Chapter 13 The Tramp

In the afternoon, Mr Reynolds suddenly said he had an interview to run and left the Daily Planet in a hurry. Before leaving, he explained to Jay that he would not have to wait for him if he didn't come back from getting off work. So Jay cleaned up a little and left the newspaper, ending his first day of internship.

It was already evening, and twilight was already hanging in the sky. The sun gradually disappeared into the clouds and was invisible, and the remaining sunlight dyed the clouds a burning colour. Jay walked out of the building, only to feel that the whole street was warmed by the sun, and he couldn't help but feel happy.

Carrying his briefcase, he walked happily on the way home, his mind began to wander, but he was always unable to leave Kara's shadow unconsciously. For six years, he always felt that there was an invisible wall separating him from all other ordinary people. Most people who knew him thought he was withdrawn, only because he was too good. So difficult to get along with.

Every time after school, when other students walk in groups of three or five, they see Jay walking alone on the road from a distance, his tall figure is projected by the sun for a long time, and he can't help pointing his finger at him. They indicated that the back was so tall and distant for them, an existence that they could not reach and could only look up to. But they don't know that, for Jay, it's the teams who can go out and make silly jokes every day that he envies.

Kara Kent's presence made him feel, for th that he wasn't alone for the first time in six years don't wait to chat with her, and he had so many questions to ask about how she handled her double life and t in with ordinary people.

But how to explain it to her? Float to her window in the middle of the night and tell her that I'm a Kryptonian too?

Well, that sounds stupid, and he's not even sure if he's a Kryptonian.

Just as he was thinking about it, an almost inaudible commotion entered his ears. Some random shouts and sobbings, beatings and tumults that seemed to be children, came in a breeze. It sounds at least one street away, and it might not be possible to catch it if it weren't for super hearing.

Jay stopped, hesitated, and decided to follow the sound.

It was in a remote corner of Central Park, and the scene that came into view was not far from Jay's imagination. A group of stronger older children pinned a young boy in black to the ground, punched and kicked together, and cursed vaguely at the same time. The little boy in black held his head helplessly and let the other side bully him without the slightest intention of resisting.

An annoying situation but not uncommon.

But now that he's seen it all, Jay doesn't think he can ignore it. He stepped forward, sternly stopped these evil youngsters' actions, and protected the poor little boy in front of him. The little boy shrank behind him with big watery eyes, and those evil young masters were also quite afraid. They didn't step forward but put down the cruel words of "you wait for me" to the boy and left one after another.

Jay turned around, pressed the boy's forehead with a smile, and said, "Okay, you're fine now."

The little boy's eyes widened, and he said nothing, only still sobbing. He looked terrified. Jay led him across the street outside the park to buy him a cup of hot cocoa, and the boy barely stopped crying, but he didn't say a word, including a "thank you", until the two parted.

As Jay looked at the back of the little boy who was leaving with a warm drink cup, a voice came from behind him: "So, you are a good person."

The voice was cold and deep, and the pitch oddly reminiscent of a broken violin. He turned and found a ragged tramp in a dark corner. He's unkempt, with a messy hairstyle that looks like a chicken coop and a pair of jeans he'd found in some junk heap covered in patches. He's almost a part of this dark and dirty corner, and Jay doesn't even realise he's there.

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"You must be feeling good now," said the tramp. "Feeling like a hero?"

Joy frowned slightly. "I just did what I was supposed to do. I happened to be passing by and saw a good thing I just needed to do. I have the power to stop this kid from being bullied, so I can't just stand by and do it. So simple."

"Hmph, it's that simple." The tramp hummed, "If there is such a simple thing in this hellish world."

Jay thought this sloppy guy was inexplicable, and maybe he shouldn't waste time messing with him, but subconsciously he felt that he should argue with him for no reason. He said dissatisfiedly: "It sounds like you were watching the whole time. You could stop that child from getting more beatings, but you just n your little one and watch the play?"

"Because it's meaningless and not helpful to the child." The homeless man said lightly, "You drive them away today; they will come back tomorrow, maybe even the ones who were disturbed by you today. Let's beat him even harder."

"You mean what I'm doing is pointless?"

"Worse. You're giving the kid a false hope that it'll only make him fall harder next time."

Jay felt a little annoyed. He thought the tramp was messing around, but he couldn't tell what was wrong with what he said. He couldn't help shaking his head and said, "You are too pessimistic."

"And you're too optimistic," said the tramp, after a pause, "reminds me of an old friend."

"Then he must be a good man."

The tramp was silent for a moment, and Jay rarely saw a hint of sadness in his cloudy eyes, like an older man who had experienced vicissitudes of life.

"It was," he said, "much better than me, but he died."

Jay was stunned for a moment. He suddenly felt that there must be a lot of stories behind this homeless man.

"I'm sorry," he said.

The tramp shook his head, closed his eyes, and seemed determined not to speak again.

What a fantastic guy.

Jay thought so and left without paying any more attention. The tramp sat in the corner and stared at his back, his eyes flickering, until he disappeared at the end of the street without a trace.