    #2

    40 Times People Were Not Prepared To Overhear The Conversations They Did I’m a wedding videographer. At every wedding I work with a photographer. Sometimes I get along with them, sometimes not.

    Anyways, I’m working with this photo team at a wedding. We’re doing family photos which is the worst part of the day. It’s just a long drawn out 30 minutes of people not knowing where to stand, yelling for people who have walked away and were supposed to be in the next group photo, dealing with kids, etc.

    I overhear one of the photographers whisper to the other: “Sometimes, when I’m having a rough time in family photos, I like to imagine everything everyone says came from behind a closed bedroom door, with a very strong implication of sexual intent.”

    That was years ago and to this day I can’t help but think of it at every wedding. Hearing someone say something like “GRANDPA GET BACK OVER HERE! WERE NOT DONE WITH YOU IN THE MIDDLE!” Is now the bane of my existence.

    Old-Figure922 , Getúlio Moraes / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    walkabout
    Community Member
    9 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I wish that my intrusive thoughts offered comic relief.

    View more comments
    ADVERTISEMENT
    #3

    A hand pressed against a rain-covered window, evoking the feeling of overhearing things in public spaces. I was studying with a friend in their dorm in college. It was a suited dorm with a shared bathroom. Heard multiple girls going into the bathroom together franticly and turn the shower on. Voice one was sobbing uncontrobbly then I heard her say "I told him no, I told him I kept telling him to stop." Voice two responded with something along the lines of "hey, I know you did, it's going to be okay. Let's wash the blood off first"

    F*****g horrified me. I will never forget the way her voice and her sobs sounded. I was an RA and was required to report the situation because of my job. I had been through a similar situation, I knew how hard it was and wanted to check on her, but because I was a male I didn't feel my presence would help in the situation. Called a female RA over to come check on her. Felt completely powerless not being able to check on her myself.

    DominionKnight , Milada Vigerova / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    ADVERTISEMENT

    All three etiquette experts agree that eavesdropping is impolite.

    "Eavesdropping crosses a fundamental boundary of respect. In my years of teaching etiquette, I've found that deliberate listening to conversations not meant for your ears violates the trust we establish in both personal and professional relationships," said corporate etiquette educator Adrienne Barker.

    "It's particularly problematic in business settings where I often consult, as it can undermine team dynamics and raise serious confidentiality issues. When someone eavesdrops, they're essentially taking information without permission—and that's never good form!"

    #4

    Close-up of a surprised cat with wide eyes, showing an insane expression. Kids talking at the Park, very loudly, about how they [unalived] my cat. Which I had found earlier and was at the park trying to cheer up. I sued them.

    Revolutionary-Form24 , hang niu / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    Zenba
    Community Member
    9 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Sueing would not have been the thing I would have done...

    View more comments
    #5

    A tattooed arm reaches into a cooler, selecting a green juice bottle among various beverages in a store. At the grocery store I heard an elderly lady turn to her husband and say "shall we get naked?".

    Took a double take to realize she was reaching towards the "Naked" fruit juice brand.

    lasarus29 , Dillon Wanner / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    ADVERTISEMENT
    ADVERTISEMENT
    #6

    Traditional wooden grid windows with light filtering through, casting shadows. Dollar store grandma
    '' this family really went to s**t while I was in prison''.

    raka_defocus , De an Sun / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    Janissary35680
    Community Member
    Premium
    9 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    There is so much to unpack in that one little sentence!😄

    View more comments

    "When we are in a public space, and there is no concept of assumed privacy, it can be easy to listen in to someone's conversation. I think as long as we are not straining, staring, or letting our jaws hit the floor, it isn't too impolite," explained modern-day etiquette expert and co-founder of Fresh Starts Registry, Jenny Dreizen.

    "I think where eavesdropping gets into truly impolite territory is actually rooted in the etymology of the word—to drop from the eaves, literally hang within the overhangs of a roof, meant to spy, essentially. Not all information, thoughts, or feelings are meant to be heard by indiscriminate parties, so listening to a conversation someone believes to be private while remaining hidden or unseen is definitely considered impolite."

    #7

    Ballet dancers backstage in silhouette preparing for a performance, with stage lights creating dramatic effects. When I was little my mom and I were at a library next to my dance studio waiting for my dance class. A guy on the phone speaking quietly but not that quiet, was saying “so many girls in this area, and they are all wearing little tutus, you really gotta come check them out, they are basically asking for it”

    My mom, and another woman near by went to the police station (also next door) to file a report. The police did nothing.

    A couple months later we found out the police station was covering up crimes of a child predator. It made national news I think… at least regional news.

    So I lost my trust in police when I was VERY young. But sadly that wasn’t the first time I got a bad feeling about a creepy man. This world sucks.

    anon , Kazuo ota / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    ADVERTISEMENT
    #8

    Pregnant woman in polka dot dress sitting on a yellow subway seat, overheard conversation in public transport. On the bus about 10 years ago. Two girls in their mid to late 20s.

