The lights had just turned amber. I suppose I should have stopped, but I decided to jump them anyway. I was late for an appointment. I could see the other end of the roadworks in the distance up the hill and I could see the road ahead was completely clear. I hadn’t bargained for there being a vehicle coming from a big old farmhouse halfway along the roadworks, down in a dip in the road.
I had traveled a few yards when I realised that there was a car just coming through from the farmhouse and heading towards me. It wouldn’t have taken much for him to reverse back into the driveway, and let me through, but he stood his ground and kept on coming, honking his horn all the way. By this time, I realised that three other cars had come through behind me, so there was no way I could reverse back and let him through.
Stalemate! The driver of the 4×4 that had come through from the farmhouse got out of his car and strode ominously towards me. It looked like I was going to get an ear bashing, here in the middle of the roadworks.
“You must have come through red lights!” he yelled at me aggressively. “People like you make me sick.”
“Well if she did, then so did we three others behind her! What are you going to do about it?” said a gruff voice behind me, coming from the car behind. “You back your motor and let us through, you idiot! The lights our end were on green when we started through.”
What a relief that I had some support. The 4×4 driver thought the better of tackling all four of us, and sidled grudgingly back into his car. But there he stayed, and I could see he was talking on his cellphone.
“Maybe he’s calling the police,” I said to the chap from the car behind me.
“Not him,” he said. “He’s probably calling for reinforcements. He is the local gang leader. That farmhouse is their headquarters.”
Just as we spoke, an explosion came from the 4×4.
“Looks like he’s met his comeuppance!” said the car driver, as we both ducked to avoid the falling debris. “I guess his gangland rivals from the next town have finally got their revenge. You are very lucky to be alive.”
Recent Comments