A Stray in the Alley

When her longtime home in Bangkok’s Sam Yan community reaches the end of its lease, an elderly woman is forced to move in with her child at an apartment where pets are not allowed. Hoping to find a home for her beloved orange cat, Som, she takes him to an old friend—only to discover that her friend passed away long ago. She begins searching for a new home for Som amid a rapidly changing neighborhood. Familiar households are moving away, while new shops and residents have little room for animals. In desperation, she decides to leave Som with a group of stray cats, until she meets a young woman who is willing to give him a new home outside the neighborhood. The elderly woman eventually leaves Sam Yan without Som by her side. Yet the orange hairs still clinging to her clothes remain a small but enduring trace of a bond that never truly fades.