    Girl 1 "omg you're pregnant, whose the dad"

    Girl 2 "it's brad"

    Girl 1 "your brother?"

    Girl 2 "he's only my half brother so it's fine"

    I think about this conversation more than I should.

    supertrooper85 , Getty Images / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    #9

    40 Times People Were Not Prepared To Overhear The Conversations They Did Woman I worked with thought everyone had already left and I got to listen to the conversation with her and her ex-husband. Man was pleading with her to let him see his teenage daughter more often and she was insisting on more alimony/child support. He told her he was already living in a trailer and going in debt to pay for the daughters private school and couldn't afford more. The woman said he would come up with what she was asking for or she would show the daughter the DNA test that showed she wasn't actually his daughter. I don't think I've ever felt as bad for a guy and as nauseated by a woman so instantly in my life.

    bluecheetos , Jakob Owens / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    ADVERTISEMENT
    ADVERTISEMENT

    If you overheard information accidentally and kept it to yourself, don't worry, you're not going to be morally condemned.

    "For example, if, when walking past your colleague’s office door, you overhear something private and confidential, that’s accidental. That would not be classified as eavesdropping," explained world-leading etiquette expert Jo Hayes.

    "Covertly hovering outside your colleague’s door to listen in on their conversation is eavesdropping. But, in the case of the former, if one hovers even for a second to hear more information, that is eavesdropping. And, of course, if accidentally hearing information, one must keep what they’ve heard to themselves."

    #10

    A woman in a yellow shirt appears upset, with her hand on her forehead. A woman on the phone with her mother crying about how the man she was having an affair with was cheating on her.

    planesflyfast , Getty Images / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    Colleen Glim
    Community Member
    9 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    If he’ll cheat with you, he’ll cheat on you. Ladies, why is this so hard to understand?

    View more comments
    #11

    Person with camo backpack walking on a quiet street, representing the concept of overheard public conversations. Back when I used to live with my dad and his girlfriend (it was "his/our house" - she was the guest there)

    He used to travel for work a lot, I worked full time and had to co-live with the gf and her kid, prepped all my meals and did all my shores.

    Once overheard her telling her kid "I f*****g hate that f*****g s**t head, he was making noise last night when cooking, f*****g stupid kid"

    And... That's when I got my own place.

    Correct_Drive_2080 , Jesús Rodríguez / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    benstella
    Community Member
    9 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    She should be leaving the house, nasty woman.

    View more comments
    ADVERTISEMENT
    #12

    Medical professional in PPE handling a swab, illustrating public health precautions. “Im afraid! I don’t wanna die!”

    My mom’s cousin talking to her via phone call. She had Covid. Her mother and many other people in her family had died from Covid mere days before. I overheard this as I headed to the bathroom and it broke my heart.

    She died a couple of days later.

    Icy-Performer-1469 , Mufid Majnun / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    Feathered Dinosaur
    Community Member
    9 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    And so many people in Germany now saying lockdowns were unnecessary and Covid wasn't that bad. It's wasn't that bad in Germany BECAUSE we took precautions. Yet still more people died than in years without Covid

    Child of the Stars
    Community Member
    9 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I remember someone saying that we'll never know if we overreacted to Covid, but it would've been blindingly obvious if we'd underreacted. I think about that whenever someone whines about how they don't believe it was that bad or just a bad cold/flu.

    Load More Replies...
    Lady Lestrange
    Community Member
    9 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This is sad on a whole new level provided the fact that there are many out there who still believes that covid was a hoax.

    Mari
    Community Member
    9 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    How can people be that stupid? My auntie almost died of Covid. She has Long Covid and after 3 years, she still suffers every day.

    Load More Replies...
    Cpt. Christan "Panda Bombero"
    Community Member
    9 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I am so tired of the muck fuppets who say that the lock down was a complete over reaction and totally unnecessary, because COVID was not as bad as they claimed it would be. Oh and the whole "Co-Morbidity" argument is another reason to throatpunch. So if I get shot and die from a heart attack, due to the trauma from being shot. I was alive before I got shot, I died after getting shot, so I died from being shot. But what do I know, I am just a retired Fire Captain/EMT.

    Schnitzel
    Community Member
    9 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    God..imagine the fear! I can’t

    Ariom Dahl
    Community Member
    9 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    And this is really really sad. So sorry for the family.

    Julia Mckinney
    Community Member
    9 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    And Covid's still out there. My in-law's care center keeps having outbreaks of it.

    Libstak
    Community Member
    9 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    My heart just broke. My parents both had covid, both hospitalised and on the brink for each for different reasons, i had to quarantine as their carer but we had all had 2 shots by then and thankfully them actually dying just never hit me or them that i am aware of.

