Finding Thom

February 26th-27th

@#%%@*!! I tried getting some pictures up, but I am sure it mus be their fault. I'll try again....nope' that didn't work either. I need some serious help!

So, it was Friday and I was up an out of the GH pretty early. I grabbed my computer and walked the few blocks to the GH I stayed at 3 years ago. I was on a mission. The story:
While I was in Vietnam in 2007 I had some visa "issues", and after staying 3 months I was required to leave the country to re-new it. Cambodia was the logical place to go and while I was there I, naturally, wanted to take in the sites. Understanding the Khmer Rouge and the Pol Pot regime of terror was a natural. I grabbed one of the many moto drivers that hang around the GH's and we went to Toule Sleng High School which they used as a prison, interrogation center, torture chamber and execution ground. Only seven people were able to survive its horrors. Afterwards, we went to the Killing Fields, which is a few kilometers outside of PP. Right after leaving the grounds, a drunken idiot sped down our side of the road and sideswiped us. Long story short, my drivers bike was scratched up a bit, his cell phone was busted, the police made him give the idiot some money! and I busted my hand. We went to a clinic to patch me up, but the next day he showed up to take me to the bus. After the medical bill, dinner and paying the GH, I didn't have any money, but it didn't matter to him! He felt responsible for me!
So, with not much hope of finding him, no name and only a picture on my computer I went looking. I ordered some tea at the GH and showed the picture to the staff and a couple of drivers. Of course, no luck. Finishing some crappy, lukewarm Lipton tea, I went to the street and started asking around. After three or four tries, one fellow, who spoke no English, points across the street and yells to a young man who is waiting on his bike! I showed him the picture and he quickly recalled the events of that day. I had brought $50 dollars over in the hopes of finding him and paying off a debt I felt I owed him. I then brought him back to our GH, got everyone downstairs to meet him and had him join us for breakfast. It has been my greatest moment here thus far.
Peg and I went to the National Museum afterwards, while Jerry and Margy made a run to the airport to pick up something that they had left on there way here and then went to Toule Sleng HS. The National Museum is so beautiful and with a great deal of material from Angkor. Not feeling well, another nap for me, while Peggy did a walk about... yes, she felt quite safe to be on her own. We had made arrangements to meet at 2:00pm and Oun Thom came with a Tuk-tuk driver friend of his to guide us around Wat Phnom, the first pagoda put up in PP by Lady Penh back in the 15th C, I believe. The big reason for this trip was so Peggy could ride an elephant. Well, I ended up accompanying her as well. It was like being in a small boat in really wavey waters. Yes, there are pictures, but.......
On Saturday we were up early for our six hour bus trip to Seim Riep. Thom showed up to say goodbye. He brought me a ball-point pen, and as we were talking, he just choked up and his eyes flooded with tears. He had wanted to take us to his village and meet his wife and 7 year old daughter, but our schedule simply wouldn't allow for it. What a pity for us. We are now "Mother and Father" to Oun Thom...... what a gift of kindness repaid.