Overheard on the 766 Rapid Ride bus as it pulled into downtown Albuquerque….

Guy standing in the aisle: “Is that a good book?”

Guy seated: “I don’t know, I haven’t read it yet.” Pause. “It’s as old as fuck, though.”

I look over to see the guy sitting across the aisle from me has a beat up paperback Beowulf. “It’s a poem,” the guy says, opening it randomly, pointing to text. “Old English” – he points to the left page, then to the right, adds – “translation”.

They both got off the bus.