A Sweet Deal
I'd been looking for a desk and came upon one on a recent Saturday afternoon while at the Habitat ReStore. The ReStore sells used or surplus building materials, it also carries donated items such as rugs and furniture. This is where I found what I thought was the perfect desk. As I was looking it over, I noticed one of the legs was a bit wobbly. Nothing I couldn't fix with a little TLC.
Due to the wobbly leg, I was given a discount. After paying $30, we loaded the desk onto my pick-up and I was on my way. I only had about 2 miles to go so I figured it would be okay in the back of the truck, there was no need to secure it. Easy does it, I could not believe my good fortune as I pulled out of the parking lot with my desk. My wife's desk is small and I cannot fit my legs under it so I couldn't wait to get the much larger desk fixed up and into the office.
At the first traffic light the desk slid forward. I watched in horror through the rearview mirror as the desk came crashing down and the drawers slid out. I looked back to inspect, That was close. (In hindsight, this is the part of the story where I pull over, secure the desk and make sure it doesn't slide again. But I'm not all that bright.) The light turned green and I took off again, looking in the back I noticed the leg is no longer wobbly because it has broken off. Well at least it won’t slide anymore, I thought, I can fix that when I get home.
At the next stop light I look over and an older couple was frantically waiving at me. I nod at them, yes I know the leg broke, thank you! I didn't have far to go and I’m still thinking the desk is salvageable. Another light, the couple pulled beside me, waiving again. I put the window down, “You lost a drawer about a mile back; it fell out onto the road.”
I looked back at the desk, all of the drawers were fully extended and sure enough, there was one missing. I carefully turned the truck around to look for the drawer, this was quickly becoming a disaster.
Retracing my short trip, I saw the pesky drawer. Actually, I saw cars swerving as not to hit the drawer. There! I impulsively hit the brakes and the desk came flying up towards the cab, shattering the back window. Cars were still zipping by me as I stared in disbelief. I ran across the street, grabbed the drawer, which was a little nicked up but in one piece, (take that WalMart desks!), and then ran back to the truck. I placed the drawer in the back with the rest of the pieces of my desk.
Back in the truck, I slowly turned around. This time I made it safely home. I pulled into the yard, backing the truck towards the front door, racking my brain for a way to explain all of this to my wife. I already know my she's not going to be crazy about the desk, especially in the shape it’s in now. I explain to her how I got such a deal on the desk, it was a steal! I would have been a fool not to buy it. Coming outside, her eyes became large as she immediately saw the smashed window.
"What happened?”
”I had a little trouble getting it home, but it’s okay, I got a really good deal!” My only selling point at this juncture.
We unload it and in the process notice that there is not one, but two broken legs.
“Wow, that is one ugly desk.”
“No, it’s perfect. It’s retro! Where's my drill?"
"Is this going in the basement?"
"I was thinking the office."
”It’s really ugly.” She says, again.
“Maybe I’ll write the next great American novel on this desk, you never know.”
She walks back inside, unconvinced.
I put some screws in the legs and we finally get it in the house. After everything it took to get the desk into the house, it’s perfect. At least to me. Sure, it may look like it's straight out of a set from Mad Men, but I think it has character. Not to mention a story. My wife has been a great sport about the whole ordeal, I guess she realized long ago that she married an idiot.
