public transmissions

***the following is a portion of a cellphone conversation that took place on San Francisco’s Municipal Railway

A girl in her early 20s was at times shouting at the person on the other end of the conversation, although I’m not sure if she was angry or just trying to be heard over the man at the front of the train who, with his eyes closed and headphones on, was rapping hip-hop lyrics at full volume.

“…Why are you giving me the third degree? I don’t know where I’m sleeping tonight, OK?

I’m going to Oakland. What’s wrong with Oakland? Look, she offered me a place to crash, so I stayed. That’s it.

What am I doing? I don’t know. OK? I don’t know.  I’m alive, I know that much. I’m alive, and I’m living my life. That’s what I know.

Is that good enough for you? Jesus! Does that work for you?

OK, I love you, too. Bye…”

1 comment

  1. **heard in local nightclub by woman with cellphone at one ear and finger in the other**

    “Hello? Huh? I’m at TSI, where are you?

    Are you on your way? Why not? We’re all here, you should come.

    At TSI! I just said that. I know, it’s loud in here…just come down. Bring Amy. Tell her that guy she likes is here, the one with the metal shit in his face.

    *long pause*

    Wait, who is this? Who? I think you have the wrong number.”

    **she hangs up, then stares at her phone’s LCD screen for about 2 minutes**

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