I bet that if one had to ask any person working with their hands like a Miner or Mechanic, most of them will tell you that they will give up their day to day job in a heart beat to sit in an aircon filled office staring at a computer or consulting with clients.

Most of them will even envy an attorney who goes to court and charges his clients for waiting in the Court corridors for the matter to be call.

Most of them idolizing the fact that attorneys gets to wear the grant suits, nice shoes and the black brief cases.

Growing up I saw my father, who worked in the Mine, got up at 4h00 every morning to go kilometers deep underground to fix whatever was broken.  I saw him in some instances not returning home for 2 days because of a breakdown that needed to be sorted out.

I saw him returning home, dirty, hungry and dead tired from the days work with just enough energy to take a bath before he went to bed.

Become a lawyer they said it will be fun they said.

I like many students of my age, while at university, watched series like Boston Legal, where a well dressed attorney would sit around at night drinking a large Scotch and smoking big cigars, bosting about their victories in court to one another.

The reality is far removed from this ideal world. I bet no one sees the late night preparations, the early mornings at the office, or the heaps of files on the desk of any respectable attorney.

I bet nobody sees the fact that most attorneys lay awake at night molding over an argument, a case or a contract to ensure that they with the necessary care assist their clients the next day.

I bet no one knows that despite the risk of everyday failure in the eyes of your client, the attorneys are also regulated by a Regulatory body, who keeps a sharp eye on everything an attorney does,  and must comply with not only one but several legislations just to take in an instruction from a client.

You as attorney are confronted with FICA and POPIA and al this while SARS waits for their pound of flesh at the end of the month. You struggle with Government offices like the Court, Master's office and Deeds office just to remain open long enough to get your mandate executed in these trying times of Covid while keeping your clients happy.

Although I can safely say that, I have never returned home after a long day, dirty, I must admit that I have returned home, dead tired, hunger and just spend from a day in Court or at the office.

I guess what I am trying to say is that every job has its challenges, but not all jobs will have you dress up in a good suit.