Location: Newsagents at Perth Domestic Airport
Time and Date: Midday yesterday
I approach the counter with the magazine I'm going to read on my flight to work up in the Pilbara
Me "Hi, how are you? Just this thanks
Lady Agent "I'll be good when I knock off in two hours"
M "Ha, yeah, well you've got it good. I knock off in two weeks!"
She looks at me, quickly comprehends that I'm flying up to work in one of the mines up north.
LA "Is it really worth it?"
M "Um sorry?"
LA "Working up there, is it really worth it?"
M "Err yeah I guess, what do you mean exactly?"
LA "Working in a mine and making the money you get, is it really worth it? The travel and the time away from home and family, whilst you dig dirt?"
M "Oh well, I actually don't work in the mine itself, I'm an archaeologist and I work in the bush outside of the mine"
So she very quickly, and I could tell she was doing it, seperated me from the pack of guys in front of her in the transit lounge.
LA "I mean I see them all coming in here as they fly back and they have NO money. You wont believe the amount of times they use their EFTPOS cards and it gets rejected for no funds."
M "Oh I...."
LA "They just make too much money, then they come down here and they blow it, they blow it all. They wouldn't think twice of spending $500.00 in a night out"
M "Um well I myself er I...."
LA "They have nothing at all to show for it, years away working and they just piss it away. And the divorce rate, it's shocking. Impossible to have a healthy family life with them being gone for so long"
M "......" (I'm feeling a bit down about life at this point, she's on a real downer and it's rubbing off on me)
LA "yep I just don't think it's worth it, can't see the point"
Silent pause as I put my magazine in my laptop bag
M "Yeah well I'm not really feeling all that happy about going back to work now heh (nervous chuckle)"
LA "Okay have a nice day" to the dude behind me "Just those then is it?"
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