    MentallyUnstable27
    Community Member
    9 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    😭😭😭😭😭😭😭THESE ARE SO SADDDD

    Cydney Golden
    Community Member
    9 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    So many who voted for trump have completely developed amnesia about the deaths and his part in it.

    O. Puntia
    Community Member
    9 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    “Im afraid! I don’t wanna unalive!”

    View more comments

    While resisting the urge to eavesdrop can be tough, Dreizen says it's good to remember some psycho-emotional and practical steps.

    "The golden rule reminds us we would have the grace to have a conversation in public without being listened to, and therefore, we would want the same for others, so when the urge to listen arises, try to flip the situation around and remind yourself of this. Physically blocking the conversation with headphones and music, a podcast, or an audiobook is a good idea, and then re-engage with your own work or interests, whether that be sending emails, texting a friend, or reading," she advised.

    ADVERTISEMENT
    ADVERTISEMENT
    #13

    40 Times People Were Not Prepared To Overhear The Conversations They Did I was at a bar once with friends and in one of those moments where the room-wide din momentarily dies down, we heard a woman at the table next to us playing voice mails for her giggling friends. It was a distraught wife begging her to stop having an affair with her husband, and the woman and her friends were basking in this wife's pain. All four of us turned to stare bug-eyed like wtf. I think of them time to time, and hope they all get space aids ebola.

    06210311200805012006 , Jason Goodman / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    #14

    40 Times People Were Not Prepared To Overhear The Conversations They Did A mother talking about her 15 year old daughter having her third kid with a 27 year old man. Talking about it like it was a blessing and they were "so grateful for what the lord provides". This was in a VERY rural town in Kentucky. Still makes me nauseous to think about.

    DJNgamez , Annie Spratt / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    Colleen Glim
    Community Member
    9 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I will never understand the US obsession with religion

    View more comments
    ADVERTISEMENT
    #15

    Medical professional in white coat preparing equipment; captures a candid moment reflecting the insane things overheard in public. "i just don't understand how a colonoscopy can be a virtual appointment.."


    Overheard in the cubicle next to me at work 😭😭😭.

    anon Report

    "If a private conversation starts up near you and the conversational partners are unaware that anyone else is present (perhaps they can’t see you), making some sort of noise—e.g., clearing one’s throat—or actually making yourself visible to let them know that others are present is the polite and respectful thing to do," added Hayes.

    "This way, they can choose to lower their volume, and/or, move to a separate space to ensure the conversation is not overheard. If neither option is possible, removing oneself from the situation so that one can no longer overhear the conversation is the moral/ethical thing to do (and, therefore, the correct action, etiquette-wise). This is especially true if the conversation is clearly private/personal/confidential."

    ADVERTISEMENT
    ADVERTISEMENT
    #16

    People enjoying drinks outdoors, embodying insane public moments with casual expressions and vibrant attire. I was a little kid in the early 90s, and while standing in line at McDonalds we overheard some teenagers joking about running over peoples pets.

    My mom saw how upset this made us and scolded them enough that they fled McDonalds. Hopefully not to a car.

    ooo-ooo-oooyea , Jakob Rosen / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    #17

    Astronaut walking on the moon in a spacesuit, reflecting the lunar surface, capturing an iconic moment. Last week I overheard two women talking in the store. 


    "The moon landing didn't happen! People are so gullible! I mean, how would they find a phone cord long enough to reach to the moon!?".

    whereugoincityboy , History in HD / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    Ray Ceeya (RayCeeYa)
    Community Member
    9 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I wonder if she's also into the 5g conspiracy theories too. Wouldn't that be ironic?

    View more comments
    ADVERTISEMENT
    #18

    Person holding a strip of red packaged items, each marked "not for sale," related to overheard public discussions. "Just poke a hole in it. He'll never know.". Unfortunately, the guy they were talking about was not present at the bar, otherwise my blunt, no-f**ks-given self would have warned him.

    brooklynonymous , Reproductive Health Supplies Coalition / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    E Menendez
    Community Member
    9 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I have also known women intentionally "miss" taking their pill for a similar effect. The call it "baby trapping" which is so stupid.

