Scraps to befriend: encounter

1st chapter: the most fascinating opportunities can be found in the weirdest places

It was just another day in March, or so I thought.

Woke up early around 7AM, and half an hour later I was already outside to take the road to meet a math professor so he may check my homework after a gruelling night with trigonometry, just because I was too stubborn to leave the optional questions unfinished. and boy for something optional they were quite tempting.
This was my routine for some time and, although I liked a challenge, I still felt empty in different ways. like what's the point of skills if you can't put them to real use? to be fair I've been using geometry in some beautiful drawings, but the fulfilment was rather temporary especially that almost no one cared about those. I was like the only spectator in my own gallery now that I think about it. emphasis on WAS. as to why that became a past I'll tell you.

So yeah, as I was saying I took the road in early morning to see my professor. it was a relatively foggy morning, yet the sunlight was clearly reaching everywhere making for a beautiful blend of blurry and vibrant colours. wouldn't ask for a better scenery when starting your day with maths right? and don't get me started on the air quality: it was a heavenly feeling just breathing that soft breeze mixed with the scent of blooming flowers and trees on the side of the road. this was probably one of the few things I did not mind about my routine, in fact every time I experienced it, I always reacted like it was the first time. and amid that silent contemplation that's when i heard it: the sound of two pieces of metal clashing hard.

I forgot to mention that one of the things I come across on this road was a unique rubbish dump, a really large one. I say unique because it specifically had only mechanical parts in it. broken machinery, anything with metal in it you name it. with mountains of scraps like it was the leftover of some robot war. and it's usually quiet yet on that day I kept hearing some noise over and over.
Curiosity took over, and I was already looking for the smallest excuse to go there anyway, so I went it to check it out. barely few seconds in and I heard someone screaming:" WATCH OUT FOR YOUR HEAD".
I instinctively ducked down, and a huge motor part came flying at a ridiculous speed and crashing not so far behind.
Turning back to the voice's source in horror I saw him: a man who was probably in his sixties with a beard so white and thick it would probably put Santa cosplayers to shame. wearing a raincoat that fit just right, a grey beanie and a big backpack like he was on some survival test.
He came to my direction jumping between scraps saying:" I'm sorry for the fright there I was grabbing something beneath it but then it sided without me noticing, glad it did not hurt you".

In that moment I gathered my breath before asking him:" you seem new here sir... do you work here?"
"no", he replied enthusiastically," but I do get parts from here every now and then for stuff I work on"
I don't know what pushed me to ask back then, but I kept on going:" and what are you working on exactly?"
I expected a dismissal since it was none of my business yet surprisingly, he answered:" oh I like to build stuff from scraps. this place is like a treasure trove it's insane!"
Funny enough, it was that specific answer that I was hoping for deep inside. because i already had interest in mechanical stuff especially when it comes to building stuff from scratch...or scraps like this case. which is why whatever fright I had from that motor jump scare faded immediately and was replaced by hope, even more curiosity and actual happiness.
Though still was not sure: should I stay and explore what this man has in mind? or keep on the road and hope to meet him another day? he did say he comes for parts so meeting him again by accident wouldn't be impossible. yet still even with that logic...it feels like I'm going to miss something. unless....

To be continued....