I worked for a heavy engineering firm with a significant number of apprentices.
We had a very effective (and grumpy) storeman.
Most of the apprentices were sent off on false errands at some stage.
One of the favourites was to send them to the store, looking for a 10" populating tool; the storeman never saw the humour in this!
One sheep shearing season, when I was about 12, the head roustabout had me running from one member of the team, to a another, asking for a wool saw; kept me busy (distracted) all day! never found the saw!
Richard