Anelisa sat at the kitchen table watching her grandmother preparing breakfast, and humming softly. Sitting there, she couldn’t help feeling like a complete failure. A year and six months had gone by in a blink of an eye, but weighed on her like a decade of disappointment. If she’d known then what came after four long years of sleepless nights, trying to finish a degree, she wouldn’t have bothered.

The constant rejection was all she could think of: ‘Unfortunately you need at least one year of experience.’ She wondered: how exactly does one get ‘experience’ when nobody in the media industry would hire her?

“Gogo, I’m going out.” She decided she was done sulking about how crappy her life was and needed some fresh air.

“Aren’t you going to eat something?” Gogo asked, with genuine concern.

Anelisa got up and walked towards the door, quickly dodging the plate her grandmother was about to hand her.

“I’m not hungry,” she said hastily, as she shut the kitchen door behind her.

Wanting to get her mind off her failed job-hunting efforts, she had decided to visit her boyfriend, Luyolo. But on her way she thought it best to pass by Xolisa’s house and buy airtime, so she could make sure he was home.

She and Xolisa were childhood friends and in the same boat: fresh (well, not so fresh now!) out of university and unemployed. Apart from a promotions gig that lasted three months, they had had the worst luck in the job department.

Two houses away Anelisa could already hear her friend screaming at the neighbourhood children. They loved playing outside her family’s tuck-shop, which she currently worked at – on her father’s orders.

The group of children had started a game that involved slinging mud at each other and the outside of the tuck-shop now resembled a small pig pen. Xolisa was practically hanging out the small tuck-shop window.

“Hey you brats, come back here again and you will regret it!” she howled at the kids, who were now sprinting around the corner.

Anelisa was completely amused. “Haibo moghel! Is that any way to treat paying customers?”

Xolisa rolled her eyes at Anelisa and pulled her torso back inside the shop. “Those monsters will be the death of me! And you? Off to get another dose of that good loving from Luyolo?”

Anelisa rolled her eyes back. “How about you just focus on giving me R10 airtime and stay out my business.” Xolisa giggled then handed her the airtime.

“Did you hear that Nomsa and Themba got cashier jobs at Mr Price? I won’t lie, I’m low key jealous!”

“Maybe stop being so nosy mntase, and yes, Nomsa told me. I gotta go. Text you later.”

She handed Xolisa R10 and left before her friend started gossiping about someone else, and had her standing there the whole day.

* * * * *

Anelisa lay on the bed feeling a slight tingle on her bare skin, her mind hazy, with a faint buzz in her head. Luyolo always had the best weed! A good joint and a passionate rolling in the sheets was just what she needed to get her mind off her troubles, even if it was for just a short time.

Lately Anelisa had wondered exactly when this three-year relationship had turned into merely a ‘friends with benefits’ situation. For the past year or so they only ever saw each other to have sex and smoke weed. If she was honest with herself, Luyolo was supposed to be a phase; the boy from the wrong side of the tracks who she dated to add a little thrill to her life. Not hubby material.

“I didn’t think I’d see you this week babes. Thought you’d be busy looking for work.” He lay next to her and slowly ran his fingers up and down her arm.

“I’m surprised you were home when I called you. You’ve been MIA lately,” she replied.

“I had some business to take care of.”

This is code for ‘selling weed and other drugs’ Anelisa thought to herself. Feeling her high fade, and the usual dark thoughts invade her peace, she got up in search of another packet of weed.

“Can I help you find something there sugar babe?” he said, propping himself up on his elbows to get a clearer view of her nude body ransacking his room.

“Just craving another joint. Got any more?”

“Nah baby. I didn’t stock up like last time.”

She climbed back into bed with him, failing to hide her disappointment and slight annoyance with him.

“What is it? Want me to get some more?”

She laid her head comfortably on his chest and let out a faint sigh. “No. I’m just trying to avoid thinking about my issues. Unemployment is the pits. And you know, since Ma bailed on us last year to go live her best life with some random dude, I’m legit feeling the pressure to get this adulting nonsense up and running. So far it’s a total bust.”

He squeezed her arm affectionately then said, “Look my outtie, Given just opened a club, sort of, and he has been looking for good-looking girls to serve drinks there. If you want, I can put in a good word for you.”

Anelisa was sceptical: his friends were usually dodgy.

He noticed the tension in her body and added, “The gig pays well and you’ll make a killing on tips alone. Maybe ask some of your chomies to join you, so you feel safer? But it is legit!”

She wasn’t totally sold. But … this could be a temporary fix. Plus she could bring her friends along. “I’ll run it by my girls and get back to you.”

***

Tell us: Seeing there is such a high level of youth unemployment, do you think ‘beggars can’t be choosers’ about jobs? Should Anelisa just grab the opportunity?