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May
4, 2007
Day Thirteen
The movie was bad and I enjoyed every second of
it.
Woke in the middle of the night to a slight
tickling in my ear. Half asleep, I called out
the name of a long past girl friend. Then my
senses rushed back to me. Whatever was
“tickling” me was right in my ear. I
don’t like things being in my ear. I jammed my
finger in there and was horrified to feel a soft
crunch. I managed to dig out the remains of
some beast about the size of an aspirin. After
going through half a bottle of Purell and a
dozen Que tips I was able to fall back to sleep.
This is India.
In the morning DJ managed to find a live audio
feed for what would turn out to be the Canucks
final game of the season.
More computer problems, but only about forty
five minutes was lost this time. Reread all my
work so far for the movie. Not too bad.
Went back to the market with DJ and bought three
more movies.
From there we both went to the gym and thrashed
ourselves.
Because the Achilles was still sore I was hoping
to spend an hour on the one stationary bike – a
seated affair that rattles when you pedal but is
smooth otherwise. Was politely asked to allow a
stunningly beautiful Indian woman to take over
after thirty minutes. Being the gentleman that
I am, I relinquished the machine to her use. I
tried to use the elliptical machine – my first
time on one of these horrifying contraptions. I
stepped off after two uncomfortable minutes.
Tested the Achilles on the treadmill but another
three minutes there was all the evidence I
needed to confirm I was not ready to run – maybe
one more day. Decided to pump a little iron and
went upstairs to the weight room. I was the
only one working out now. DJ had done his
circuit and returned home. It felt great to
lift weights with good equipment in an air
conditioned room. I still can not get used to
the idea of having some dude follow me around
while working out. As I mentioned before, this
gym provides each client with a trainer.
Because I already know everything there is to
know about everything, I wanted him gone but I
wasn’t in my own home and tried to make the best
of it. I’ll say this, I sure paid attention to
my technique. When there’s stern faced “expert”
watching your every move – from about three feet
away, you mind your Ps and Qs! At first I
played the mister cool-weigh-lifter guy but then
decided I was being an asshole and he was just
doing his job. I elected to engage him in
conversation. As things usually happen he was a
hoot! He told me I had excellent technique, so
we got on famously. Of course I had excellent
technique. I’d been editing our PRPP weight
lifting video for at least a hundred hours in
the last six weeks prior to coming to India.
I’d watched Pete do those exercises so many
times I was starting to lean out myself!
Back home and a little writing.
It was Friday here and DJ was set on going out.
He’s a young man. We didn’t have to go too far
so I agreed.
I am never more miserable than I am in a nite
club. The music is too loud and is usually some
sort of foul mistake with a drum machine.
People are way too cool for me and I’m too old.
I swore to myself, though, I would make the best
of it, as DJ really wanted to have a good time.
We walked across the street to the JW Marriot –
a five star affair that was suppose to house the
best club in the city – Enigma.
We dressed as nice as we had – which wasn’t bad.
But were again denied at the door. Couples only
or guests of the hotel could enter. DJ asked to
speak to the manager, who arrived minutes
later. DJ politely explained to the man that we
were visiting from Canada and really just wanted
to check the place out. The fellow, with the
unlikely name of Mario, asked what was our
business in Mumbai. DJ told him we were making
a movie here. That’s all it took. Well that
and 1,500 rupees but we were in – with an extra
VIP stamp that would allow us in some roped off
areas.
The room was much like any other high end room
I’ve been in. I was the only white guy there
for at least the first half hour, until we
bumped into Craig, an Australian wine consultant
working for the hotel. Enjoyed a nice hour of
conversation with him – as much conversation as
was possible at any rate. The music was loud –
really loud. But we managed to make ourselves
heard. He was telling me that he’d seen Roger
Waters in a concert in Mumbai a month earlier.
Damn my timing!! Sounded great. Besides Craig
I didn’t speak to anyone else all evening,
except DJ, of course.
Despite the poisonous volume of the music it was
still a pretty good night.
I was a fly on the wall and, as the observer, my
mind naturally sought out the differences and
the similarities between the club culture here
and at home.
Differences – like most places in the world,
except N. America, the guys danced with other
guys. This, I was told, was due to the fact
that most of the women would not dance with men
they didn’t know. At one point DJ said hello to
a young woman standing next to him and she
simply turned and walked away – and he’s a
polite, good looking young guy.
And while N. Americans are certainly concerned
about how they look and the persona they are
projecting that was magnified ten fold here –
especially amongst the men. In the bathroom the
guys were lined up three deep for their turn at
the mirror like they were about to walk down a
runway.
Other than that, the music, while way too loud,
wasn’t so bad. They actually played songs, not
just one never ending drum beat. Generally an
Indian song would be followed by a current hit
from America or Europe. DJ told me many of the
Indian songs were popular hits from Bollywood
productions. I’d say I knew at least four or
five of the tunes played that night. I’d be
lucky to know one in a Victoria scene today.
And the girls dance much they way they do in the
Indian movies – kind of like they’re screwing in
a light bulb, but it looks great!
We stayed till almost two in the morning and I
can honestly say I enjoyed the experience.
One last bit of unfortunate business, though,
was in my effort to avoid a hurtling rickshaw as
we crossed the street to return home, I seemed
to restrain my Achilles. It hurt badly!
Tomorrow evening my time Wildflower will be
underway. My good thoughts go out to all the
competitors especially RB, JD, IT and HW!!!! I
sure wish I was there! |
