Public Profundities

On Perfect Endings

2009-02-22T12:15:00.003-05:00

"I prefer to make my own endings, dear."

Location: Melbourne Film Festival, Australia.
Exposition: When asked why he was leaving a film ten minutes before the end, an elderly gentleman replied with the above.

Thanks to Amos over at Bourgeois Façade (and also to his former house mate).

Clarity from a Four-Year-Old

2009-02-18T17:30:00.004-05:00

"You can tell which ones aren't the real Santa, 'cause the fake Santas wear sneakers."

Location: Wayne, Pennsylvania.
Exposition: Two four-year-olds were talking. One of them produced this gem. My mom reported it to me.

Thanks to my mom.

Inauguration Observation

2009-01-26T07:33:00.003-05:00

"Damn, they gonna make more sellin' Obama t-shirts than he gonna make bein' president."

Location: Near a row of stands selling Obama shirts and merchandise at 15th and Market, Philadelphia.

Exposition: I actually heard this quote not long after Obama won the election, but figured now was as good a time as any to post it. The street stands, despite the apparent poor quality of their merchandise, were seeing a surprisingly high volume of customers. The gentleman who made the above statement was commenting on how staggering both the popularity of Obama and the commoditization of his presidency were before he had even stepped foot in the Oval Office.

On Inglorious Death

2009-01-16T10:32:00.001-05:00

"Nigga didn't die in no plane crash--nigga died in the streets."

Location: 15th and Market (Southwest Corner), Philadelphia, PA.

Exposition: The speaker was a woman lamenting a young man who had recently passed away. Despite the person he was in life, however, his death went largely unnoticed by the world simply because he died a common, and not at all heroic, death.

Thanks to Noah Phillips.

Words of Caution

2009-01-08T16:52:00.004-05:00

"Don't go down there, buddy--alligators."

Location: Subway entrance at 11th and Market, Philadelphia, PA.

A Sage on Sansom Provides Inspiration

2009-01-05T13:44:00.002-05:00

"It's a tough world, man; it's a tough world."

Location: Broad and Sansom, Philadelphia, PA.
Exposition: Little is needed in the way of exposition, but it is worth noting that this wise gentleman inspired me to create this blog.