A Chinese business owner was driving slowly through the streets of Cambodia when something caught his eye—a young Chinese guy crouching by the side of the road.
When he pulled up closer, he was shocked. The kid was in terrible shape, battered, covered in scars, and wandering the streets in rags. Taking pity on him, the driver stopped his car, grabbed a first-aid kit, and washed the dirt out of his wounds before applying antiseptic. Before leaving, he reached into his pocket and handed over 2,000 in cash along with a carton of cigarettes.
Looking at the young man’s desperate situation, the boss asked if he wanted to go back home to China, offering to contact the embassy and help sort out the paperwork. But the kid just shook his head, firmly refusing.
Anyone who has spent time around here knows how this goes. A guy in that state almost certainly has trouble hanging over his head back home. For him, returning isn't even on the table—just laying low and staying alive in a foreign land is all that matters.
Seeing the young man so set in his ways, the boss could only sigh. He had done all he could: treated his injuries, gave him money, and left him with smokes. He waved goodbye and let him walk away.
Stumbling across scenes like this on the street leaves a heavy feeling in your chest. You feel sympathy, but there is only so much a stranger can do. The tangled mess these guys are running from is something no one else can fix, and in the end, all you can do is watch him disappear into the haze of street traffic and moto exhaust.
