A GOOD TIP?
Just returned from seeing the film Babel in which Cate Blanchett's character is shot by a random bullet while on a coach tour in Morocco. her husband, played by Brad Pitt, manages to get her to safety eventually and, as the helicopter is about to take her away, he puts his hand into his wallet and offers a pile of notes to the guide who has been a tower of strength in helping them. He refuses and the two men embrace.
Big mistake. In an earlier scene the two men had talked about their children andthe guide had said he could only afford one wife (he was a Moslem) so he obviously was not at the top of his profession. he would have taken the money, while maybe making embarassing gestures. Guides rely on tips and they get used to accepting them. I earned a forty pound tip the other day which was twenty per cent of my earnings for the day and I regularly declare several thousand pounds a year in my tax return for tips. So the poor guide would have accepted a gift from the rich American especially as the restof the group had scarpered afraid that the bullet was a terrorist attack rather than a random shot. I also thought that was not quite right - a lot of well known British luvvies in the coach party, including Harriet Walter who isplaying Cleopatra at the moment, and Michael Maloney, who were underused in the final cut. I think they would have rallied around rather than walking out, but maybe I am being unrealistic.
Most guides have probably speculated on how they would react in this sort of situation. I like to think I would have done as well as the Moroccan in the film but I would probably have called the company and left it to them.
Eight our of ten for the film (made by AMores Perros/21 Grams team) but only five for its depiction of tourism...
Big mistake. In an earlier scene the two men had talked about their children andthe guide had said he could only afford one wife (he was a Moslem) so he obviously was not at the top of his profession. he would have taken the money, while maybe making embarassing gestures. Guides rely on tips and they get used to accepting them. I earned a forty pound tip the other day which was twenty per cent of my earnings for the day and I regularly declare several thousand pounds a year in my tax return for tips. So the poor guide would have accepted a gift from the rich American especially as the restof the group had scarpered afraid that the bullet was a terrorist attack rather than a random shot. I also thought that was not quite right - a lot of well known British luvvies in the coach party, including Harriet Walter who isplaying Cleopatra at the moment, and Michael Maloney, who were underused in the final cut. I think they would have rallied around rather than walking out, but maybe I am being unrealistic.
Most guides have probably speculated on how they would react in this sort of situation. I like to think I would have done as well as the Moroccan in the film but I would probably have called the company and left it to them.
Eight our of ten for the film (made by AMores Perros/21 Grams team) but only five for its depiction of tourism...
posted by tourguideddie at 12:45 PM
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