It was an accident.
I and Sam had to break up, due to COVID19. There are other problems but the one, which pushed our relationship to the end, is unemployment. Sam could not hold a job for more than 4 months, event there was any global pandemic. Technically, he is not capable of doing a job if it produces income flow. COVID made him redundant and unemployment cycle suddenly became shorter. Sam seems quite annoyed by the notice that his boss gave it to him on a Monday morning. He suddenly lost the access to the company vehicle, and most importantly, he lost the weekly income which he was supposed to use for his debits.
The anger, disappointment and sadness wrapped up him, us and everything around us.
We barely talk. The only thing that we could easily target and blame for the current situation was the COVID. But I clearly know that Sam was not a victim of COVID.
Centerlink is always helpful, most of the time, they are trying to be helpful. Without Centerlink, Sam would not be able to continue on paying his child support to his ex-wife. Besides, money is always needed. If he is not able to make money by himself, by all means, he would have to dig out somewhat dollar amount from Centerlink, social benefit, a final legitimate safety-net.
This was the third attempt that he had to approach employment department in one week to try to get his NewStar application started. He spent hours and hours, sitting on the couch, talking to Centerlink people from one department to another, for different issues, for the same goal, though. After all, finding a job in lockdown, even the idea of finding a job, it became more depressing for him than ever.
When the first lock-down started, no-one knew that Melbourne was going to have the second and in fact, most strict lock-down in the whole world. Sam found a job during that short period break, between the end of the first lock-down and the start of the second. And soon, he lost it again.
There were miles long queue in front of the Centerlink office on TV. More and more people like Sam were queuing up and waiting for hope.
Last year, before Christmas, it was my decision to end this short relationship.
After all, that was just an accident.