Fool's errand

A fool's errand is a prank where a new employee is sent to retrieve a non-existent tool or other item.

A fool's errand is a prank where a new employee is sent to retrieve a non-existent tool or other item.

Examples

  • A box of spots for the spot welder
  • A box of benzene rings.
  • A left-handed screwdriver
  • A roll of fallopian tube or umbilical cord
  • A long weight (long wait)
  • A board stretcher or cable stretcher
  • Blinker fluid
  • Piston return springs
  • A box of spark plug sparks
  • A wireless extension cord
  • Spark plugs for a diesel engine
  • Dehydrated water
  • Striped paint
  • A can of elbow grease
  • A bucket of prop wash
  • A roll of shoreline

Counterexamples

Some items that were once the subject of this prank have since been invented:

  • WLAN or WiFi cables - some newer WiFi routers have antennas connected with cables
  • A battery-powered outlet - self-contained battery-powered AC power sources are now available
  • Light bulbs frosted on the inside - once considered impossible but now commonplace
  • Exhaust fluid - many modern diesel engines use it
  • A new bubble for a level - as of 2025 it can be ordered online as a replacement part

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