Monday was a holiday so I didn’t leave to go home until 4pm.  By the time I made it across town, found the saung tao and rode to Mae Tang it was dark.  My cell phone also died, so I got off at the 7-11 where I knew there was a pay phone.  However my phone card doesn’t have any minutes.  Interesting, it had 97 last time I checked.  Luckily I had some change, but no one answered so the phone ate the change. 

Great now what do I do it is dark, no one knows to pick me up, do I walk the 8 km?  Turning around and looking quite distraught I am sure I saw two people presumably waiting to use the phone.  I moved out of the way and the farong (foreigner) asked where are you going?  So I told him I work at a local school and can’t get a hold of anyone to pick me up.  He let me use his cell phone, but still no answer.  So he introduced me to the local wholesale rice seller and he offered for one of his workers to drive me home, Thank you universe.  He even said I could have a ride for free, but I gave the driver 50 bhat anyway. 

The key is that I had to know my way home… in the dark.  In the end we only turned around twice.  Luckily I could communicate well enough with pointing and nodding.  Wow so I am home safe.  Yea!