# Your best guess WRT the suitcase in Pulp Fiction **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 21, 2014, 9:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-best-guess-wrt-the-suitcase-in-pulp-fiction/688908 "2014-05-21T09:36:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2014, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-best-guess-wrt-the-suitcase-in-pulp-fiction/688908/21 "2014-05-21T15:43:58Z")
> [@muldoonthief](#): > > Tim Robbins? Andy Dufresne turned to a life of petty crime after busting out of Shawshank? Well, yeah. His motel imploded, leaving him penniless and a shrunken shell of a man. A few years later, he sneaks his way back into the US figuring his appearance had changed radically enough so that he wouldn’t be captured. Unfortunately, he still had to find work but couldn’t because his alter-identity started to fray and Andy was worried that it would draw some scrutiny. Realizing that he’s f-ed no matter what, he gives up his dreams of normalcy and becomes a petty thief. Damn… that Tarantino is a genius! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![blue\_infinity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blue_infinity/32/2817_2.png) [@blue\_infinity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blue_infinity)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2014, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-best-guess-wrt-the-suitcase-in-pulp-fiction/688908/22 "2014-05-21T15:44:15Z")
That line - “Is that what I think it is?” - is quite useful. It eliminates a lot of things. It eliminates a lot of unique objects that Ringo would not recognize: Holy Grail, Tesseract, a soul, etc. It also eliminates anything too obvious to ask about, ie. stacks of dollar bills. But a bunch of shiny stones could be diamonds or beads. White powder in plastic bags could be heroin or baking soda. Ringo might have a fair idea about which is more likely, but wants some confirmation. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2014, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-best-guess-wrt-the-suitcase-in-pulp-fiction/688908/23 "2014-05-21T15:57:03Z")
It was the script for _Hateful Eight_. ---
**Author:** ![racepug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@racepug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racepug)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2014, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-best-guess-wrt-the-suitcase-in-pulp-fiction/688908/24 "2014-05-21T16:01:16Z")
I’ve read what was ACTUALLY in that suitcase. But given the glow I always figured it was some gold (I think Quentin Tarantino has basically been quoted, about the contents of that suitcase, that “it’s whatever the viewer wants it to be.”). ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2014, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-best-guess-wrt-the-suitcase-in-pulp-fiction/688908/25 "2014-05-21T16:06:42Z")
It is a McGuffin. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2014, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-best-guess-wrt-the-suitcase-in-pulp-fiction/688908/26 "2014-05-21T16:13:56Z")
It’s a Royalle with cheese. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2014, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-best-guess-wrt-the-suitcase-in-pulp-fiction/688908/27 "2014-05-21T16:14:23Z")
> [@Lemur866](#): > > It is a McGuffin. But what \*kind \*of McGuffin? A classic, art deco 1920s style McGuffin, a post-war stainless steel McGuffin, a 1968 genuine plastic (don’t settle for imitations) McGuffin, or a 2000XP Turbo Laser Stealth McGuffin? It’s an important distinction! I don’t think anyone would call the 2000XP “beautiful”. They would the 1920s version, but those are too fragile to carry around in just any old briefcase. ---
**Author:** ![42fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/4/b487fb/32.png) [@42fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/42fish)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2014, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-best-guess-wrt-the-suitcase-in-pulp-fiction/688908/28 "2014-05-21T16:16:04Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > I’ve heard the _“Elvis Presley’s shiny golden stage outfit”_ hypothesis before. And it (more or less) fits in with Jules’ “It’s my boss’s laundry” comment. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Q](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/898d66/32.png) [@Johnny\_Q](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Q)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2014, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-best-guess-wrt-the-suitcase-in-pulp-fiction/688908/29 "2014-05-21T16:21:02Z")
The Golden Apple of Discord. The little trinket that started the Trojan War. ---
