Finding my way [Complete]

Chapter 1

Arthit's POV

I was just so tired. I dragged my feet. It wasn't incorrect when people commented on my love for sleep, I just hadn't had the pleasure of lazying around in bed since a very long time. The moon in the night sky was large and bright. Atleast the clear sky helped with dissipating my gloom. Tonight I seemed to be extra conscious of the heavy bag on my back. I had so much homework piled up, that if I didn't begin tackling it soon it was going to severely affect my grade. I hurried my steps to the bakery and ordered an extra serving of sweet bread along with the regular order of two egg sandwiches I bought every day. Desperate times called for desperate measures.

I reached few minutes earlier than usual and greeted Tee before I headed into the changing room. As I reached the gate I saw Tee packing up with a bright smile. "How is the little one? Still keeping you up at night is she?" Tee laughed jovially, "Ofcourse she is a night owl, just like her mother." Tee's 1 month old daughter was the light of his life. I had seen close to a thousand pictures of her on his phone and that trend did not seem like it was going to end any time soon.

I waved him goodbye before I took my position on the now vacant seat by the gate. Looking at the watch I realized it was just close to 11 and that I would have to wait atleast an hour more. After I finished my first round around the factory premise, I settled back on the chair and began reading from my textbook. It wasn't until 12:30 in the morning I heard a familiar scuffle coming down the road. I looked up to a frowning face and a long stick hitting my leg. "Get off the chair boy. Why do I have to tell you every single day."

"Som! I am so glad to see you." I exclaimed.

"Hmmpf! Whatever you want, the answer is no. I come here to rest not to help you with your homework."

"Oh, cmon Som. Both of us know you like helping me with my homework. It reminds you of your youth. Before those old, dying brain cells become completely useless, you need to pass along your infinite knowledge", I grinned, flashing my most charming smile at Som. Som could be quite a grouch when he chose. He would happily eat the sandwich, drink all my tea, grumble about something or the other and walk right off. Tonight I couldn't let him. Tonight he was going to help me tackle my homework even if I needed to plead on all fours.

"And why exactly would I pass my infinite knowledge to the likes of you? I was a professor for 20 years. My students have all gone to do brilliant things. You on the other hand Arthit, are a night guard at a factory, which by the way you should be guarding instead of chatting up with a homeless man. For all you know I am a master criminal waiting to break into the factory."

"I would pay very good money to see this 70 year old homeless man scale this 8ft wall. Did you forget yesterday you struggled for 10 mins to get out of that chair." I said with an exaggerated eye roll. "Plus.....I bring along with me the offering of food. Now which sane homeless man can refuse free food?"

"How is it free? I will have to spend the rest of the night teaching basic engineering concepts to a moron." He huffed, but extended his hand anyway to accept the sandwich.

I smiled broadly and extended the textbook instead. I don't know the circumstances that caused Som to become homeless. He never told me and I never asked. Around 8 months ago he had wandered close to the rear gate of the factory I worked as a night guard. I tried to run him off a few times but he kept wandering back. He was old, frail, and grumpy. Yes, grumpy was the most prominent adjective that could be associated to him, but he didn't seem dangerous.

I slowly found out more about him. He used to be an engineering and physics professor. He recently lost his wife, who was the love of his life. The only time the frown left his face was when he mentioned her name. I could have sworn I once even managed to see a smile, but it was dark and I couldn't be sure.

More than talking about himself he would just sit in my chair silently while I spoke about my life. I don't know if he cared to hear what I said, sometimes it even felt like he had fallen asleep, but he never interrupted me. Infact, I would rarely get any response at all. I didn't mind. I liked talking to him.

I have been alone most of my life. I have never had any family. Sure, I have friends. Lots of them infact. My current set of engineering friends are some of the best guys one could come across, but it is still not the same. All my small and big problems are so different than the ones they face. My small and big triumphs wouldn't make sense to them. But with Som it didn't matter. I would bare my heart out because with him it felt like talking to the dead of the night. I never got a response and I didn't expect one. It was like having a connection with another human being without any judgement that would come along.

Som would come sit next to me by the factory gate a few nights in the week. He would make notes or mark important sections in my textbook while I made periodic rounds around the factory. He would grumble about my poor handwriting, call me a moron once every 15 mins, help me with my homework, fall asleep and snore loudly, and eventually wander away again around 5 in the morning near the end of my shift.

"Thanks a lot Som" I waved goodbye as both of us started packing up as the sun started rising.

"Hmmmpf. Bring better food next time. Your homework is getting harder." He grumbled and I laughed watching him walk away.

I needed to rush home if I wanted to get any sleep before my classes in a few hours. My face had permanent dark circles under my eyes. It had been over a year since I started working at the factory right after the hazing events had ended. 6 nights a week, 6 hours per night.

Now, I would have to go to campus and most likely run into the bane of my existence. Kongpop. I was just so tired.