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.
