Que va a hacer?

What are you gonna do? A cracking and oft used saying in Argentina. The Argentine version of Forgetaboutit, I guess. I'm a sucker for idioms, but there are times, I must admit, when I find this one a bit defeatest. Irresponsible, even.

Today, for example. I was filling the car with petrol. The service station was on the corner of two roads, and some idiot, waiting at the lights, decided to use the forecourt to cut the corner, thus avoiding the lights, like he was Steve McQueen from Gone In 60 Seconds.

This caused appropriate condemnation from all on the forecourt as we collectively vented our rage at such a selfish, impatient boludo. There's kids around here, we shouted, mostly to each other, whatever next? Man, this country's going to the dogs! That was the gist.

Upon which, all eyes seemed to fall on one car parked very close to the incident, the driver of which was leaning against the bonnet, smoking. Eyes fell on him partly because he had reacted so much less strongly than everyone else, partly because he was breaking possibly the only Healthy and Safety Law in the entire country - no naked flames in a petrol station - but I think mostly because he was a police man.

And as all eyes fell on him, he seemed to feel he must offer something to his new found audience. And thus speaketh the man, with a shrug of the shoulders:


Que va a hacer? 

Maybe defeatest is bang on the money?