The "little man"

So far I really am enjoying Dubai, but you have a strange love/hate relationship with this place. Almost all “western expats” as we’re all collectively referred to here (and that includes Americans, Canadians, Europeans, Australians, Kiwis, etc.) generally say they didn’t choose Dubai, Dubai chose them. I can relate to that. But when you follow up with “do you like it here?” most will say, “it’s allright, the lifestyle is good, but life is kinda shit.” There’s really no culture here…it’s emerging, but not quite there. It’s very artificial, but when you factor in that there’s “a little man” to do just about everything for you, you get over some of that disdain.

Let me explain the “little man.” So like I said, there are lots of “little men” here.

• There’s the “little man” at the office, who’s the driver. When you need anything/anyone taken somewhere or picked up, you send the little man.


• Then there’s the tea boys/coffee boys. Some higher ups in the office have the privilege of being able to dial that “little man” and “order” coffee/tea beverages. And we all use them when we have meetings in the office. Your guests come and basically the “little man” comes and takes your order. All without the aid of pen and paper, they just remember how everyone wants their coffee/tea/beverage.


• At most carparks, there’s “little men” who hand wash your car. Now the common thing here is to bargain. So when they say it’ll cost you 20Dirhams to have your car washed, (and that’s less than $6), you always offer 10Dh. They almost always accept. It’s kind of sick and twisted.


• There’s also the DVD man who comes by the villa almost every week. They basically come with hundreds of DVDs and box sets and the like, spread them all out on your floor and charge 15Dh per DVD. It’s great – you can go broke without ever leaving your house. I just got Atonement, The Great Debaters, Michael Clayton, No Country for Old Men and Once (yes, my new favorite movie is now a permanent part of my DVD collection!!). Sometimes the copies are a bit shit, (housemate got one the other day that kept randomly switching to russian) but touch wood, so far, mine have been excellent copies. No indication of someone sitting in a movie theater with a handicam filming.


• There’s the “little man” who tends to the garden


• I think the maid falls into the “little man” category, even though she’s not a man


• There's a “deliquory” man - 'nough said
  

So, that's the story of the "little man."