the thing with the guy in the place

[Mike Hussey]

Reuben : [as Danny and Rusty are leaving Reuben's home after lunch] Look, we all go way back and uh, I owe you from the thing with the guy in the place and I'll never forget it.
Danny : That was our pleasure.
Rusty : I'd never been to Belize.

What does "the thing with the guy in the place" mean?

Source: Ocean's Eleven (a 2001 American heist film directed by Steven Soderbergh and written by Ted Griffin)

 

[Rover_KE]

something that happened earlier somewhere else

 

[teechar]

Unless someone has watched the entire film, how can they know what it means?
Have you watched it?

 

[GoesStation]

something that happened earlier with another man somewhere else

You forgot that bit.

 

[GoesStation]

Unless someone has watched the entire film, how can they know what it means?

The way the dialog is written suggests the audience isn't expected to know the details. The characters sound like they're discussing an incident from their common past that isn't part of the current story.

 

[SoothingDave]

Imagine you are the police listening to the conversation. Does the guy speaking know what he means? Yes. Does the guy listening know what he means? Yes. Do you? No.

That is the point.

 

[Skrej]

We do know however that it either took place in Belize, or at least required them to travel to Belize as part of the "thing".