The plot of the movie, of course, deals with Ms. Griffith rising out of the lowly secretarial pool in a Wall Street firm, and getting Harrison Ford in the bargain. Okay, maybe if Harrison Ford were waiting it would be worth fighting one's way up. It is much more difficult than being an assistant. Take as a case in point, my husband's secretary, Barbara Haslam. She is retiring after nearly twenty years of service, and her duties have gone far beyond that of an ordinary assistant.
Most assistants leave their work at work.
Barbara was available at any time, and made this clear almost from the very beginning of her tenure. This was always a source of amazement to me. Only her summer vacations in Maine with her family were sacrosanct. From nine to five, and sometimes beyond, Barbara has been a travel agent, organizer, point woman, scheduler and a conscientious liaison between her boss and the home front. Just as often, she served ably as an intermediary between feuding parties.