“Wake up, bamboo stick, or you'll be late!”

Dao jumped out of bed and started looking around. He grabbed his phone and realized with horror that he had overslept. Now, to make it to his bus on time, he would have to run without looking back. He got dressed, noting by the narrow neckline that the T-shirt was worn inside out. However, it had such a cut and one tone color that no one would notice. Dao dashed into the common room and encountered an equally startled grandmother with unkempt hair. She understood everything from his appearance and immediately began packing food.

 “Well, well, how could we have overslept like that? Try to make it to the university in time to take a shower. Don’t skip the classes, it’s very important,” she handed him food in containers. “Dao, have you packed everything? Didn’t you forget anything? You’ve got ten minutes! You have to make it.”

“I forgot something,” he ran to her and hugged her. “Now that’s done. I hope I can catch the bus. The teacher is so strict; I won’t be able to make up for the absence later. Alright, I’m off, Grandma. Call if you need anything.” He looked at her with a long gaze. “Grandma.”

“Yes, of course, Dao, go.”

He stuffed the food into his sports bag and dashed out of the house without closing the door. Dogs, people, and birds watched with interest as a sweating Dao sprinted down the street, kicking up dust. The working Monday scattered people into banks and offices, cafes, and construction sites, so Dao was fortunate not to embarrass himself in front of too many locals. Besides, everyone who lived in his area knew that the only way to get out of here was on a single bus that arrived precisely at five minutes past eight. Dao glanced at his watch; he had very little time left, but the bus stop was already in sight. A few people waiting there gave him hope that the bus hadn’t gone yet. However, when he was no more than twenty meters from the road, the bus arrived, and everyone started boarding.

 “You're not getting away.”

Taking a risk, Dao dashed in front of the bus, ignoring the road, and rushed in. He could have wrung his clothes from the sweat. He was breathing heavily, drenched, tired, covered in dirt, and with his T-shirt inside out, he sat down in the seat and let out a relieved sigh. He took out his headphones and prepared for a couple of hours of travel. During the trip he could even read lectures and review material.

However, the day not only started badly, but it also decided to continue that way. After more than an hour of driving, the bus stopped in the middle of the road. Black smoke billowed from its engine. Dao looked at the empty cabin, realizing that only he had been unlucky enough to face a series of mishaps. He stood up from his seat and walked over to the driver.

“Khun…”

“Here we are. I think for this bus, this is the last stop in every sense. I’ll refund your money.”

“No, it’s okay… It’s not your fault, but how long is it to the next stop? There's, uh, some houses over there. We’ve passed a couple of congos,” he checked his phone to confirm his thoughts. “Yeah, it’s still four kilometers to walk.”

 “Try to order a taxi or hitch a ride; there’s quite a bit of traffic here,” the driver advised. “And I’ll call a tow truck for this old one…” “Damn it,” Dao cursed as he exited the bus.

 Thailand wasn’t exactly known for its sidewalks. Dao faced a challenging walk through grass or the roadway to the nearest stop. He was definitely going to be late for his first class. To that irritable professor. Nothing to blame the professor for. Skipping anatomy was a bad idea for a future doctor. Dao decided to occupy his mind during the journey by figuring out how to get to the university as quickly as possible and still have time to shower. After this journey even the dogs would avoid him. The sun was high, making him dream of cold water, both in the shower and in a glass. The longer Dao walked, the more his confidence slipped away regarding whether he would even make it to class today. When he checked the road on his phone, it decided to run out of battery.

“Thanks, universe, I get it. You want me to go work in a hostess club!” he shouted at the sky and cursed it. “No way! If I miss one day, no one’s going to expel me or make me retake an exam. I’m neither the last nor the first! Got it? And, by the way, screw all of you with your old buses and phones. And you know what else…”

A car stopped in front of him. It was so expensive that Dao nearly swallowed his tongue. He felt that someone wanted to punish him right then. He clasped his hands and started praying, asking for forgiveness from the heavens. The taillights of the red Targo flashed. Dao cautiously approached the car but couldn’t see anything through the heavily tinted windows. The door swung open. Dao glanced around and didn’t find anyone else on the road. That’s when he thought maybe fate had actually felt sorry for him and sent a car his way. The driver was lying, and this was the first one to pass him by. Following his gut, the door opened, and a tired breath was heard. Dao wiped the sweat from his forehead, scared to get in the car looking so dirty.

 “Khun, please forgive me. The bus broke down, and I’ve been walking for half an hour to the nearest stop. I’m trying to make it in time for my first class. I would be very grateful if you could give me a lift to the nearest stop,” Dao joined his hands in a “wai” gesture above his head with his eyes closed, expressing maximum gratitude. He had no money. “Thanks again, khun.”

“Well, you can talk like a civilized person, huh, unexpected,” the driver responded, and Dao opened his eyes in disbelief as the door closed on its own.

 “You?!”

 “Looks like the special offer is over.”

In front of him there was none other than Niran, the guy he had punched in the jaw during a fight. The expression on his face conveyed only one desire: “kill this asshole right here and bury the body in a field.”

“Let me out.”

 “Not so fast, bamboo stick.”