Once we sheltered in a stairwell, after three mortar bombs landed close to the hotel we were staying in Central Africa. A colleague reported that heavy shelling had, as they put it, rocked the city centre. Later, George said to me quietly "Allan don't say that. Heavy shelling didn't rock anything tonight. Three bombs fell close to where we happened to be and gave us a fright. Keep it in proportion." And I thought, not for the first time, "My name is George Alagiah and I'm here to calm you down." George didn't want to be dramatic. He wanted to be true.

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