This is a real, actual, unedited conversation overheard on the bus. I will give you my take on it at the end, allowing you to swish it around in your mental wine glass and savor the aromas for yourself first.

Boy 1 (Sadly): "Yeah, I was all shtarked out and then I went home and I came back and I just lost it."
Boy 2: "Yeah, you had really shtarked out. Crazy. What happened to you?"
Boy 1: "Yeah, I was really shtark. I dunno...I..."
Boisterous, Noisy Girl #25 of a group of about 40 to Boy 1: "Excuse me, where did you get your yarmulke?"
Boy 1: "I had it custom-made."
BNG #25/40: "Oh...cuz, like, my brother really wants one like that..."
Boy 1 shrugs. A possible firtation attempt has just been foiled. Or maybe she really wanted to get an identical kippah for her brother.
Boy 2 begins a complex and meandering conversation on his cellphone.
Boy 2: "Listen, he's going to have a really hard time taking this. Are you okay with me kind of hinting to him that it's going to break up? I mean, he's very sensitive, and I don't want him to take it too hard. Yeah, I know. I'll just tell him that I overheard you saying to your friend that it's not going to work out and you still wanna be friends and everything, but it's the distance. Y'know, the regular stuff you say."
Conversation continues for several more minutes. Boy 2 continues to make very heartfelt and sincere offers to break the news of the breakup to poor, unawares Roomate. He is obviously talking to Roomate's Soon-to-be-Former Girlfriend. He finally concludes the conversation with chivalrous aplomb.
Boy 2 to Boy 1: "I heard them laughing. It's so mean--I mean, they're not trying ot be mean or anything, but...He's such a great guy. This is gonna kill him. He's obssessed with her. I hope he doesn't hit me when I tell him. He's a pretty strong guy. I bought some vodka, so he can drink afterwards..."

Gulp.

It took every ounce of restraint not to turn around to Mr. Chivalrous and give him the following piece of sound advice: Remember this golden acronym: M-Y-O-B! Mind Your Own Business, dude! Words to live by. Let Girlfriend do her own dirty work!" Unless he was trying to ally with her thinking he could step in after she dumps Roomie with his tactful assistance, but I'd rather not even go there.

It's conversations and realities like these that really make me wonder who, deep-down in the most inner realm of Self, actually thinks that casual guy-girl dating is healthy. And he was so shtarked out before he went home...

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