Is the town closed or are we just late?

Walking back along the Mekong riverfront after dinner, I passed a pair of travellers standing in front of a shuttered noodle shop, looking at the door like it owed them money. The woman said to her friend, "Is the town closed or are we just late?" It was a little after eleven. I kept walking, because the practical answer is yes, both. Luang Prabang is small and goes quiet after about that time. They started to laugh and turned toward their guesthouse, which was the right call.