On the paths of life by Aprilertuile  

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Chapter 5: A first Job

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Much to Celegorm’s annoyance, it took him a solid month to find a job. Nothing he appreciated in truth, but as he was told, no employer would take, for his kind of dream job, someone without any qualification. 

So being an employee in a shopping center it was. 

Although by the end of his first day he was considering the merits of murdering customers. 

Forget Philosophy. Customer services were the true evil of this world. 

The salary was terrible, the people were terrible, the boss was just throwing his weight around and Celegorm was truly done with that experience in one hour flat. 

He had a contract the next 3 months, which would take him until mid June. 

Just in time for him to start panicking about his exams. Cheers. 

And by the first day he was ready for it to be over and done with. And… Well… There was a trial period. Perhaps he could just… Blow it epically? 

“Why did I ever think that finding a job in a shopping center of all things was a brilliant idea?” He sent to Oromë at the end of the work day. 

“Because you really want to be able to get into the university of your choice to have a chance of one day doing the job of your dreams, and for that you wanted to start putting money aside and you said it was only for 3 months.” 

Celegorm looked at his phone and groaned. 

He absolutely hated that Oromë made so much sense and sounded so reasonable about it. No one in existence should be that reasonable about retail work. 

“But to console you, Vána wishes to invite you to come do the green trail with us tomorrow afternoon, if you’re up for it and all your school work is done.” 

What did Oromë take him for? A child? Of course his work would be done for Monday. He needed his grades to stay good, and even raise higher, not to get lower! He wasn’t going through the hassle of that job just to fail the basic requirements for the scholarship. 

“Work is done for Monday, and oh yes please.” 

“Meet at the ranger welcome station at 1pm?” 

Celegorm calculated quickly the time it’d take him to get there from work and grimaced:

“Would one thirty be ok?” 

“Sure!” 

“It’s a date then.” Celegorm answered before wincing. 

His mother better never find this specific conversation or he’ll have a discussion about what is an appropriate type of vocabulary to have with a married man a few years his senior. 

To his defence the man was… A friend? Or something like that. 

He went back home, pretty happy with the prospect of the next day despite the fact he thought the worst of his brand new job. 

His parents were waiting for him: 

“So? How did it go?” Nerdanel asked. 

“Customers are evil incarnate and should be eradicated from the surface of this earth.” Celegorm answered freely, going to the kitchen to grab a chocolate bar. 

Fëanor snorted in amusement at that: 

“I win.” He whispered to his wife. 

“Also after work tomorrow I’m going to the park, to do the green trail. Or a part of it at least.” Celegorm told them. 

“Not yet, you didn’t.” She whispered back. 

“Not yet over with that job then?” Fëanor asked more loudly to his silver haired son.

“Alas, father dear, no. And hopefully I can keep it until June. That’d be neat.” 

“I thought customers were evil?” 

“Because they are. But I want to put some money aside and alas I was recently reminded that miracles didn’t exist and if at 18 I can find a job, as a high-school student I have no actual qualification for any interesting job. So… I mean, unless you’re willing to bail me out if I’m caught selling drugs…?” 

“The day you’re caught doing something illegal like that, you can deal with the results yourself, darling son of mine.” Fëanor answered sharply. 

“Alas, I knew you’d say that.” 

Once his chocolate bar was all but gone, Celegorm wondered whether to go see Nelyo. His brother didn’t live all that far, and… Well, he might have some advices for him too. And it was barely 8pm. 

He took a look at his watch. ‘Alright, 9 pm’. And so perhaps not the time to go and bother him… But perhaps he could call? 

Celegorm ran up the stairs to the rooms and enter his, letting his door slam shut. 

He composed his brother’s number and waited. 

“Hello Tyelko.” 

“Hi Nelyo!” 

“What may I do for you? What is on fire and is anyone dead?” 

Celegorm looked at his phone in utter disbelief. 

“I just need some advice, there’s no fire and no one’s dead. Although I might be considering murdering the twins somewhat soon on principle alone.” 

“So as usual then. Alright, what advice do you seek, little brother?” 

Celegorm grimaced, wondering how to summarise his situation. 

“I plan on studying something dad will hate. I got a partial scholarship pre-approved pending my finals results at school. And I found a temporary job that… Well that I may perhaps have to try to keep despite the fact that it deals with people of all things…” 

He smiled as he heard his brother snort in amusement through the phone. 

“And so?” 

“Brother… Dad said he won't support me if I go into the uni I wants to get into. I'm still a high-school student here, and ok I have some money aside and I found a job but… It barely pays at all. I looked around on various websites but rent is absolutely off the roof in the area.” 

Maedhros hummed softly at that. 

“Look, what did dad say?” 

“Pretty much that I’m a fool to bother with finding a low paying job when I should be a happy go lucky high-school student and focusing on my studies, and that my project is a fool’s project and I should give it up and follow his path for me or else. I don’t quite know what the ‘or else’ is at the moment aside form his refusal to pay for school, but going by what happened with Maglor, I believe the ‘or else’ in question implies a lack of... Well everything from financial support to help for lodging.” 

“What did mom say?” 

“We’ll see in June with my school result.” 

“Alright. So first thing first, what happened with Maglor happened because he just dropped out of school. If he hadn’t, he’d still be supported by our parents, ok? Don’t drop out, and you won’t be threatened to be left in the street.” 

“Is that sure or is that a ‘perhaps, hopefully’, kind of thing?” 

“It’s a ‘I was there for that argument so yes, that's sure, although prepare for the worst, it'll only win points with dad’, and you’ll do that by focussing on your exams first and showing a good work ethic since you landed a job.” 

“Hope for the best and prepare for the worst uhn? Oromë said the same thing.” Celegorm mused. 

“Who is Oromë? I’m sorry is the name doesn’t ring a bell, but I’m pretty sure I haven’t met him? A new friend?” 

“Hm. A fellow hiker.” 

“I should have known.” Maedhros said with amusement. 

Celegorm rolled his eyes. So perhaps he was a bit obsessed but it wasn’t his fault if other people didn’t see the beauty of nature and the need to preserve the natural world.