I think that the theme of this essay is to embrace opportunities when they come to you and not to make snap judgements. Iyer could have easily denied Maung Maung's requests and just had a typical trishaw ride but he said yes to things he may have usually said no to and had such a good experience because of it.
Iyer's use of Maung Maung's broken english really makes the story feel more realistic and makes you feel more connected and in the moment. Also, Iyer's inner dialogue helps us to understand what he is really feeling and feel more involved in the story.
One of the sentences I found most effective was, 'You see,' he went on, 'if I love other people, they will love me. It is like Newton's law, or Archimedes.' This sentence is effective because it really shows who Maung Maung is and what he is like. Additionally, the section of, 'Where, I instantly wondered, was the catch -- was he framing me, or cunningly putting me in his debt? What was the small print? What did he want?' This inner dialogue helps to really get inside Iyer's head and see what he's truly thinking through this entire experience rather than just the exterior words.
I agree that the theme has to do with not making snap judgements. Early on in the essay, Iyer seems rather worried about all the bad things that could happen while he is with Maung-Maung. However, after spending time with Maung-Maung, Iyer realizes that he truly is a good person. The broken english in the dialogue definitely adds something to the story, but it seemed like Iyer was inconsistent with how much he stressed the language barrier at times.
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