Shagam of Coldwell Banker Commercial NRT reflects on unique situation

What was the most humorous, or unique, situation you have encountered during your career? Entering Nigeria on business for a major oil company in 1971—just after the Nigerian civil war—I was warned by the client to absolutely NOT go through customs and immigration, rather wait on the benches (all outdoors, no windows or air conditioning) outside the entry hall, until "Francis" would come and get me and escort me (a/k/a bribe the locals) through the process and get my luggage. Francis never came and after three hours—over 100 degrees of heat, and me in a sport jacket—I started writing my will. Finally, his replacement showed up—Francis was on vacation and this guy overslept—and he gets me in by having me crawl along the luggage racks on hands and knees while he detains the locals. (This really frosted me—I was taught that lawyers never crawl!) Safely in the company car, I made him go back to get the coat I had left on "my" bench. I finally got to my hotel, where several lizards 2-3 feet long ran over my shoes in the hotel lobby while I was registering. Otherwise it was an uneventful morning. Anyone want to recommend this trip to a divorced spouse? Or a mother-in-law? Jerome Shagam is a licensed associate broker with Coldwell Banker Commercial NRT, Syosset, N.Y.