thanks for this, as always, Matt. Hope the kiddo is doing ok too.

Disney apparently did a lot of work with South Pacific Islanders on the story and presenting their history and culture, to their credit.

Bringing in LMM to write the songs was also not a bad idea...

I tried to give him a pile of rupees, but he would take nothing. I tried to force some on him, or give them to his friend to give to him, but they were adamant.

Eventually, all I could do was give him a huge hug, and hold hands with him for a minute, before I climbed into the cab.

Soon enough, another small truck showed up. He gave the driver specific instructions to not unload me and my bike until I had found a hotel and checked in (Patna was hosting a livestock fair, it would not be easy).

Just a village man in the dusty, poor plains of rural India, and he was a saint.

He helped translate with the cops who were asking if I wanted to press charges on the man (I did not).

He called in a small truck to take me and my busted bike to Patna, the state capital, for repairs. It was getting dark, and the headlights weren't working.

So he called around some more.

It was the middle of nowhere, mostly just fields of rice and other crops. But it's India, and you are never alone, and so villagers starting showing up.

One of them spoke passable English, and he took it upon himself to make sure I got sorted.

Put on the pogues then call it