Freelance

 

Freelance

Where did this expression originate? Were freelancers otherwise known as mercenaries, ‘lances for hire,’ ready to fight for whoever would pay them?

I digress. Our middle daughter, Susannah, is an excellent organiser. Weeks ago, she organised a day’s sailing for her father, brother, and eldest nephew. As the time drew near, she fretted over weather forecasts, but all looked set fair for a glorious day on the Solent. Every day this week the weather was beautiful until today, the day of the projected sail. The forecast was dismal. After much deliberation, they decided to make the most of it anyway. It might be a bit damp and there probably wouldn’t be much wind, but they’d have a good day out together.

Susannah is a television producer. When her contract ended recently, she became freelance. ‘Times is hard’ and jobs are few and far between. The nature of the work means that she is called at sometimes very short notice to work unsocial hours. That happened on Friday evening and she found she would be required to work all weekend as well as next week. She was very torn. Obviously, she couldn’t refuse the job, needing to keep her name in the forefront of potential employers’ minds, and not knowing when or if another would crop up any time soon. She thought long and hard about taking her laptop with her to the boat, so that she could work there. Reluctantly, she decided against that, needing to be on immediate call, and concluding that it would be difficult to concentrate on the job.

She was really upset, especially when her brother, Gareth, drove up with one of his sons. It was the right decision, but it has unsettled her. She had intended staying with us for a few days, but now has to return to London, as the job requires her to go to the office on Tuesday.

The men had a most enjoyable day. The sun shone, the wind blew gently, and the projected rain didn’t appear until late afternoon. It was very pleasant for them to spend time together. Callum, our eldest grandson, and Louis, Gareth’s younger son, are close in age, and employed in the same world as their elders.

Meanwhile, Susannah has highlighted another day for sailing. If nothing else, it may ensure that she is provided with work! She wasn’t very amused by that observation.

(Postscript: I just looked up the derivation of freelance and found the following:

The term “freelance” originates from the Middle Ages, where it was used to describe a “free lance,” referring to a medieval mercenary or knight who was not permanently employed by any lord or king. These knights offered their services to the highest bidder, often being hired for specific battles or campaigns.)