Into the wild

The rude awakening usually is the span of time between graduation and an appointment, that is if the interview stage is seamless. If attempts at the limited opportunities for mass graduate recruitment fails, chances are that securing a job at all becomes increasingly a pipe dream. And to think there was once a dream job! *Mtcheeew*. Monday mornings are the worst mornings and Friday evenings are a respite. In between, surfing of job-sites or combing the streets for recruitment agencies and applying for relevant positions with doctored CVs to match serves a reply to a taunting conscience. Desperation.

A recruiting agency will find him here

The week isn't any less frustrating in the alternative condition. 9 of the 16 waking hours are traded almost for free. Add transit time to the mix and hope sleep time is not as well merchandised. Given other instances, TGIF makes no difference to this time trade. The psychological strain from overwork and OT, treading carefully with jealous or dubious colleagues, mad targets and deadlines, constant vie for promotion or retention - mostly the latter - and the perpetual scare of a layoff pales the monthly take-home into insignificance. There begins the search for another job. Lesser evil? Maybe. At least there's a paycheck.

Without, during and in between jobs, the hustle is real. Hustle to make sales, hustle for percentage cuts, hustle for contracts, hustle to strike deals, hustle to shortchange, tussle to escape the law... Man!!! *wipessweatfromface* It's a hustle. Hustle to the end for ends to meet.

The need for self sustenance includes a roof over head. But the job albatross sinks a gaping hole at the prospect. Living with folks have become an embarrassment. Roomies harassment isn't any less sour. A wander-ous lifestyle is adopted - not especially wondrous but a welcome fallback in comparison. Otherwise, the shanties hold its doors wide open. An eventual change in circumstance should broaden a smile. But its limited purchase power stops it short. Albeit, its better than no power at all. Slum's out of the question. No more shame or aggravation. But when the proprietor comes knocking, the realization that it's 12months already hits hard. How did it go so fast! And its not even the dream house. *gush*. Sorry, he counted one year not twelve months. That's how it went so fast. An ultimatum is given. Pressure.

Pressure prompts the cravings for a support system. Every system has its dynamics. With the dynamics come more pressure. Christen it "pressure cycle." And so it goes. The dream love. Erotic words of passion and reassurances. Exchange of vows. Consummation. Relief. Excitement.... Then, realization! disbelief! denial! acceptance! Freedom is lost. Awkward errands. Babysitting a grownup. Personality difference. Quarrels. Fluctuating admiration. Love down 50%. Bulking under inherent pressure, there goes the rosy bed of love; thrown out the window or pushed down the stairs and out the door.

Love lost

Then comes insemination and 270 days of mood swing. Delivery. The diary of parenthood begins: Babies are cute. But hey, say that from a distance. Sleepless nights on a fleek. Sleepless days on double fleek.

The diary writes on till the baby renders a version of its blissful future. Then comes the ironic, rather wry, smile and shake of that head that says: "Bless your little heart, You have no idea."

Hey Ma, Isn't he cute?

Adulthood is often conceived as smooth, an age when every thing made sense. The thought conjures fanciful pictures of what is perceived the traditional markers - Job, Shelter, Family. Of Course, we use 'fanciful' on retrospect. Hoping to find a whole lot more than what is left behind to childhood, the reality of these indicators is open for experience. When asked for an assessment, 'scam' is the effusive response denoting irrecoverable loss. Growing up becomes regretful of its involuntary disregard for the advice to never grow up.

Adulthood is a thrust into the wild - a fitting assessment as it conveys the idea of an awareness to the dangerous and unsettling elements of the wild and a resilience of skill and instinct to make a home of it.

Best wishes.