"Some people really should have an obligatory economy course," Norway grumbled as he sat down and poured coffee from his thermos. "The way they throw away money on useless … things …" Denmark snorted into his lunch beer.
"Like you're one to talk," he grinned. Norway glared at him.
"Don't know what you're talking about," he said.
"The diving tower at Hamar!" Denmark announced happily.
"...I'm leaving."
"Fine, fine, but it was stupid."
"It was not."
"Norway, you made a diving tower that didn't work," Sweden said, his blue eyes alight with mirth, which was as close to laughing as he ever came in public. "It was stupid."
"It was new technology," Norway protested.
"That didn't work!"
"You're annoying."
"You're making a scene," Iceland said and turned a page in his book. He looked up. "Where's the coffee?"
"Here!" Finland cheered as he set the coffee pots on the table. "It was empty so I got some more, but then I thought maybe we'd drink all of that too so I thought I would get the machine from the kitchen but apparently they don't allow visitors in the kitchen here and when I went in anyways they said I wasn't allowed to steal kitchen appliances so I had to leave, but I still hadn't gotten the coffee so I went to the table with refreshments and thought I'd take a pot, but it was tiny so I took two, and then I was halfway back here before I realized that two might be too little so I went back and took the rest." He plopped down on his seat and filled his cup. "So, what were you talking about?"
"Hej Fin, have you heard about the diving tower at Hamar?" Denmark asked. Finland sipped his coffee thoughtfully.
"That's the one that cost twenty-five million more than budget?"
"Twenty-two," Norway corrected under his breath.
"You overran the budget by 2000%," Sweden deadpanned. Norway just shrugged and poured some more coffee.
"So, why exactly didn't it work?" Iceland asked. Norway glared at Sweden and Denmark.
"Honest mistake," he said in answer to something they hadn't said yet. Denmark guffawed and Sweden just shook his head.
"Norway built a diving tower in Mjøsa, by Hamar, but the oil in the mechanics he used for it to move with the water level froze in the cold." The four Nordics looked at the responsible nation.
"... You're annoying."
"You forgot the cold!" Norway stood up abruptly.
"At least I've got money to fund my escapades," he bit, then he left. The other Nordics burst out in laughter, well Denmark and Finland did, but you get the picture. Norway's only consolation was that they had spoken their own languages, so no one else would have to know.
-:- -:- -:- -:- -:-
Translations:
Stupetårnet på Hamar (norwegian) - The diving tower at Hamar
Author's note:
This actually happened. They set aside 40 000 kroner for a diving tower, the next year they set up a budget of 1,5 million kroner. It ended up costing 23,4 million kroner.
I am also watching football, and finding it amusing that one of Switzerlands players has the name Liechtsteiner.