Take a decent bath, that is very important for the kind of job I do. To think that I left home with a Doctoral degree in hand, thinking I would find a job just like that, makes my head a bit heavy.

I am trying very hard to lift my head and kick off the blankets to start my day, but the warmth of the blankets dares me not to step out, so I close my eyes, arguing whether to wake up or just lie flat down and take a day off! But no, not a day off! I could lose over six thousand rand by just taking this day off. While I am arguing with myself, my alarm pounds again. I then glance at my phone, and it is half-past eight at night.

“Fuck it, I really have to wake up now, don’t I?” I think to myself.

I am already late, and I only have less than thirty minutes to take a bath and get ready for work. Hesitantly, I wake up, and when my feet touch the floor, I shiver instantly and feel my whole body shaking. I then tilt my head to the side and yawn, scanning my room.

After scanning the room, I walk towards my en suite bathroom and stand in the shower. I know I do not have time for a proper bath now.

While I am busy taking a bath, an impatient and loud knock bangs on my door, so I quickly wrap a towel around myself and run to the door. It is Busisiwe, one of the girls I work with. She is wearing her skew wig and her big lips are smeared in red. Her eyeshadows are bright blue, and her cheeks are overflowing with powder. She is wearing a glittery blue dress that is so short it exposes her butt cheeks. She has no panties underneath, and she always says that not wearing any panties makes the job easier.

“Ah Nosipho! You are not ready,” she yells, letting herself in. She then shoves her hand into her small side-bag and takes out a cigarette.

“Not in my apartment,” I say, taking the cigarette from her.

“Oh, the apartment that you paid for in full, by the way,” she responds, imitating my voice.

I laugh in response. She is right, I did pay for the apartment in full. The entire R 2.3 million, just like that!

“Get dressed before Desiree and her friends take all the rich ones,” Busisiwe shrieks.

“Okay,” I respond, opening the door and picking my clothes.

I then slip into a grey, figure hugging dress that is knee length. Looking at me, you would swear I was not part of Busisiwe and the other girls’ group. I then spray perfume on myself, and then apply nude lipstick and tie my weave in a bun.

“You would swear you are a doctor,” Busi says, laughing.

“I am,” I respond. “It is just that I have not found a job yet.”

“You do have a job,” Busi says.

“Just until I find my real job,” I respond as we walk out.

Outside, we see how Jo’burg looks very beautiful at night. All the lights are on, and the buzz of the city is still the same. The breeze is very cold, but we cannot wear jackets because that would make it difficult for our clients to spot us. Before we have even walked for half a minute, a silver-grey Volkswagen SUV stops next to us.

“This one’s got money,” I think to myself.

Tell us: What do you think about people looking for alternative jobs even though they are qualified?