I came across a document I created almost two years ago while doing research at the library. A group of three teenage girls came into the area where I was working and I typed up the overheard conversation, unbeknownst to them. Reading over it again, I realize I should do this more often. The tone of their chatter and their personalities and viewpoints were so clear, so natural. I loved it.
I've changed some personal information for the sake of anonymity, and instead of labeling the dialogue Girl#1, Girl#2, Girl#3 I've taken the liberty of giving them names.
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Ashley- (looking at a fashion magazine) How long until Joe gets home?
Becca- Thirty minutes maybe.
Ashley- Okay.
Becca- So tonight it’s you and Joe and Charlie and me?
Ashley- I think.
Becca- What?!
Ashley- Well Isabel told me today that there is a girl in second period who likes Joe.
Becca- But he doesn’t like her back…
(Silence)
Becca- …Right?
(silence)
Becca- Let’s hope.
Ashley- …and he likes her back. So she was going to call him and ask him out.
(silence)
Tara- Oo, I like those shoes.
Becca- I like the way she dresses.
Ashley- Yeah.
Becca- I don’t even like Joe anymore. I went to karate the other day and he didn’t even notice anything was wrong with me. I mean, look at this. And I was limping by them, like this. Limping! And he asked what’s wrong with your shoe?
(silence)
Tara- Joe is difficult.
Ashley- Joe is difficult.
Becca- Joe is confusing and flirtatious.
(silence)
Becca- Charlie takes so long to text.
Ashley- So do you.
Becca- It’s not my fault you text fast
Ashley- It ain’t my fault if you text slow. And I don’t even have a full keypad.
Becca- I don’t have a full keypad either. Look.
(silence)
Tara- I’m re-doing my room.
Ashley- You are? Cool. I rearranged mine.
Tara- Look at that book.
Ashley- Go get it.
Becca- I read those in like elementary school
Ashley- I like the moral of the story.
Becca- Look at this text I just got. I don’t even know who sent it to me.
Ashley- What does it say?
(grabs phone)
Ashley- If you send this to 15 people you will get $100. If you send this to 25 people you will get $200.
Tara- Those things don’t work.
Ashley- Of course not, if it did the whole world would be happy.
Becca- Please promise me that if you can’t go out with Charlie you won’t go out with Joe.
Ashley- I won’t.
Becca- Then why do you want his phone number?
Ashley- Because I like to text people.
Tara- You are going to have to tell me about this whole Joe/Charlie thing.
Becca- Charlie is a new guy from Arizona who she likes and I do too. And I went out with Joe earlier in the year…
Ashley- But she broke up with him
Becca- … because he was a total flirt with everyone.
Ashley- And the weird thing is that he totally kept to himself when he was single but whenever he was with someone he flirts.
Becca- Yeah he’s all loud and saying “Hey, what’s up!”
Ashley- And smacking their butts!
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... now, with drama like that, don't you wish I'd gotten more??
If you are going to attempt this, the key is to remain as invisible as possible. Avoid eye contact and do not, I repeat, do not react to anything they say to each other, or your cover will be blown. They will feel your intrusion on the conversation and it will lose its natural ring.
Happy dialogue stalking!
