An Epic Misguided Solution to a Problem
The spectators’ cheers turned into shrieks of panic when it became clear that the authorities had greatly underestimated both the blast zone, and what constituted a safe distance. A quarter mile turned out to be way too close to the explosion. Everybody and everything within half a mile of the blast got showered with rotten whale detritus. A huge piece of blubber flattened a parked car over a quarter of a mile away, while people and other vehicles were pelted by bits of stinky whale carcass. Miraculously, nobody was seriously hurt by the tons of whale flesh hurled into the air.
Eventually, the dust settled and bits of rotten whale ceased to rain from the sky. That was when everybody found out just how misguided the explosive disposal plan had been. Dismayed officials discovered that while the blast had been spectacular, the idea to get rid of the dead whale with half a ton of dynamite had turned out to be a dud. Most of the carcass had not even budged. As darkness fell, Highway Division crews returned to the scene to bulldoze and bury the remains, as they probably should have done in the first place. Hopefully, there was a lesson learned, and if a dead whale ever washes up near Florence again, the authorities will not only remember what to do, but also what not to do.