**Author:** ![SykoSkotty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c0e974/32.png) [@SykoSkotty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SykoSkotty)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2014, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-best-guess-wrt-the-suitcase-in-pulp-fiction/688908/30 "2014-05-21T16:38:41Z")
Jules tells Ringo what it is - “My boss’ dirty laundry.” Another way of saying, “My boss’ biggest secret?” ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2014, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-best-guess-wrt-the-suitcase-in-pulp-fiction/688908/31 "2014-05-21T16:45:16Z")
> [@SykoSkotty](#): > > Jules tells Ringo what it is - “My boss’ dirty laundry.” > > Another way of saying, “My boss’ biggest secret?” I took that to be Jules trying to make Ringo think it was literally dirty laundry so he’d lose interest in it. ---
**Author:** ![SykoSkotty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c0e974/32.png) [@SykoSkotty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SykoSkotty)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2014, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-best-guess-wrt-the-suitcase-in-pulp-fiction/688908/32 "2014-05-21T16:52:48Z")
> [@Revtim](#): > > I took that to be Jules trying to make Ringo think it was literally dirty laundry so he’d lose interest in it. At first, I did too, but now I’m wondering if it’s a Tarantino easter egg of sorts… ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2014, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-best-guess-wrt-the-suitcase-in-pulp-fiction/688908/33 "2014-05-21T16:56:53Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > But what \*kind \*of McGuffin? A classic, art deco 1920s style McGuffin, a post-war stainless steel McGuffin, a 1968 genuine plastic (don’t settle for imitations) McGuffin, or a 2000XP Turbo Laser Stealth McGuffin? > > It’s an important distinction! I don’t think anyone would call the 2000XP “beautiful”. They would the 1920s version, but those are too fragile to carry around in just any old briefcase. It’s an Egg McGuffin. ---
**Author:** ![SUZ\_MAC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8e8cbc/32.png) [@SUZ\_MAC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SUZ_MAC)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2014, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-best-guess-wrt-the-suitcase-in-pulp-fiction/688908/34 "2014-05-21T17:07:53Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > It’s a Royalle with cheese. Perfect answer 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2014, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-best-guess-wrt-the-suitcase-in-pulp-fiction/688908/35 "2014-05-21T17:16:05Z")
> [@muldoonthief](#): > > It’s an Egg McGuffin. With cheese. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2014, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-best-guess-wrt-the-suitcase-in-pulp-fiction/688908/36 "2014-05-21T17:56:12Z")
dammit! ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2014, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-best-guess-wrt-the-suitcase-in-pulp-fiction/688908/37 "2014-05-21T17:56:25Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > But what \*kind \*of McGuffin? A classic, art deco 1920s style McGuffin, a post-war stainless steel McGuffin, a 1968 genuine plastic (don’t settle for imitations) McGuffin, or a 2000XP Turbo Laser Stealth McGuffin? > > It’s an important distinction! I don’t think anyone would call the 2000XP “beautiful”. They would the 1920s version, but those are too fragile to carry around in just any old briefcase. A 1920’s Style Death McGuffin? I think it is one of the aliens from the trunk of the Chevy Malibu in “Repo Man”. A baby one, perhaps. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2014, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-best-guess-wrt-the-suitcase-in-pulp-fiction/688908/38 "2014-05-21T18:22:06Z")
> [@muldoonthief](#): > > It’s an Egg McGuffin. And the glow comes from the Golden Arches! ---
**Author:** ![johnspartan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a183cd/32.png) [@johnspartan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnspartan)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2014, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-best-guess-wrt-the-suitcase-in-pulp-fiction/688908/39 "2014-05-21T18:28:53Z")
> [@Superdude](#): > > And the glow comes from the Golden Arches! Not the Golden Arcs? Serving the Big Mc rather than the Big Mac? You know, our buns don’t have seeds. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2014, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-best-guess-wrt-the-suitcase-in-pulp-fiction/688908/40 "2014-05-21T19:06:06Z")
But the golden arches are only in France. In Tarantino’s world they eat at Big Kahuna Burger. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-best-guess-wrt-the-suitcase-in-pulp-fiction/688908.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-best-guess-wrt-the-suitcase-in-pulp-fiction/688908.md?page=3)