20 Million Bees

Late Tuesday night, I read a news story about a car accident in Delaware.  (http://metro.co.uk/2014/05/22/bees-delaware-20-million-bees-escape-from-overturned-truck-in-newark-on-interstate-95-4736600/)

What made this accident news-worthy was that a truck hauling a shipment from Florida to Maine overturned onto its side, causing its contents to spill out of the truck and cause an even-more-than-your-usual-accident ginormous traffic incident.  The cargo -- 20 million bees.

I've now read three different news stories about this incident, and, intriguingly, not one of them mentioned the obvious question, just who in the heck needed 20 million bees to be transported to Maine in the first place?  As someone who is terrified of bees, my first and immediate assumption (admittedly based more on emotional reaction than on logical thinking) was that someone clearly has a grudge against the great state of Maine.  Thus, the following dialogue occurred in my brain:

Eliot Cutler: So, Maine wouldn't elect me to the governor's seat, eh?  Well, I'll have my revenge!  Yes, just wait and see, fellow Maine citizens, and tremble at the horror that awaits!  Mwa-ha-ha-ha-haaa!

henchman:  Sir, we just received word that your attack bees have escaped somewhere in Delaware!

Cutler:  Curses!  Foiled again!

And while that dialogue may seem ridiculous, it's surely no more ridiculous than the concept of 20 million bees in the first place.  I mean, I literally cannot comprehend that many bees.  I'd hate to be the people in the car two vehicles behind the accident as they gradually realized their predicament.

Henry:  Dammit, Martha, it looks like this accident is gonna hold up traffic for a while.  I guess we're stuck here.

Martha:  Look, Henry, a bee!

Henry: That's nice, dear.

Martha:  Look, another one!  And another!  And another!  Henry?

Henry:  Oh dear sweet mother of Jesus.

To me, one of the most intriguing aspects of the story is that Delaware has actually had a contingency plan in case of massive bee attack since 1995.  To me, this is admiringly specific.  I can only imagine the committee meeting where such a plan was born . . .

Director of Public Safety:  Okay, well, gentlemen, I think we're almost finished.  Let's see, we've got emergency contingency plans for earthquake, fire, flood, hurricane, tornado.  Hmmm.  Has it occurred to anyone here that we don't have any emergency plans for a massive bee invasion?

committee secretary: Excuse me, sir?

director: Well, what if we were suddenly attacked by bees?  And by bees, I don't just mean a few, of course.  But what if we, for some unforseen reason, suddenly got attacked by millions and millions of bees?  Think of the chaos that would ensue without a contingency plan in place!

committee member:  Uh, sir, do you have any idea how bizarre that fear is?

committee member 2: Yeah, sir, I really don't see that happening.  What are the chances that Delaware is going to suddenly be attacked by millions of bees?

director: Dammit, we are not leaving here, people, until we have a contingency plan for a massive bee attack in place!

30 years later

director: Ahhh, vindicated at last!