Smashed

I was never one to enjoy clubbing or frequent night spots. Part of it is because of my inability to dance and also because clubs are packed with sleazy people, it's smokey (even though I used to smoke, I didn't like it) and this is one place where you'd definately see the worst of mankind show up.

Was up at Genting Highlands on a shoot for a tequila launch. For those who do not know what tequila is, it's some yucky kind of alcohol =) I never enjoyed videographing these sort of events. I remember having to shoot 4 of these last year, and James edited all of them. The whole agenda at these parties is to just enjoy the free flow of the particular brand of liquor and drink the night through till you're probably smashed and puking all over the place; be it on your gf's dress, on the floor or in someone's hand!

At this tequila launch, it was worse than I've seen from the previous liquor parties I've videographed. The venue looked much better; a convention hall as compared to some club, and people were seated at round tables like a hotel wedding dinner and there was a stage with 2 indie rock bands slated to perform. However, on each table were bottles of tequila. These bottles were at the disposal of the drinkers. How'd you think they handled that? People in general have this pathetic way of drinking. When it's made totally available, even when they pay for it for exorbitant prices at clubs, people just wanna have these ego trips and either force others or themselves, to drink up as quickly and as much as possible and before you know it, no one has a good time. Well, unless you are the sort who finds being really pissed drunk, not remembering anything from the night before, puking all over the place and having a massive hangover the next day, FUN =)

Needless to say, this crowd, consisting of people who SHOULD know better than to drink like a bunch of kiasu clowns (due to their profession but I won't say what), became rowdy. Unfortunately for Tempered Mental and Estranged, 2 fine indie bands; their shows were scrapped due to this. Tempered Mental were only into their 4th song when they were abruptly 'ordered' off stage. Not a very happy moment considering 2 of their members rushed up after work for this gig.



So I left the party a little over 2 hours before it was actually due to end as the crowd got too rowdy for me to videograph (they were tugging at the camera all the time and were forcing me to drink). I put away my disgust and was happy that I had the earlier opportunity to take a walk in the cool highlands air. I also had my tiny little hotel room to myself, as my 'room mate' didn't come back to sleep. Turns out his galpal was in the hotel as well, in another room.

The next day was for enjoyment. To my surprise, a few of the drunkards actually made it up for breakfast. They wanted to have something to eat and go back to sleep. Free (provided along with hotel room) food, why waste right? =P There was an all-access voucher to the theme park, so off I went, to enjoy another round of walking. I was never a fan of rides so needless to say, I just watched =) Besides, the queues were long at most of the rides and it's never fun being at a theme park alone.

One interesting thing did happen while I was at the theme park though. This old couple came up to me suddenly...and the following is the 'script':

Man: Excuse me, excuse me...can you put the film for me?

(I'm caught off guard and just look at them and then their primitive looking camera and a roll of Fujifilm.)

Woman: Mmm...please please help..

Me: Erm...alright, load the film for you. You don't know how to do it...

(So I take the camera from them as well as the film and before I can even finish trying, as I had to meddle here and there, it was an OLD camera; the man takes it from me as if he knew how to fix it. Yeah, why ask me then? Haha!)

Man: No, no...not like that. It's supposed to be here.

Me: (Politely) Emm..I don't think you're supposed to do that. (Tries showing him how I think it should be done.) You guys didn't ask the people at the camera shop to help?

Man & woman: They don't know. We asked already.

Me: How long have you had this camera? And how did you use it previously? (baffled)

Woman: 3 years. (My eyes rolled a little but not in their view. 3 years and you don't know how to load the film into your own camera??)

Me: You've had it for 3 years and you have yet to learn how to load the film? How did you use it previously?

Man: mmmffffmfmfmmfmf (struggling with loading the film. At this point I was just observing, and chatting with the woman.)

Woman: Normally my son does it for me. I never have to do it. Now I must learn how to use it. (I wonder why they didn't ask before they came to Malaysia.) It takes very good pictures. We have a digital camera but I want to use this camera to take good pictures also.

Me: I'm sure.

(At this point, the man had engaged another family to try to load the film, but their attempts are fruitless as well. I stand there like a pillar, just watching for a while, before smiling, nodding my head at them and excusing myself.)

I continued enjoying my walk, headed off for lunch where only quarter the drunks came for, excused myself, thanked the clients and made my way for the checkout and came back down to hot, humid and dirty Kuala Lumpur.