Global economic recession

Global economic recession

A Japanese trading company, for which I had worked for 22
years, retired me at the age of 71. There is nothing unusual
about this. Recently the company deemed it necessary to dismiss
Effendi, the office boy, although he worked for the company for
27 years. Only three people remain employed.

It seems to me that Japan is not exempt from the present
global recession. However, the company was humane enough to grant
Effendi about Rp 40 million in severance pay.

One day he came to me and told me about his woes as an
unemployed man. He said that his wife was very unhappy with his
unemployment, although she had opened up a warung selling all
sorts of daily necessities so that the family of four (the couple
has two daughters) could have three decent meals a day.

Effendi's wife's mood became darker and darker as time went
on. The presence of his husband loafing around the house without
work became a "thorn in her eye", to borrow the Dutch expression
een doorn in het oog. She loses her temper easily even about the
most insignificant of things.

The husband related his difficulties to me (his former senior
colleague). I tried to console him as best as I could, telling
him about the global recession. Even Germany and the United
States, which are considered the most affluent countries, are now
reportedly facing an unemployment problem.

With this remark, off Effendi went feeling a little bit more
cheerful. I guess, after two months have elapsed, Effendi and his
family can put up with the present circumstances.

A. DJUANA, Jakarta