    View more comments
    #19

    Silhouettes behind bars, suggesting overheard conversations in public places. I used to work with a maintenance tech who had formerly worked in corrections. One day he was outside having a smoke when I came up and lit my own and he casually continued his conversation with our other tech. He was busy explaining that he worked overnights at the prison, and they were chronically understaffed.. so when one night he did his rounds and came upon an inmate being gang r***d in his cell, he wasn’t allowed to physically intervene because it would be a 5v1 situation. He had to wait for backup, which he knew wouldn’t be available because they were under staffed. He told the guys to “go easy on him”… that still sticks with me.

    anon , Mikhail Pasynkov / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    ADVERTISEMENT
    ADVERTISEMENT
    #20

    People dancing at a concert, colorful lights and fog create a vibrant setting, illustrating insane public moments. Not the most f****d up thing I ever heard, but one that frequently comes to memory. I used to bounce at a strip club, and one time, I had to go in the locker room to let one of the girls know someone was there to see her. When I walked in, there were 4 girls sitting in there, all talking about which antipsychotics worked best for them. I was young and didn't realize just how sad of a place that was until I walked in on that conversation.

    axeflick , Andrej Lišakov / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    Lee Banks
    Community Member
    9 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Having been one, strippers are either the most or least adjusted folk you could hope to meet.

    View more comments
    #21

    40 Times People Were Not Prepared To Overhear The Conversations They Did “I didn’t want the last 2 kids”, my dad said. “Me neither, you’re the one that always wanted $€X” my mom said. “You dumb b” said my dad. This was during their divorce. I was 5. Asked my much older brother what that was.

    Thanks for letting me know early. I processed that for years. Still rings some days. Whatever though. Fk em. I’ve got my own kids that I wanted. They know what love is.

    greasymustard440 , Annie Spratt / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    Child of the Stars
    Community Member
    9 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This is why I told my kids they were surprises instead of accidents.

    View more comments
    ADVERTISEMENT
    #22

    40 Times People Were Not Prepared To Overhear The Conversations They Did This was something my mom overheard, not me - and it's f****d up in the sense that it's so sad, it f***s with my heart every time I think about it.

    When my dad was sick in the hospital, there was a little boy (maybe 7 years old?) a few rooms down from him. It wasn't the ICU, but it also wasn't just for folks who needed one night's stay to get better if that makes sense. I think it was around Christmas time when this happened, so one night my mom was leaving to head home and she overheard the little boy crying with his parents. As she walked by his room, she heard him say "but mommy, I've been so good this year. Am I in here because Santa thinks I was bad? I'll do better next year, I promise!"

    😭.

    clovecloveclove , Marcelo Leal / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    #23

    40 Times People Were Not Prepared To Overhear The Conversations They Did From my flatmates’ room, I heard the loudest belch one could imagine. It would’ve been unremarkable, but then I heard her pat her tummy and say

    ‘Good girl…’.

    Guava_ , Annie Spratt / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    MrLiesegang
    Community Member
    9 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    well, you have to build confidence where you find it

    View more comments
    ADVERTISEMENT
    ADVERTISEMENT
    #24

    40 Times People Were Not Prepared To Overhear The Conversations They Did - "Why did you penetrate her while she was sleeping?"

    - " I don't know, I was bored" while shrugging shoulders.

    I was about 19yo and learn that day you can't trust anybody.

    MadScientist_K , joe mcferrin / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    Colleen Glim
    Community Member
    9 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    And men wonder why we don’t trust them?

    View more comments
    #25

    Woolly mammoth skeleton displayed in a museum exhibit, showcasing its massive tusks and imposing size. American tourists in Helsinki talking about Mammoths being mythical creatures. They couldn't be convinced otherwise.

    Wide-Affect-1616 , Maud Beauregard / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    Sara Frazer
    Community Member
    9 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Well of course they're American. America seems to be in denial about a lot of real solid truths these days

    View more comments
    #26

    Person focused on smartphone, possibly capturing insane public conversations. Not the most f****d up, but last month there was a guy in the hallway of our school talking with his doctor on speaker. I could hear everything they talked about. He thinks he might have an STD and they talked about all of his symptoms and that his girlfriend told him she was a virgin, etc.

    Why the hell would you loudly talk about that stuff with speaker on in a public place?

    Tasty01 , Jonas Leupe / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    Bob Jones
    Community Member
    9 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Maybe he wanted everyone to know that he was getting some

    View more comments
    ADVERTISEMENT
    #27

    40 Times People Were Not Prepared To Overhear The Conversations They Did A girl in the next change room telling her mum “you better fit in a size 16… I’m not having an obese mum”.

    It broke my f*****g heart.

    coachella68 , Andrej Lišakov / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    ADVERTISEMENT
    #28

    Two women sitting by a window, one gesturing while conversing, a typical setting for overhearing insane things in public. When I was in middle school a group of girls sat down near me and started talking a bit too loud. One of the girls said she was going to try and "[unalive] the baby" with red bull and liquor. She was 13.

    Nuclearspartan , Andrej Lišakov / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    Sara Frazer
    Community Member
    9 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This is why Roe vs. Wade shouldn't have been repealed, y'all 😮‍💨

    View more comments
    #29

    40 Times People Were Not Prepared To Overhear The Conversations They Did Overheard a Belgian christian girl on a train telling her friends about her romantic history. Basically she identified as hetero and dated men, then bi, then lesbian and dated women. She was certain that she was a lesbian and that she dated men uniquely because that's what society expected her to do. She then got deeper into religion, got more involved within her church and now identifies as a lesbian dating men. Because that's what the church considers proper. And she told her friends that she's not attracted at all to her boyfriend and would date women if she was not religious.

