What does it mean, the "shine box"?

[CanuckAmok]

Someone wants me to get one. What does this mean? What do I do with it if I can find one? Is this some sort of American/racial thing?

I'm Welsh-Canadian. :shrug:

[Bicoastal]

1. Now go and get your f***ing shinebox!

Watch the whole thing:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2oP1NMB_I0s

[CanuckAmok]

2. Well I don't get that AT ALL.

I'm not Italian, for one thing. Never met Frank Vincent or Joe Pesci, either.

I understand less now than before I posted!



:crazy:

[Inchworm]

3. It's a shoe shine box

If that helps.

:)

[CanuckAmok]

6. Oh, for SHOES!

Okay. I thought it was like "moonshine", or something like that.

So I would shine shoes? I guess that makes sense.

[Inchworm]

8. Depending on the circumstances

I'd say if you wear shined shoes it might be very handy.

It might even be worth some coin as a collector item.

:hi:

[Zuni]

19. its a living

[Bicoastal]

4. It meant nothing before "Goodfellas." Now it's a sign of blatant disrespect.

[flvegan]

5. Good answer. Now I hope the OP goes and gets his fucking shine box.

[Zuni]

13. I love internet thuggery

it saves you the trouble of having to be a tough guy in person

:hi:

[flvegan]

20. Your concern...noted.

I think I'm okay, though. Big hugs to you.

[Inchworm]

7. I'm sure it meant something in certain circles

I tease construction workers about grabbing a shovel. Not much difference.

:hi:

[CanuckAmok]

9. so the guy who told the other guy to get his shine box...

...I guess, ultimately, you could say he had his ass handed to him, metaphorically speaking.

[Sheets of Easter]

10. Yeah, he was beaten and shot to death.

Moral of the story: don't tell someone to go get their shine box. Ask Billy Bats.

[CanuckAmok]

11. Ouch! Now I don't know WHAT to think!

eom

[flvegan]

15. And what happend to Tommy D as a result?

[flvegan]

12. Not really.

Considering shine-box boy was fucked over by his friends.

Anyone can plug a guy in a bar out of rage. It takes a certain panache to fuck over a crew, friends and family.

Try again, fucko.

[Zuni]

14. Billy Batts didn't have panache

he was dead and lying in a shallow grave when Tommy got his

[flvegan]

17. The family did.

And Tommy's whole crew got fucked as did their families. Read up on it.

[Inchworm]

16. I'll translate

:rofl:

Go get your shinebox
=
You low class piece of shit! I know where you come from!

Moral:
He shoulda asked around when he came back where dude was NOW before he got all cocky.

:P

[petronius]

18. A shoe shine boy is a person who polishes and cleans shoes while the customer

wears them - it's an unskilled low-paying job, and often one of the few jobs open to the very poor. The box is the container in which the shoe shine person would carry his rags, brushes, polishes, etc. to the place where he was going to work (e.g. a train platform). Calling someone a shoe shine boy would be an insult - intended to deride their education, earning power, or social standing.

I think a synonomous British term for the occupation would be bootblack.

Here's a picture from wikipedia of a shoe shine guy with a shine box:

[CanuckAmok]

21. back to confused.

I thought I got it. But now someone tells me to get my shine box but I don't have one, and don't need one.

And also, it seems kind of odd, particularly here, to deride someone based on his earning potential/place in society. Not very progressive in spirit, in my opinion. It's kind of like calling someone "bitch" as a slur.

I better start boning-up on my cultural references; the modern world is passing me by like so many lentils fired from a loud, stubby cannon.

[Bicoastal]

22. Iz just a movie reference--don't worry about it.

[CanuckAmok]

23. and what is this "movie" of which you speak.

I kid. I know what movies are.

[Inchworm]

24. But the reality is there

It is just a way somene on a high horse gets put in check.

Goodfellas was a little harsh, but I've been in many many conversations similar to that scene.

It plays anywhere.

I remember when you were lumping trucks..
I remember when you never drove a nail.. just carried shingles
I remember when you were the mudman
I used to change your diapers
etc

hehe, jest sayin.

Shinebox is a lower class job and once you get free of it it still is you. The character in Goodfellas just responded differently.

:shrug:

[MineralMan]

27. I think in the case of your photo, he would be

a shoe-shine wallah. Also an insult.

[petronius]

29. Good point - I would hate to offend anyone by insulting them with the

wrong epithet... :)

I hope you haven't confused our Canuckian comrade any further, however...

[PeaceNikki]

25. So.... did you get that "shine box", yet, Canadian?

inquiring minds and all.

[HEyHEY]

26. Oh, that shoulda read "Bag of lime" then

[GirlinContempt]

28. MORGAN!

that is all