Abu Dhabi, mid 70.s........
Alan Bristow was in town, and around midday told his base there to cease all flying except casevacs, because the oil company had upset him in some way - an intractable contract dispute, I think.
That pretty much shut down the oil company's largely offshore operations within a few hours. The impact on the company was huge.
That same evening, about 150 people were at an A-list cocktail party given by that oil company's boss for local bigwigs, representatives of most large companies etc etc. The usual compulsory, boring evening, planned long before the problem with AB.
We had been there about 30 minutes in our best suits when Alan Bristow breezed through the main doorway, larger than life, Hawaian shirt, beaming and glad-handing everyone in the room as though he hadn't got a care in the world.
What a performer. What chutzpah. Great man.