Arriving home after another depressing day at work, Gerry took a glass of lemonade and the local paper out to the back doorstep. She turned to the Situations Vacant section and scanned the columns of print. Only one item attracted her attention, even though it was not really what she was looking for. 'Wanted: Dog walker for two friendly spaniels, two hours daily.' it said. There was a phone number to call.
She liked dogs, especially friendly ones. She hadn't considered a part-time job until now, but the more she thought about it the more it made sense. She'd had more than enough of that dreary office. The idea was growing in its appeal: However, she realised that she'd have to secure more than one part-time job. Then she could enjoy variety in her life whilst earning sufficient money to live on. She decided to apply. She made the appointment.
The next day, she was walking up the path of a grand old house. Looking around, she could see that the gardens were in a state of neglect and obviously hadn't been attended to for a long time. Once inside, Gerry sat with the elderly owners in a large dusty room at the front of the house. She saw that the chairs were covered with dog hairs, as was the carpet. Again the signs of neglect were all around her.
The interview went well. The dogs were as they were described in the advertisement and she very quickly found herself accepting the position. The conversation then turned to other things. Gerry admired the house, and they told her how they also needed a part-time housekeeper. Gerry smiled and nodded to indicate that she would take on this role. They confessed that they were struggling to look after the property - inside and out. Sympathetically, she said that she could see this. Then, somehow, before she realised what was happening, Gerry had accepted yet another position as part-time gardener.