    She said all this very loudly and cheerfully while I was trying to sleep. I found it very sad.

    Edolied , Fredrik Öhlander / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    Colleen Glim
    Community Member
    9 months ago (edited) Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Religion really needs to go away. It’s ruined too many people’s lives already and will only continue to do so

    View more comments
    ADVERTISEMENT
    #30

    40 Times People Were Not Prepared To Overhear The Conversations They Did Overheard my parents talking about being worried I was gonna shoot up my high school.

    I just liked playing video games….

    Chaserk17 , Kelly Sikkema / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    Geoffrey Scott
    Community Member
    9 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I'm sorry, but they were paying attention, unlike Ethan Cumbly's folks who could give a s*** less.

    View more comments
    #31

    40 Times People Were Not Prepared To Overhear The Conversations They Did I overheard a conversation out in public between a couple, where the woman in a chilling, somber tone said “I can’t even look at you, knowing that YOUR FATHER…was performing HUMAN experimentations…” I went into full casual snoop mode to get the tea. The more I listened and watched, the clearer it was that this woman was going through some mental health crisis. Her pattern of speech was so bizarre, and her sentences slipped in and out of coherency. The poor man just looked so defeated. The were both dressed like they were in dire straits, and the man had this expression on his face like he was realizing the reality that his partner was losing it.

    lambdaface , Lino C. / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    Tango Wox
    Community Member
    9 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    So the other party was not the child of a unit 731 member?

    ADVERTISEMENT
    ADVERTISEMENT
    #32

    People carrying goods on their heads in a bustling market street, showcasing vibrant public scene. Two people, early twenties working in luxurious hotel, casually discussing how lucky Africans were to have been colonized by white people.

    RecyclingExtraSoft , Eva Blue / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    Colleen Glim
    Community Member
    9 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Because slavery was so much better than the lives they had?

    View more comments
    #33

    40 Times People Were Not Prepared To Overhear The Conversations They Did People (presumably brother and sister) discussing the annoyance of having to visit their dying dad at the hospital bc it was ruining their plans. I wanted to berate them with every insult known to man but I would’ve looked insane.

    showgraze93 , engin akyurt / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    Samantha Brunson
    Community Member
    9 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The dad must have been a shix dad if they didn’t want to be with him.

    View more comments
    #34

    40 Times People Were Not Prepared To Overhear The Conversations They Did When i was 13 i overhead my mom talking about how she lost her first son when he turned 3 months old on the phone with her doctor

    i had to process that i had a dead sibling at 13.

    she never never told any of my siblings about this, she doesn't even know I'm aware of her dead son.

    sometimes it keeps me up at night.

    Yogurt2022 , Getty Images / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    Huddo's sister
    Community Member
    9 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    That's sad. It is much healthier to talk about these things, even if it's painful to start with. Two girls I teach had a brother they never met because he died as an infant, before they were born. Their mum has talked about him with them and said he is in heaven watching them. The youngest talks about him a lot, trying to comprehend it fully I think. The other day she 'brought' him to school with her so he could 'see' her school and friends. It comforts her knowing he is around.

    View more comments
    ADVERTISEMENT
    #35

    Bathroom shelf with shampoo and body wash bottles, an unusual public storage choice. Overheard from a couple guys in Statics class in college:

    "So, whenever I go to a party, I take the cap off of every bottle I can find in the bathroom; shampoo, conditioner, stuff like that, and pee into it.".

    imjustme80 , Jonny Caspari / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    ADVERTISEMENT
    #36

    "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign illuminated at night, showcasing iconic neon lights." In Vegas on a very hungover Monday morning before my departing flight I heard the person in the hotel room next door wailing, crying sobbing and screaming something to the tune of “I’ve lost it all, I’m so f****d” for hours straight.

    The_Smoking_Pilot , Wesley Tingey / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    OzymandiasTheManokit They/Them
    Community Member
    9 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    when in Vegas, don't get drunk and gamble. get a set amount of money to gamble before you get drunk. get drunk in the hotel you're staying in. always have a sober friend with you to make sure you don't do anything stupid. be aware and prepared.

    View more comments
    #37

    Viewing the sky through eclipse glasses, illustrating public experiences. Not the most but just the other day I overheard “It turns out my whole family’s solar eclipse glasses were fake hahahaha” - Dad to another Dad at school drop off.

    burgeroburger , Jason Howell / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    Sandra Angulo
    Community Member
    9 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    “Sir, you’re talking to a flagpole.”

