David's Saga: a continuing series about work today. Episode 7: For the sake of the marriage

At the end of the previous episode, Susan agreed to let David take a month for "planned serendipity: " exploring what sort of work he might pursue and giving himself the first real break from work in his 19 years of working.

But after a month of Sierra Club hikes, photography classes, dog-walking meetups, and a seven-day juice-fast meditation retreat, David was still clueless as to what to do careerwise.

"Susan, I need another month or two."

'David, our savings are starting to dwindle. It makes me nervous. If you haven't found your calling in all this time, another month won't likely help."

"I'm not looking for my calling. Only clerics and guests on Oprah have callings. I'm just looking for something that doesn't make me feel half-dead. I don't expect to find work that gives me a non-stop orgasm. Why don't you get some more piano students? You're only working 10 hours a week."

"There are a zillion piano teachers. I'm grateful I have 10 hours."

"But you do no marketing. I'll bet if you marketed just a little, you could get more students. Okay, what's your best way to market: schmooze demo classes in public schools, what?"

"I don't know."

"You love to show off your piano playing and you love to throw parties. Why don't you invite all your past and present students and their parents to the house and you play some duets with your students. That'll get you a few referral, I'll bet!"

"It feels like too much work for too little results."

"I think you just like your life just as it is---just enough work so you don't have to tell your friends you're a stay-at-home housewife."

"Fuck you!...Okay, I'll call the parents of my past students, say I was thinking of their kid and so I figured I'd pick up the phone and ask how they're doing. Without having to ask for business, that'll put me into their head and maybe they'll want me to start teaching their kid again or refer some other parent to me."

"Sounds great."

But then, David, you have to promise you'll go get a job now. Stop with the dreaming and find a marketing job. That's the only practical way for you, at age 42, with 19 years in marketing, to bring in enough money to afford the mortgage and pay for the damn private school. God, I wish there was a public school in our area we could send Damien to without feeling like we're throwing him to the wolves."

"Okay. I'll look for a marketing job."

I hope to have the next episode posted very late tonight or tomorrow.