Incident in Lagos

I have a real liking for African music and Africans in general.  At every opportunity I would take myself along to night clubs on Lagos side ( we usually berthed on Apapa side of Nigeria' main port).   One night I was alone in a dive that I knew hosted some great musicians.  During the evening a large gentleman accosted me on a number of occasions, offering me the services of his lady friend.  I politely refused each time saying that on this occasion I was only here for the music.  He then became abusive and demanded to know why I did not like his wife and called on some of the other denizens of the dive to witness the ignorance of the dammed white child.  Things were starting to look sticky for the Belfast music lover.  My grandfather's advice came immediately to mind, 'pick the biggest one and make sure he is in the hospital bed beside you the morning after'.  I planted a short clipped right to the Adam's apple of outraged of Lagos and as he fell to the floor ploughed through the crowd to the street outside.  I was strolling away when I glanced over my shoulder.  Outraged of Lagos was calling out to an army unit that was passing by.  Immediately I took off at a run heading back to Apapa with gun toting army soldiers in pursuit.  Pedestrian traffic slowed them enough so that I was jumping off the top of my ships gangway as the jeep arrived at the bottom of the gangway.  They came up the gangway with rifles unslung and found me sitting in my cabin.  Suffice to say my explanation, supported by liberal doses of the best scotch whiskey, was accepted.  I was even allowed to inspect their rifles.  They had one round each which had to be accounted for on every watch change.  I need not have feared for my life as I pounded my way back to the ship.  Circa 67 or 68