The Anti Hustle

Judoi meets Derome at a coffee shop. They haven't seen each other in quite awhile. It was more of a happenstance meeting when both of them caught each other's eye at the opposite ends trying to exit to the porch of the coffee shop. They decide to sit down and catch up. 

J: Hey, Derome. It's been awhile. What have you been up to? 

D: Oh man. I'm busy. I'm doing so many things. I am hustling. You know, really living that life to make ends meet. 

J: I'm not sure what you mean. 

D: Oh well you know. I'm constantly staying busy to make money and just am going full force through life. 

J: I see. So why are you doing this? 

D: Well I have to keep making money and connections to survive. I like to think I am a hard worker and willing to bide my time hustling around town trying to figure out how to make more money. 

J: Yea I get it. I'm just wondering why you have to busy all the time. Do you live an extravagant lifestyle? Do you have so much bills to pay that you can't schedule more time to not work in your life right now? 

D: Nah, I mean yea. I don't have much expensive stuff, but come to think of it I have been eating out everyday and spending more money on my car. I need my car though. I need it looking good and feeling good since I have to hustle all the time. 

J: So you can't hold a steady job, or is that not what you are looking for? 

D: I've had some jobs, but I really want to work for myself. I mean it's hard work. The hours are long and my pay is inconsistent, but if I keep doing it long enough... I might be raking it in later on. 

J: What if it doesn't work out? What if your free time is constantly in a stranglehold and you're just perpetually hustling. Don't you think you'll get tired of it? 

D: Good question... I'm not sure. Maybe I should reevaluate the way I spend my time. I keep pushing things to the future. I guess I'm a pretty consistent procrastinator. I feel stressed, but sometimes that stress fuels me. Sometimes that stress takes me to the next level.

J: I'm not sure if the next level is what you want. I mean don't get me wrong, I was doing what you were doing about 5 years ago. I realized I felt like I always had to be busy and always trying to make more money. My friendships and relationships came secondary and I eventually just isolated myself from the important people and most importantly my well being. When I surrendered and followed what I was passionate about, the feelings of the need to be busy subsided. I didn't need to be busy for the sake of being busy anymore. I felt stress, but each challenge was a valuable lesson in my growth. That's just me though. 

D: Damn, you're right. I feel like I've been conditioned to look like I'm being busy without actually accomplishing what I really want. I feel pressure from my fellow hustlers. There lives are like a hamster wheel. I feel like most of them are delusional and they will forever be chasing that rabbit. Some of them have become addicts to drugs and the idea hustling itself. I need to stare in the mirror more and look at what I'm actually doing for once. Thanks for helping me see the errors of my ways. 

J: You're welcome. When you start to wake up you'll start to see the monotonous unconscious behaviors of the people around you. People always on the phone, people addicted to looking at their emails, people constantly rushing to their next meeting or event. They are all worried on the next destination. Before they know it, there day is a blur. Each blends quite nicely to an unconscious haze of delirium. Sorry for the rant, but I'm feeling a lot better as a human these day. 

D: Man, spot on. Not to sound like I'm trying to rush, but I really must be getting on. I'll keep this conversation in my head all day. I'll see where this path can take me. Thanks man!

Judoi I pulls out his phone and opens up his email. Judoi whispers to himself.

" It's 2 pm in the afternoon. Why hasn't anyone emailed me yet? Hmm, I wonder what's on Facebook?" 

( End Scene )