Why the kiddies should read

Overheard on the train today: noon-ish, City Loop, on the Cranbourne line.

This conversation was punctuated by these two teenage girls (probably fifteen or sixteen) fixing their make-up, peering into a hand-mirror and adjusting their matching Alice bands, almost buried beneath mounds of teased hair.

'It's something to do all day, anyway.'
'Yeah, what else am I going to do, sit around the house and read?'
'I never read.'
'Me too. Mum is always like "why don't you read a book?" and I'm like "yeah, right. Tell me how boring it was when you're done."'
'Omigod! My mum says that, too. As if!'

***

'So, what's the difference between Christian and Catholic?'
'Well, if you're Christian you believe in God. And if you're Catholic you go to Mass and stuff. If you're Christian, you don't have to go to church.'
'Really?'
'Yeah. And if you're Catholic, you don't have to believe in God.'
'Is that right?'
'Actually, I don't know.'
'So, which are you?'
'I'm Catholic. But I don't go to church.'
'Oh. Right. Okay.'

***

'Have you heard of people getting eyelash extensions? Can you get them?'
'I don't know.'
'Because I really want my eyelashes extensioned.'

***

'Can you imagine going to the city by yourself?'
'To go to TAFE?'
'Yeah.'
'Yeah, I know. I'd be so scared.'
'Yeah, what if you got off at the wrong stop? I bet I would. I bet I'd get lost.'
'Yeah. But after a while you'd get used to it, I reckon.'
'Yeah. I s'pose.'