18 Shocking Things People Have Accidentally Overheard

What was the last time you overheard a conversation you had no intention of being a part of? These things can happen to all of us. You can be walking on the street while someone walks past you, talking on the phone and saying something utterly personal. We gathered 18 such instances that might give you second-hand embarrassment or pure shock.

• A woman on the phone with her mother was crying about how the man she was having an affair with was cheating on her. @planesflyfast / Reddit
• My dad and I were talking about work, and my sister overheard him saying he needed to "send out a crew to shoot some witnesses." We are land surveyors; a "witness" is a marker in the ground that serves as a reference to another point. "Shoot" in this case means to take a measurement on the corner with a GPS unit. But my little sister didn't know that lingo and thought there were some secrets about the "family business" that she hadn't been privy to. @MadMelvin / Reddit
• I was at work, walking past some contractors sitting on a bench. All I heard was one guy say to the other, "Well, she already took the best years of your life, why shouldn’t she take half of everything you own?" He then started laughing uncontrollably. The whole time, the other guy was sitting with his head in his hands obviously upset. @anthraciter / Reddit

• I once overheard my manager and his subordinate in the break room saying that no one would find out about the off-the-book stuff they were doing (they were buying material using company money and doing their own work) they didn’t know I was there because I was in the next room changing into my normal clothes.
  A few weeks later, they were both caught and no longer work where I am. It was revealed they’d been doing it for 4 years and both made $600,000 each. @Unknown author / Reddit
• Just the other day, I overheard, "It turns out my whole family’s solar eclipse glasses were fake hahahaha" - Dad to another Dad at school drop-off. @burgeroburger / Reddit
• I heard a guy telling his wife over the phone that they were going to lose the house inside a bathroom, inside a McDonald’s, inside a Walmart one time. @Westtexasbizbot / Reddit

• From my flatmate’s room, I heard the loudest belch one could imagine. It would’ve been unremarkable, but then I heard her pat her tummy and say, "Good girl." @Guava_ / Reddit
• A woman I worked with thought everyone had already left, and I got to listen to the conversation with her and her ex-husband. The man was pleading with her to let him see his teenage daughter more often, and she was insisting on more alimony/child support. He told her he was already living in a trailer and going into debt to pay for the daughter's private school, and couldn't afford more.
  The woman said he would come up with what she was asking for, or she would show the daughter the DNA test that showed she wasn't actually his daughter. I don't think I've ever felt as bad for a guy and as nauseated by a woman so instantly in my life. @bluecheetos / Reddit
• Last week, I overheard two women talking in the store. "The moon landing didn't happen! People are so gullible! I mean, how would they find a phone cord long enough to reach the moon!?" @whereugoincityboy / Reddit

• Standing in check cashing line at 10 years ago. I and 10 other people got to listen to a woman insult/berate her partner. She, using a conversational volume and tone, said the most awful things to this guy.
  Then, when I thought it had gone way too far, she started insulting his family and friends. The guy only ever said in a quiet whisper, "Please, stop." She stood there insulting him until he cashed the check and handed over the money. Then they walked out together and left. @WhyareUlying / Reddit
• I overheard my dad say, "You can't be a good person if you're bipolar." I have bipolar disorder, he knows this. This was about 2 months after a major car crash that almost killed him, and I took care of him while he was recovering, including running his business alone so he didn't lose customers. All right, thanks for that Dad. @reidft / Reddit
• On a train in Britain and some older children (I’m bad at judging age, but you know, walking and talking and school-aged looking) asking Mummy for some milk and pulling at her shirt. And she said something like, "Wait til we get home." And then one of the children said, "Mummy’s milk is sweeter than all the melons in the world!" @SoilMelodic2870 / Reddit

• A mom at the water park told her 6-8-year-old that she looked fat in the bikini and should’ve worn the one piece. @Dirty*** / Reddit
• People (presumably brother and sister) were discussing the annoyance of having to visit their dying dad at the hospital because it was ruining their plans. I wanted to berate them with every insult known to man, but I would’ve looked insane. @showgraze93 / Reddit
• Overheard my mother telling her partner at the time that she hoped my dad would agree to her complicated custody plan so she'd still get her child support payments. @saamii_xx / Reddit

• At the grocery store, I heard an elderly lady turn to her husband and say, "Shall we get naked?". Took a double take to realize she was reaching toward the "Naked" fruit juice brand. @lasarus29 / Reddit
• Okay, so, for context. I'm a bald-headed, white guy with a long, zz-top like beard. I was in a grocery story near my house. I was looking at some product when I heard, "Mommy, why does he have hair on his face?"
  I look over to see a cute little girl pointing at me and looking at her mom. I saw a bit of panic in her mom's eyes, and she responded, "Don't say that, he'll beat you up!" And they rushed away out of the aisle. I was shocked! Why would you say that to a little kid?? @NordicNugz / Reddit
• On the bus about 10 years ago. Two girls in their mid to late 20s.
  Girl 1: "OMG, you're pregnant. Who is the dad?"
  Girl 2: "It's Brad."
  Girl 1: "Your brother?"
  Girl 2: "He's only my half brother so it's fine." @supertrooper85 / Reddit

Keeping secrets is something many of us do, whether intentionally or unintentionally. But sometimes secrets are too heavy to keep.