He frequently told a story about his final exams. When he had arrived in Britain, he had notified the register that he was fluent in Swahili. When he came to his finals, he asked to be examined in this language, and the authorities agreed. Then one day, he received two letters. One instructed him to report at a certain time and place for a "viva voce" examination in Swahili. The other asked if, at the same time and place, he would examine a candidate in Swahili.