I am armed with a Social Security Number, an account with Bank Of America, and a CV honed for the US market. I now seek employment!
I had a job for a day, or at least half a day, packing meat that people had phone ordered into boxes to ship out for a large Chicago based American Steakhouse. It wasn't for me. Even as a stop gap job. I was working with a 'team' of 12 guys, 3 of whom could speak English. I stood around in a freezer from 7am till whenever the work was done, pushing a broom around, when one of the English speaking workers came up to me saying, 'dude, you seem an educated kinda guy...can I just ask you...what the FUCK are you doing here????' I pondered that thought for a moment, and replied it was a stop gap job, to which I got 'you could find a lot better stop gaps then this place!'
I tucked his advice under my belt, then proceeded to ask him the same question. 'You seem quite an articulate fellow, do you mind me asking what you are doing here??' His response was he was just out of the army, moved back to Chicago from Carolina to, quote,' collect money owed, if you know what I mean!' I pressed the conversation no further. I was making the mental decision that I was just going to walk out right there and then, he sealed the deal by telling me most of the other packers there were all pretty much associated with 'the darker side, and try not to cross them'. This I also felt wouldn't be hard to do, as communication was non existent. I just did the usual Richard thing and smiled alot, kept to myself and listened to my ipod. I have spent time around the seedier side of life in Sydney through my years there and know how to take care of myself. However 'gang-staa's' are a different kettle of fish.
So midday came, I walked out of the freezer, and proceeded to catch the bus back home where I decided a little more thought would go into my next job. Even if it took a little while longer, and I was on the poverty line for a while longer.
But there is a glimmer of hope out there....Thursday is my 3rd interview with a REAL job. And one NOT in the Arts or Music Industry!!! Stay tuned....
