KEITH T. DENNETT | New South | CONTACT
The steaming crackle of a Breville sandwich toaster is providing little comfort this afternoon, as a local bloke enters his fourth day of surviving on free office bread.
As an entry-level executive at a struggling fintech firm, Aidan Kenny has mastered the art of eating for free and managing to stay alive when his bank balance shrivels to single digits.
Struggling to get by on his graduate salary, which was even less than what he earned when he used to stack shelves at Woolies, The Advocate understands Aidan’s week has been made even more difficult thanks to a cruel and painful pay cycle which featured five weekends.
“I might not get paid much, but at least they give us free bread,” Aidan told our reporter, whilst scoffing down a flimsy cheese toastie which he had spruced up with a pinch of chilli flakes that he found under the kitchen sink.
“It’s not that bad, it’s just like being back at Uni!”
Staring across the communal lunch table to scope out what the rest of his colleagues were eating, Aidan admitted to The Advocate that lunchtime was a particularly grim occasion when he compared what he had on his plate to the seniors in his company.
“Everyone in management skips out and pays $18 for a burrito bowl or a pick-two-and-rice Chinese special, and they don’t even blink when asked if they want to add some spring rolls for an extra $5.”
Eying off the dregs of his manager Sarah’s Hokkien Noodle, Aidan told The Advocate the trick to getting through the final week of pay was to not be too proud to ask for help, or too scared of sharing the seconds of your co-workers
“Hey Sarah, are you done with those noodles?”
“I might chuck them into another toastie if you’re done!”
