And we have such expressions as a left-handed compliment. Traveling by bus from Abidjan to a small town just inside Liberia, in the iron-rich area around Mount Nimba. I indicated my nationality, whereupon he brightened up and began speaking to me in English. Well, in that case, I was welcome to stay at his brother's home for as long my stay would last. Anyone who has traveled over long distances in far-off lands has this happen at one time or another.
Ordinary people are really pretty nice to one another.
It is not unusual for there to be a police check-point barrier outside of each large town along the road, but in this case, the inspection was particularly thorough, as there had been very recently a threat on the Togolese president's life. The police chief, sitting on the porch, upon being shown the evidence, beckoned me to come up from the car. Tout est bien qui finit bien. Volunteer travel, African style. Note the occasional unusual passengers in certain conveyances.