Overheard in newsroom:

12:20 p.m.

Reporter 1: Looks like a fugitive just ate a bullet in Cohoes.
Reporter 2: Is he takin' a nap, they think?
Editor: Yeah. How do you end up in Cohoes?
Reporter 2: Seriously. Why din't he go to Lake Placid, someplace nice?
Editor: I guess it reminded him of Pennsylvania, another broken down town.

SUNY Albany, Earth Sciences and Mathematics building

Undergrad woman, to undergrad man: You medicate yourself your way. I medicate myself my way. My way is called "alcoholism."

Hamburg, NY, my grandmother's house

Uncle Mike, 54: I think the most disturbing thing of my life was when I was at my cousin Nicky's funeral a few years ago. We were standing at the reception afterwards and, you know it was a pretty somber affair. Nick was a young guy and everyone was pretty sad and low-key. And then I saw this ... thing ... out of the corner of my eye. And it was a clown. It was a woman dressed as a clown. And then I saw who it was. It was Linda's mother. It was ... I couldn't believe it. She said, "Whoa, I'm sorry I'm late. I got here as soon as I could. I was just at a children's party entertaining and I rushed right over." And I was ... what? I mean. I was so disturbed. I was, like, this is you daughter's husband, your son-in-law's memorial service. You think you could have canceled the children's party and maybe showed up at the memorial service not dressed as a clown. I mean, for three or four days after that, I was just -- shaken.

Lark Street, Hudson Avenue, 9 p.m. - ish

It's an even year. It's and EVEN YEAR. They'll win. It's an even year and the Jets will win nine or ten...(guy, 30s, front stoop, to cell phone)

I am outside of the place and I'm going to wait for you but not for three hours ... I did so good in Long Island, I was doing so good. (Woman, early 20s, in front of Bombers Burrito Bar, to cell phone).

What is a dog doing in here? (Kid, male, in the Ben and Jerry's).

I was there with Shawna and Nina, who is like, five months pregnant. Naw. Nina's pregant? Again? Naw. Yeah.

Two guys, baseball hats, early 20s, on Hudson...

Turkish-owned pizzeria, 10:15 p.m.

One employee is seated in the dining area of the pizza shop, watching the Olympics on a flat screen TV recessed into wall near the cash register. Women's gymnastics. Vaulting.


Employee #1: She is 33. She is incredible! The human body doing. Incredible! Did you see? Her son had leukemia.

Employee #2 (walking out into the dining area stretching a ball of dough between his hands): Is that the? Yeah. Did you know her son had the cancer?

Employee #3 (chewing something as he walks over): Did you see that her son had leukemia or something?

Hudson Ave., 10 p.m.

Two women seated in a parked Chevy Celebrity with the windows rolled down. The woman in the driver seat is reclined and holding a cell phone a few inches away from her ear.

Passenger: Is that what it did?

Driver: Mmm-hmmm. That shit go straight to voicemail.

Hudson Ave., 10 p.m.

Three women, all in their late teens/early 20s, walking abreast toward Empire State Plaza. Two of them are speaking.

Woman 1: I'm gonna move in.

Woman 2: You're gonna move in with me? What makes you think you're really gonna do that?

Woman 1: Well I got a job.