Pardon my ignorance (1)

'That movie is no good. The ending makes no sense,' said Mum.

Three customers including me were watching television at her shop in Thon Buri. We were the only ones there.

The American thriller, Inside Man  was airing on satellite TV.

I knew what that meant, as I have heard it before. Mum wanted to change the channel, and was canvassing for support. She wanted someone to agree with her.

No one did. We were enjoying the show. Thais can get involved in western movies, even when they don't understand what is going on. This one had Thai subtitles, but that is beside the point.

Thais are usually taken by movies which have visual impact. The sight of two farang screaming at each other in a slapstick comedy which bombed at the box office might turn off the average western viewer, but it can hold the attention of Thais, because so many Thai films are made in the same vein. They also wonder if farang carry on that way in real life.

Inside Man is a star-studded thriller about a bank heist, by director Spike Lee. It combines suspense, drama and quirky New York-style humour. I am not surprised if much of it was lost on Mum, who prefers to watch action movies, such as Godzilla, showing on the next channel, about a giant lizard tramping through the streets of New York.

I was sitting at the table with graphic designer Chin, who had turned up with a handful of comic books, and a new kathoey friend, called Best.

Chin devours Japanese comics avidly, and had just been to a bookstore to buy the latest releases. However, he put them down to watch Inside Man.

Ladyboy Best, who comes from a high-class family in the North, but is out of work at present, busied himself filling my whisky glass. Thais are famed for their hospitality, but this is one courtesy I can do without, as I prefer to pace myself when drinking.

I do not want people filling my glass while I am not watching, but it would be impolite to decline, so I say nothing.

Mum repeated her comment about the meaningless ending, then took herself behind her shop to cook a meal for anyone who was interested. Good, I thought - maybe we can get some peace.

However, half an hour later, she was back.

'The ending is no good. I will look for something else,' she announced, while taking the remote, and blithely changing the channel.

The three of us who were watching Inside Man were left, as the Thai saying goes, with mouths agape. We are regular customers, but our needs come second to those of the shop's owner.

now, see part 2