    View more comments
    ADVERTISEMENT
    See Also on Bored Panda
    #38

    Cat looking upwards in a garden, showcasing curiosity and playfulness in public. Not the most but pretty disturbing. I was sitting on my porch and could hear my neighbors talking.

    Granddaughter: look grandma! A cat!

    Grandma: I don’t give a f**k

    🤨.

    BigTicEnergy , Jack Brind / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    #39

    40 Times People Were Not Prepared To Overhear The Conversations They Did "A dead man doesn't f*****g narc".

    Swear to God. I was 12 years old with a couple of friends on our bikes eating gelato outside an Italian bakery that was kind of notorious. Two guys in suits were talking, one big guy was very animated and yelled that out at the other one.

    It's so crazy I sometimes wonder if I imagined it, but both my friends confirmed they remembered it too for years afterwards.

    Vic_Hedges , Charles Etoroma / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    Rebecca McManus
    Community Member
    9 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I once overheard Charlie Kray (younger brother of the Kray twins) say very loudly he was going to break someones legs, this was in the 90s.

    ADVERTISEMENT
    ADVERTISEMENT
    See Also on Bored Panda
    #40

    Hands typing on a laptop keyboard, capturing public conversation details. Used to go to the public library to write. Would put on headphones but sometimes they were off so I could hear others at the study tables. One time some guy was arranging meetings on his phone and giving out his phone number. For giggles I typed it into Google and a whole bunch of escort services popped up. Another time it was an older gang member teaching two youngins to never give the cops their real name because they might have outstanding warrants somewhere.

    tangcameo , Courtney Corlew / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    BookFanatic
    Community Member
    9 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The best thing I've overheard at the library was one teenager telling another "see if they have that move--Nightmare on 34th Street!" We did not, but we did have Nightmare on Elm Street and Miracle on 34th Street. Lol

    View more comments
    #41

    A mom at the water park telling her 6-8 yr old that she looked fat in the bikini and should’ve worn the one piece.

    DirtyCunt666 Report

    Sara Frazer
    Community Member
    9 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Sounds like my mom. But seriously that's fúcked up and I'm 31 and still hate myself and my body no matter what anyone says 🥲

    View more comments
    ADVERTISEMENT
    See Also on Bored Panda
    #42

    My favorite, a cellphone conversation overheard years ago, I was on a park bench when a guy on his phone walked by, "Yes, alright I get it. I s**t on the floor, you happy? But if she just picked it up when I told her to, we wouldn't be fighting now!"

    ...wat.

    DaysJustGoBy Report

    #43

    "If she's old enough to cross the street she's old enough to get this meat"
    Overheard at work one day.

    menotsolucky2 Report

    Billo66
    Community Member
    Premium
    9 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Yes I have heard several variations on this. Disgusting. I even thought so in elementary school. smh

    View more comments
    ADVERTISEMENT
    ADVERTISEMENT
    See Also on Bored Panda
    #44

    Smiling man holding a tablet in a casual meeting, discussing things overheard in public. "Oh I barely drank anything today, just two wines and some water" whilst at work.

    ...

    I work at a school.

    anon , Getty Images / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    Samantha Brunson
    Community Member
    9 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Former teacher here. Kids WILL drive you to drink… but wow!

    View more comments
    #45

    A girl in a bus was talking to her friends about a guy that murdered someone in a park we passed by. She then continued talking about wanting to murder someone herself to know how it feels, and wondered about wanting to murder people more often after the first one.

    Worst part was that she was chewing gum insanely loud while talking too.

    Filana Report

    Deeelite
    Community Member
    9 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Sounds like a teen talking loud to make people think she's a bad a$s

    ADVERTISEMENT
    See Also on Bored Panda
    #46

    Person in a yellow beanie covers face, conveying shock, linked to insane things overheard in public. I was at work walking past some contractors sitting on a bench smoking. All I heard was one guy say to the other, “well she already took the best years of your life, why shouldn’t she take half of everything you own?” He then started laughing uncontrollably. The whole time the other guy was sitting with his head in his hands obviously upset.

    anthraciter , felipepelaquim / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    Austzn
    Community Member
    9 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This is a bizarre and dark twist on the whole zero sum thing.

    #47

    My first day of selling tickets at Disneyland solo. I take my first break and there on a pay phone (1998) is a character performer with the Mickey head off, but they were wearing the rest of the standard Mickey costume.

    “Listen a*****e, if you’re home when I get home this will escalate even more than it already has.“

    They hung up very forcefully. They noticed me and left.

    I just remember thinking “ I hope Minnie is okay.”.

    JoshNipples Report

    OzymandiasTheManokit They/Them
    Community Member
    9 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    fun fact: Minnie is just a nickname. her full name is Minerva Mouse

    View more comments
    ADVERTISEMENT
    ADVERTISEMENT
    See Also on Bored Panda
    #48

    In college my friend’s dad would get super drunk and leave her 10 minutes messages. One time he said “your f**k a*s mom should have had an abortion when I told her to.” Nice guy.

