Monday, March 12, 2007

And the winner is...

Wang dropped by during lunch hour today with his familiar suitcase-on-wheels. Wang's the neighbourhood DVD pirate, and with Oscarmania in the air, has made quite a killing.

"Goot movie", he mumbles encouragingly, "very goot print..." Wang's a gentleman pirate. Not only can you check the DVD quality on an office computer before making your purchase, but you can also demand an exchange if it turns out to be a dodgy print. He'll also conscientiously tell you if a movie is a "cinema print" or a "goot deeveedee copy" so that you can steer clear of the former.

If not for the fact that he was robbing them of their bloated revenues, Hollywood would have loved Wang. He promotes a Steven Seagal with as much exuberance as a Stephen Spielberg. "Very beeg movie. Everyone likes," he says for every other DVD, almost keeling over with excitement. And you can never catch him saying he doesn't have a movie, even if you're almost sure he's never heard of it.

I asked him today, "Wang, do you have Big Fish?"

"Beeg Feesh?" he echoed. His eyeballs zigzagged in their sockets as he considered my query. As his frown deepened, his eyes almost vanished into his cheekbones.

"Ah-ha!" His face lit up like a lightbulb, and he nodded furiously. He wriggled past those thumbing through his DVDs and bent over his suitcase. He rifled through a dozen or more, before turning around triumphantly, flashing his crooked teeth.


"Here Beeg Feesh,"
he said, handing me a print of Jaws.

8 comments:

AmitL said...

LOL...Lee,that tribe is still around?I thought they'd been rounded up..I can't find any in our area these days.U're lucky he doesn't go through his 'wink' act,to see if u want any of his 'special' collection movies.hahahaa.:)But,yes,their enthusiasm is quite interesting to watch.LOL at the Jaws DVD instead of Big Fish.:)

KJ said...

lol

i agree with amitji... they are missing here also in Abu Dhabi.....

send him over here..

:)

KJ

Full2 Faltu said...

Logically he is right! Jaws was about the shark which is a big Fish.

although Big Fish was a good movie, a little bit of make believe world.

-Punds

Anonymous said...

aha...so you're still around. long time.

Anonymous said...

I envy you! You get pirated DVD's home/office delivered. In Delhi one has to scour Palika Bazar, and then find someone willing to sell it (these days, seems the anti piracy guys are working overtime, so the problem is acute there). And in Agra, the lanes are so narrow where they are supposedly sold, I hvnt tried!

Jayne said...

Our NCL (nice chinese lady) comes to the office every thursday usually. She also gives refunds & exchanges - what a pleasure! So I guess I'm one of the lucky ones, cos I'm in Abu Dhabi?!

Leela A said...

Amit L : Yes, some of them are still around. And I figure only men are privy to the 'wink' act.

KJ: Maybe once they turn up the heat here in Dubai, he'll come to Abu Dhabi :)

Full2faltu: Yes, the logic is impeccable. No dispute there. It was sweetly funny, that's all. I loved 'Big Fish' for the way the real and make-believe came together. Lovely movie.

Khotta: Yes, can't stay away for too long :) And where are you??

Deepak: Lol! We talk of anti-piracy as if it's a bad thing. Yes, office delivery is convenient, but can't say the same about the guilt :)

Jin: Lol at NCL. Ours is usually an FCM (Funny Chinese Man). You have a lovely blog, will drop by again.

Anonymous said...

Hahaha... That wang sounds like a hilarious guy... Beeg Fish... Jaws!!!