Robinson Crusoe had his servant, Friday. Batman had Robin. Sherlock Holmes had his sometimes-confused but always well-meaning stalwart Dr. Watson. For most of us, it’s not feasible to hire a household staff to attend to our every need, but there are certainly many instances when it would be absolutely wonderful to have a man Friday or a gal Friday to help us do the things we don’t have time for, or that must be taken care of in places we can’t be. One of the reasons our lives have become so complicated is that there are fewer stay-at-home moms and greater distances from extended family that served as supports in the past. So that’s why it is needed the term of errand runner. A man Friday or a gal Friday above reflects the existence of errand runner. And it can be a job which can earn some money for people who do it.
A man or gal Friday can be hired to perform just about any task. A typical set of jobs includes:
- Accepting deliveries
- Delivering packages to the post office
- Supervising service calls on appliances or meeting a plumber in the home
- Meeting the cable guy or the telephone repair person
- Answering correspondence and returning phone calls
- Picking up dry cleaning and laundry
- Taking a vehicle for service
- Assisting in the organization and conduct of a party
- Organizing closets, basements, and attics
- Organizing book and music collections
- Setting up and maintaining a personal filing system for important papers