A Day in the Life of ‘Salaryman’

- John Burgess

 He is the backbone of Japanese commercial sector. But he is mocked at in cartoons and TV commercials as a coward who is often worried about the boss.

He wears suit and has no beard or moustache. He carries different electronic gadgets. He is the ‘salaryman’ who is a mass product. Most of the Japanese youths who graduate every year quickly become salarymen.

A salaryman is so much devoted to his office that he prefers it to his family.

Though the young generation does not like his job, a salary man has a good job at a good company; it is the dream of most of the average young men.

A salaryman lives an average life style in Japan. He is busy at office work. His wife takes care of the children. He takes his wife and children to the park every Sunday. He has breakfast that his wife has prepared for him and goes to office. Then, his wife drops him at the railway station. He has been working at his office since he graduated from university 15 years ago. He is now 37. He is learning computer. But as soon as he sits in his seat, he falls asleep.

Salarymen are of two types: the elite and the average. A salaryman generally wants to be of the first type. He tries to be social with his friends, so often goes out with his office buddies to drink. He arrives home late night. In his office, he tries to keep himself as bushy as he can.

The Salaryman becomes busier when he is promoted to the section manager. He has to attend office meetings. Meanwhile, he has to pay homage to his senior officer in the office. He has to take care of his position before he talks to another co-worker in the office. But he fast develops friendship with the colleagues of his rank. They share their hobbies of playing golf.

The Salaryman is eying for the post of department manager. He is afraid of his static career. He has seen some friends quitting the company and establishing own business.

The Salaryman spends huge amount of money on buying membership at sports centres, but never gets enough time to go to those places. He is often busy at his office meeting until late in the evenings. He also has to attend the dinner parties organized for the promotion of the company’s business. He goes to discos, and drinks with friends until midnight. But his friends advise him to phone his wife and inform that his boss has made him work overnight. He is a chain smoker and reads adult magazine at leisure.

He takes taxi and returns home. Previously, his wife used to receive him in her car. But now, she has developed another interest of her own.

Entering home, he has his dinner quietly watching TV alone. He watches his children asleep and becomes ready for hot bath. He thinks about Sunday, and regrets about coming home late.