    Real-Purple-6460 Report

    #49

    I once overheard my manager and his subordinate in the break room saying that no one will find out about the off the book stuff they were doing (they were buying material using company money and doing their own work) they didn’t know I was there because I was in the next room changing into my normal clothes.

    A few weeks later they were both caught and no longer work where I am. It was revealed they’d been doing it for 4 years and both made $600,000 each.

    anon Report

    ADVERTISEMENT
    See Also on Bored Panda
    #50

    “You can’t get STDs from a**l because you can’t get pregnant that way.” - a girl I hooked up with years ago.

    Yes I got an STD test before my next sexual encounter.

    gringo-go-loco Report

    Harry Gondalf
    Community Member
    9 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    took me a while ti figure out a**l referred to back door penetration.

    View more comments
    #51

    Three girls were at the next table at a restaurant and they were discussing a date one of them had recently. Apparently he was not tall enough for her. I remember hearing clearly amongst her complaining, “He was so short, he could wear my p**sy for a hat.” Maybe not that f****d up but pretty hilarious.

    Booker_the_booker Report

    Colleen Glim
    Community Member
    9 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Don’t be judging. Maybe he wasn’t a good fit for you but that doesn’t mean the next girl isn’t gonna think he’s awesome

    View more comments
    ADVERTISEMENT
    ADVERTISEMENT
    #52

    A bottle on a glass table in front of a city view, representing things overheard in public spaces. While walking under a hotel balcony near a boardwalk “I’m not paying you to shake your a*s”… just kept walking.

    popcorn_mania , Di Du / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    OzymandiasTheManokit They/Them
    Community Member
    9 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    if I was there, I would've raised my voice and went "WHAT?" just to scare 'em a bit

    #53

    Walking past a phonebooth in the city, a 13yo boy says "I don't f*****g care. I'll keep cutting myself, and if you don't come pick me up right now mum I'll try and [unalive] myself again. And that c**t better not be at home when I get back".

    crystalised_pain Report

    Aroace tiger (she/they/he)
    Community Member
    9 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Knowing who the "c**t" is could really effect who is in the wrong

    View more comments
    #54

    An ederly couple in the library:

    -"How come you cheated on me with Margaret??"

    -"SHE SUCKS D**K BETTER THAN YOU"

    Then the woman goes to pick something up and she was wearing a skirt with nothing underneath... I still have nightmares...

    Valen_Redits Report

    BookFanatic
    Community Member
    9 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    And people think libraries are boring! Lol

    ADVERTISEMENT
    #55

    "Tony's in the dumpster. We can't do anything about that now.".

    Cinephiliac_Anon Report

    ADVERTISEMENT
    #56

    Man with sunglasses and tattoos at the beach, representing overheard public conversations. I was at cold stone with my child a couple weeks ago and overheard the staff tell each other about how ones uncle was having a secret affair with their cousin and when it had come to light he filed for divorce and married their cousin.

    Ok-Sydnos , Molly the Cat / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    #57

    Heard a dude talking about “[unaliving] both the child and parent” on the phone.

    But since it’s an area with a lot of IT companies, I’m sure it’s something about [unaliving] the child process and parent process.

    P1zzaman Report

    Lady Eowyn
    Community Member
    9 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Kill. Killed. Murder. Murdered. Unalive should be reserved for the really unalive, vampires, ghosts, mummies, etc.

    View more comments
    ADVERTISEMENT
    #58

    Woman in yellow shirt laughing, possibly overhearing something funny in a public setting. Not messed up in the way you’re asking, but in college my roommate and I had a couple girls over and we all seemed to be hitting it off. We were hoping to retire to our separate rooms to make out. Girls go to the restroom together and I’m outside smoking a cig. Could hear them talking about getting with us.

    Girl I’m with: “are you going to hook up with [roommate]?”

    Girl he’s with: “Oh yeah! You?”

    Girl I’m with: “Eww no.”

    That definitely messed me up bad. I hooked up with girls fairly often so it didn’t ruin my life or anything, but that memory never left my head….

    these_three_things , Priscilla Du Preez / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    Captive
    Community Member
    9 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Go back in and say "sorry X, I had a tea time but you're just not my type"

    #59

    Not me but my mom at the mall overheard a soldiers wife telling her screaming child if she doesn’t stop misbehaving“ daddy won’t be coming home”.

    north_tank Report

    ADVERTISEMENT
    ADVERTISEMENT
    #60

    We were visiting New Orleans for the Sugar Bowl. We walked down Bourbon Street and kind of got out of the touristy area where some people were sitting on a stoop outside in front of a building and I heard “I’ve seen some s**t! I know people who like get down with animals and let you watch. We should go sometime.” I turned around and went the other way.

