14.2.2010


Humorous Icelandic Tales4






Buying a Hotel

http://www.netsaga.is/media/files/Svenni-%20Ibitus3.mp3


When Mr. Einar Sigurdsson of the Westman

Islands, called Rich Einar, retired from managing

the fish freezing plant at Flateyri in 1960, Mr. Rafn

A. Petursson from Skagafjordur bought the plant’s

operations, fixtures and real estate. Rafn was

educated as a shipbuilder and he was somewhat

fond of the odd drink. When he drank he tended

to puff himself out and act as if he were an

important man.

At this time employers situated in the

countryside often had to go south to Reykjavik

in order to obtain loans from the banks there.

These trips were called touching expeditions.

During one such trip Rafn stayed at Hotel Borg.

After a successful trip to the bank he invited a

friend to accompany him back to the hotel, where

they raised countless glasses in celebration. As

the evening progressed the talk of those two

companions grew ever louder until a waiter

approached them and asked them to keep it down.

Rafn, who had plenty of money on him after

having gone to the bank that day, took great

offence at these words and demanded to see the

hotel manager, and when he arrived hissed at

him:

"I’ll buy the hotel and sack that damned

waiter."