When Diplomacy Hits The End Of The Road

I work as a heavy equipment operator (I drive an excavator). One day, about twenty years ago, we were laying some pipes across a minor road, closing the road for a few hours. It was at most a minor inconvenience for the cars, as we had signs out marking the alternative route. We’re talking maybe 300 yards “lost” by going around.

Yet some f****** a**hat in a BMW ignores the signs, stops behind the excavator, and lays on his horn. 

I signalled to him that the road is closed and he has to go around. He kept on honking.

My workmate Johnny, who is the guy with the shovel (you always have a guy with a shovel ready to uncover cables and pipes), lost his s***. He walked up to the car and screamed at the guy:

Johnny: “I don’t care if you’re the f****** president of the USA, unless your car can fly, you’re going to go around. Now get the f****** f*** out of here!”

It obviously wasn’t the POTUS; it was just some very high-ranking Russian diplomat; the car had blue diplomat plates, and this happened very close to where the Russian ambassador in Sweden lived at the time.

The car did not fly but took the suggested route, and Johnny is yet to face the wrath of the Russian government…