Village Driver

Tonight was my night to travel out and visit with some girls in a small town.  I stayed later than normal, way after the last bus had already departed.  One of my friends has a new home and wanted to make dinner, meaning I would be late.  My plan was to take a taxi for the hour drive home. Upon arrival this afternoon, I walked to the center of town where taxis hang out.  I scoped out the drivers and found a lady....I didn't want to drive back after dark with a man I had never met.  She agreed with me on a price and that she would pick me up after dinner and take me home.
A little before 8pm I called her, and 15 minutes later I was in her car.  I knew it was going to be interesting after the first 5 minutes in the car.  Here are a few of my highlights:

1. The driver's husband came along for the drive.  Apparently both are drivers.....and the hour drive might require the 2nd driver, at least that's what they said. 

2. When I called Rob to tell him I was on my home, the driver's husband leaned forward and said,
man: "Wow, I didn't know you could make calls to another country from your phone." 
me: "What?!?!"
man:  "You just called a foreign country and it was so fast and clear." 
me: "Oh no I didn't. I called my husband who is in the next town. We live here."  
man: "But you were speaking English....."   
In other words, as logic would require, a phone call where English is spoken has to be going to another country.

3. On a cold dark, rainy night, it is imperative to use the defrost feature in the car. My driver and her husband spent half of the time trying to figure it out. Finally they rolled the windows down, so then we were all cold, but the driver could see out the windows.....at least the last 1/2 hour.

4. The best part of the evening was when we were about to go through the toll gate to get onto the highway and I discovered something.  My driver was having her first highway driving experience......on a dark, cold, rainy night.....WITH ME IN THE CAR!   Several times I thought about demanding to drive. Especially when the husband was halfway in the front seat with us trying to get the defrost to work and she was weaving all over the road.......I was pretty sure I wouldn't make it home.  Thankfully I made it safely, and she felt good about her new experience.

And yes, they really are villagers who took me to the big city tonight......for the first time.  Boy do I know how to pick 'em.