Saturday, March 25, 2006

The Plight of the Secretary

I often find my job difficult to label, as I find myself being the receptionist, secretary, saleswoman, webmaster, research assistant, computer consultant….but I’m more of a secretary than anything else. Now, being a secretary is a good fit for me. My skills and personality go well with that job. But, that doesn’t mean it’s without its frustrations. As someone who is helping others accomplish their projects, I sometimes get sent on wild goose chases. ALL IS FUTILE, A MERE CHASING AFTER THE WIND!! Okay, maybe it’s not that bad, but I have had some incidents recently that made me reflect on this plight. We will not go into the details of these experiences here, but they went something like this:

BOSS: I need you to rope the moon for me. Could you have it ready by tomorrow afternoon?
SECRETARY: (trying to catch her breath and feeling more gray hairs sprouting) I can do it for you!!!!
Thirty hours and much effort and grief later…
SECRETARY: Do you remember that moon thing you asked for? I have it ready now.
BOSS: Oh yes, that’s right! Well, actually I don’t need it after all, since my buddy just told me it’s really not made of cheese. Do you think you could put it back?
SECRETARY: (after briefly considering bursting into tears and/or banging her head on the wall) Sure! I’ll do it after lunch.

Here’s to all you secretaries out there who know exactly what I’m talking about.

5 comments:

Justin Kelly said...

Katie,

That sounds a little bit like a situation at our office last week. My boss left part of a file here, and the secretary left to drive it to him at the courthouse. On the way, he called and said that he wouldn't need it.

The secretary was on her way back to the office when she got in a wreck and totalled her truck which she had had for less than 6 months!

She's okay, and so were the people in the other vehicle, but Secretary is definitely a hazardous job! :)

That's why "paralegal" has such a nice ring to it :D

Katie said...

Methuselah,
Yes, that is some consolation, but the problem is that if I get something special for Secretary's Day, then I have to do something for Boss's Day! (I'm not really very generous.)

Justin,
Wow, that's awful! Being a secretary is definitely hazardous, at least when Houston traffic is involved. Maybe that's why I was recently told that I had to stay at the office all weekend since the other secretary was on vacation and they couldn't risk letting me out in Houston traffic. I told them I was going to spend the weekend with alligators at Brazos Bend.

Anonymous said...

Hi, Katie, this is Rene' (her boss' wife). If you weren't so good at so many different things, you would not have any of these frustrations. Sorry for the wild goose chases, but just remember your job is very secure! You know than all the rest of us! Hang in there!! Love, Rene'

Anonymous said...

I meant to say you know "more" than all the rest of us.

Katie said...

Thanks Rene'!! don't worry, I really do like my job :-)