[Makko]

When I was involved in establishing a production facility for substation equipment in Veracruz, the senior staff was about 50/50 Argentine/Italian and me, in the middle, as a Brit. I got along very well with the Italians, but the Argentines are another story......

Recently arrived was Lujan, an Argentine with no particular value as as "engineer" or anything else!. He had been assigned to us on a project on the Mexican Pacific Coast, where he was famous for having done nothing, acquired a mistress, a VW Beetle and then eating virtually nothing/spending nothing ("Che, I don't have my wallet - could you pay for me!"): It was to pay for the car/ mistress etc. One day he didn't show up for work: turns out that the night before, he drove his car into a 3M wide channel dug for the installation of a major drain system.........!

Anyway, in Veracruz, I had to go to the production facility (I was head of engineering) and I asked for a Pick-Up. I was given the keys and, after starting it, I checked my mirrors and rear window to reverse out.

I spotted Lujan coming behind me, so I waited, checked my mirrors, rear window, front windows - He had disappeared.

I put the truck into reverse, and then there was a furious banging on the tailgate. I stopped, applying the parking brake and switched the engine off.

When I disembarked, there was Lujan behind the Pick-Up........."Che!, you tried to kill me!", he said.

"What?" , said I.

"I was tying my shoelace behind the truck when you started reversing!!" remonstrated Lujan.

My immediate retort:

"Oh! What a shame! I would have got a medal a few years back for killing an Argie!!!"

The end result was that the Argentinean gang did not speak to me for about two weeks! What a shame! The Italians were quite amused!

Rgds,
Dave