    Cloaked_Crow Report

    Bay Bo
    Community Member
    9 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Let's not and say we didn't

    #61

    “Everything’s OK. The guy is in custody and the woman and child have new names.”
    I was on edge for most of my shift after that. .

    Empty_Sea1872 Report

    ADVERTISEMENT
    #62

    Overheard a guy I work with (he's in his 40s)

    On a call to a woman (who he had on loudspeaker) tell her that he would lie to his mother about what hours he was working so they could meet in a hotel while his mother watched his 2 kids (who don't live with him). Then the woman tried asking him about his kids, to which he replied "don't talk to me about my kids, talk to me about things I like, like p**sy & money".

    Dangerous-Wave8065 Report

    #63

    A few dudes at a bar/restaurant sitting at the table behind me. They're having a few beers and laughing and talking about past sexual conquests. One of them launches into a story about how he was in an orgy, and how hot it was having so many bodies tangled together. Then he drops the bomb that his cousin, who was also a dude, was a part of it too, and the other dudes go quiet. One of them asks if he did anything with his cousin, and he denied it hesitantly, then slowly says something along the lines of "Well, it was very dark, and all the bodies were slick with sweat, it didn't really matter who touched who or what went where." Judging by the silence from his friends, it very much did matter. He kept trying to justify it, saying how hot it was, but they all made excuses to leave within the next twenty minutes, and he was left alone, drinking at the table, staring at the wall and looking very much like he wished he hadn't told that story. .

    iron_annie Report

    Bob Brooce
    Community Member
    9 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Most of us don't get to go to a lot of orgies, so when you do you might as well try to p***k everybody there.

    View more comments
    ADVERTISEMENT
    ADVERTISEMENT
    #64

    I heard a guy telling his wife over the phone that they were going to lose the house inside a bathroom, inside a McDonald’s, inside a Walmart one time. It was real Russian Nesting Doll of depression.

    Westtexasbizbot Report

    Jo Ann Jeffcoat
    Community Member
    9 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    "Russian Nesting Doll of Depression".... I like that

    #65

    I was sitting in a restaurant and overheard 2 cops talking about pulling over only the workers from a certain factory in town. One said “They’re easy to spot because they all have a parking lot sticker on their cars, so just look for it.”.

    Diligent_Bread_3615 Report

    Strings
    Community Member
    9 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Heh. Small town I grew up in, the cops decided to use the driveway of my dad's business to wait and catch 3rd shifters leaving one of the local factories. Dad and I share first and last names, so I went down one night and asked if Officer Friendly had permission to be on the property. And ejected him when he tried lying about having such permission

    View more comments
    #66

    Asking a Lady if she wanted me to check the oil in her car, she said, "No thank you, I don't check the oil any more, it's always a quart low so I quit checking it...!"

    Of course, it was over 3 quarts low after convincing her that her engine was about to burn up...

    Keveros Report

    Sandella
    Community Member
    9 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Surely that's just a conversation, not something overheard

    ADVERTISEMENT
    #67

    "if she [unalives] herself I'll be so happy" from what I could gather this group of girls were talking about someone they went to school with.

    anon Report

    ADVERTISEMENT
    #68

    My daughter went to see the Nutcracker ballet with her Grandpa. At the train station on the way back she went to the bathroom and overheard the lady in the next stall on the phone talking about the injecting vs snorting d***s and which one was best; and then a pill rolled under the stall and rested against my daughter's shoe.

    And that's how the story of the cracked-nutter was born.

    gfanonn Report

    ADVERTISEMENT
    #69

    “Don’t repeat this, but my daughter is a f*****g hypocrite. She owns all these horses, and yet still owes me 40 Euros😡!”

    Heard this at planet fitness while getting a massage. So confused.

    guavavape Report

    #70

    Overheard my mother telling her partner at the time that she hopes my dad agrees to her complicated custody plan, so she'd still get her child support payments.

    saamii_xx Report

    #71

    "I always felt bad for the kids with ugly mothers.".

    starcon56 Report

    Bay Bo
    Community Member
    9 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I always felt bad for the kids with mean Karen mothers

    ADVERTISEMENT
    ADVERTISEMENT
    #72

    So one time I was at a really nice wedding; While I was waiting for it to start, I was pacing the pews in the church’s corridor, because for some reason I was feeling really nervous about the whole ordeal. As I was pacing, I couldn’t help but overhear a bridesmaid talking to a waiter about what a w**re the bride was. Man, it really f****d me up hearing them say that. Idk. I just don’t understand why people can’t close the god damn door. You know?

    44youGlenCoco Report

    Sara Frazer
    Community Member
    9 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Pfft this is a terrible Panic! At the Disco reference.

    View more comments