Chapter 2: Life of a job seeker

The moment she was out, he didn't dwell in that train of thought. His worries were back, he have to find a job. That ideas might not work so he have to find a back up very soon. He jacked up from the bed, took his towel and soap and head for the bathroom.

Their bathroom was a room separate from the main house. It looks like a passage with the far end having a toilet seat and the space between the door and the toilet seat is taken as the shower. However, there was no shower overhead or even a tap to take water from or a sink for you to wash your hands after visiting the toilet. The toilet's plumbing was broken, you would have to manually flush down after using the toilet. When using the bathroom you have to use a bucket. This bathroom was not the one used by the landlord's family, theirs was inside the house.

John took a bucket and filled it with water from the tap outside, washed his body. He felt fresh after bathing, it's a cold bath perhaps that was the reason. He went back to his room and wore a gray trousers and a white shirt. The trousers was faded and the shirt was torn on its collar if have a closer look. However, he looks handsome and smart. The clothes were well ironed by him. He wore his black shoes and a cheap watch on his hand. After looking at himself twice , he took an envelope full of his documents. He looked around to see if he forgot something, then he check the time again," it's time to go".

He was aiming for the industrial area, it was a distance from where he lives, he had to woke early so that he can walk seven miles to that place. He didn't have a car or a bicycle for that matter and he didn't have any money to take a tax or even public transport. He had to walk there.

His shoe were worn-out with almost a thin lining between his feet and the ground. He actually could feel the unevenness of the ground when he walks. It wasn't much different from walking without shoes but he had to wear something to complete his formal attire.

Hunger was his friend everyday, he sometimes eat once a day, in the evening. Only when he bought lunch he will have two meals a day, that is, if someone bought lunch for him and can't pocket that money secretly. Today was not that lucky day, he have to arrive early so that he can visit more than fifteen companies and go back before the sun goes down.

Everytime he thinks about his situation, he quicken his pace. He have already joined job seeking groups on social media and registered to their websites. There is no group that he have not joined. His email is full of new messages, alerts from job vacancy platforms. The only problem now is because of lack of internet access. In internet cafe, he have to pay a dollar per hour and if he uses that for paying the service provider, it doesn't last much. Sharon is the only person who at times give him access to their WiFi at home.

He arrived in the industrial area around ten. Now his hustle was to lie to the security guard so that he will be given access into their premises because if the company is not publicly recruiting, they don't allow anyone in. Sometimes he has to sneak past them and go to the reception, there he will ask to speak with the manager or to be directed to the human resource department.

If he is lucky that day they will listen to him and ask for his documents and tell him the obvious, "unfortunately there is no vacancies at the moment".

In some cases, on a worse day he will be dragged out of the company premises by the security staff. Sometimes getting beat up thinking he is a thief. This was his life, life of a job seeker.

At first he was looking for a job specifically for his qualifications, accountant. However, when things kept on being hard, not even any company was looking for him. Nepotism was the only way into these companies. Now, any job is good as long as he can get something to eat and partly pay his rent. Full payment of rent and being jobless was only day dreaming.

Today he visited plastic companies, welding companies, cooking oil companies, motor assembly companies, warehouses and more but the response was all the same.

"Unfortunately we are not hiring sir".

He visited 18 companies today and only three promised to call him but it's just the managers who was trying to be polite as well as getting rid of him. What is he gonna do? You need money to get a job! Even though you paid them to give you a job, there is no guarantee that you are gonna be called for the job.

"It's 16 50hrs I don't think there a company that will allow me in at this moment, I better head back home" , he said to himself. " I have to reach home and hear what they think about my proposal". He was also tired.

He could feel his feet burning in pain as he took each step towards home. His muscles felt as if someone had stretched them and beat him to the pulp. His only focus was getting home. He was hungry that his stomach was grumbling as if there were thunderstorm even a person ten metres away would hear his stomach.

The only think he will do is put one leg in front of another, one step at a time until he reach home. It was dark when he arrived at his neighborhood. Now he have to find a place to eat after another unfruitful day. He doesn't wish anyone such a life.

He walks to the shopping centre, almost past the shops to a granny who cooks food. He chose this place because it was cheaper than anywhere and the granny always give him more food when he bought here. Sometimes he is given leftovers to go home with. He used to help her, so she knows about his situation and hardship.

"John! How are you today? Did you manage to get a job today? Where did you go today? Seat here and have some food! You have to eat, you are getting thin!" She bombarded him with a lot of questions, forgetting her customers to help him. She was really a good person, no one would care for anyone. If it was anyone else, they will demand money from him.

"Granny I'm fine, how are you? I didn't get a job, some said they will call. I went to the industrial area in Westview. Thank you granny, here is your dollar", he said while handing out a dollar.

"I don't want your money." She rejected and looked at him. "Finish up eating and help me, that's your payment".

"Okay granny".

He did so and help her before going home. Now he was in front of his landlord.