Unemployed but not unhappy

living the life of an unemployed man

is not without its merits

obviously the pay is low

or often negligible

you learn to appreciate the bread crumbs

and the leftover food from the dinner last night

the dinner you stole from your neighbours’ trash bin

but then you don’t have to worry about women

or even men for that matter

any sort of companionship is only desirable for the employed

unemployed folks have enough problems to deal with

you can’t be the host

you can’t wine and dine your dates

you probably know the waiter from the restaurant you go to

because he too, like you

was unemployed last month

and then you can’t decide whose luck is better

so you both smile at each other

and you decide never to bring a date to this joint again

your date will not spend the night with you

because she has seen you in the same clothes

for the last three dates now

and is probably scared that you might have

her break into somebody’s home

she leaves and you sit there

on the cold footpath

smoking a beedi you bought

from loose change you would’ve

otherwise spent on buying a condom

you think about the unnecessary routine,

the daily hassle, the abusive bosses, the crazy weekdays,

the lack of sleep, the unwanted hangovers, the lying,

the cheating, the deceit, the guile and the fake people

you would have had to encounter had you been employed

and then you convince yourself

that you are unemployed by choice

and you could do anything you set your mind to

and just like that

another day goes up in smoke.