In the unemployment office, waiting for a judge to determine whether his cousin could receive unemployment or not, poet David Madrid wrote the following piece. Like many folks in California, his cousin's former employer wanted to challenge his rightful claim to unemployment. Unlike many though, David's cousin decided to fight his employer, a major international corporation. His employer never showed up, and he won the case by default, showing us all that we can win the game sometimes too.

FREE2LAY
"THE GAMES THEY PLAY"
Poem by David A. Madrid
Art by Benjamin Kretovics

TENSION IN THE AIR
EVERYONE WAITING
WATCHING
WITH AN ANXIOUS STARE
LOOKING OVER PAPERS
WITH STATEMENTS
FULL OF TRUTHS
AND TWISTED LIES
AS EARS LISTEN CLOSELY
TO THE CONVERSATIONS
OF THOSE THAT WALK BY
THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA
UNEMPLOYMENT I.A.B
JUST WAITING
FOR THOSE
THAT ARE BEHIND THE GLASS
TO CALL ON ME
AHH YEAA
A DOOR OPENS
AS A WOMEN
IN A BLACK ROBE
CALLS OUT MY NAME
SHE ALSO CALLS
FOR THE OTHER SIDE
BUT NO SHOW
I GUESS THEY DIDN'T
WANT TO FINISH
THEIR GAME?

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