In keeping with the short shot of fiction for Fridays – here’s this week’s tidbit inspired by adventures in shopping, assembly, and serious assessment required.

Assembly Required

            Eighteen dollars did better in my pocket than it did padding the cost of the office investment. Out with the particle-board precariously balancing – well, now bowing – between two rusted-shut filing cabinets with the keys long lost and the contents in files, folders, fishing gear and other frivolity definitely forgotten – and in with the new corner desk designed to be the perfect workspace.

            Nope, I didn’t see the need for handing the annoying clerk eighteen dollars to let someone else put together the desk I had yet to wrestle into the vehicle before getting home – high hopes of beating the rain. I was a pro at puzzle-problem solving! Pictures, pieces – what were a few parts and panels?

            The desk was purchased Friday- before caffeine, before breakfast, before a practical amount of sleep was acquired from the long workday before. Foolish thinking in believing the excitement of a real piece of furniture would keep me alert, awake and – anyway….

            The desk. Friday took the entire morning of identifying the pieces. Easy. Assembly accomplished by afternoon’s end? Instructional steps A1 to M. Pieces tacked together? A to M (why I skipped ‘K’ for now is not okay with me). But I see the basic frame taking shape!

            Saturday: serious seeping of strong tea with lots of sweetener; stringing up any and all lights, flashlights, screwdrivers, hammers and magnifying glasses. I’m glad the stereo works because country songs lamenting ‘hard luck lives’ beats the preferred utterances of unbelievable nonsense in how, on step M32, the panel placement of part M to panel C didn’t mention having to contort oneself around parts D through L without dislodging part J. By the time I called it quits, I made it to Part Q, instructional step Q1. I think I thought I saw the semblance of a shelving system.

            Today’s Sunday. Anything but sunny outside as snow white flakes dot the grey sky, removing any practical daylight needed for me to see what I was doing (flashlights flung out of frustration and now fruitless).

I spy the corner desk slanting towards the south wall creating more unusual angles that didn’t exist in the instructions. On the floor, stepstool and cardboard box I find more nuts, bolts, screws and lettered parts than a basic Lego set a kid gets at Christmas. Wincing, I found the short shelf I couldn’t find the day before. Oh, and the baggie of nails that were meant for Parts R through U. And beside that are the instructions now stained, torn, stabbed, and soon-to-be-smoldering if I can get the stove started.

Eighteen dollars versus eighteen hours plus… Maybe the eighteen-year-old student who succeeded in shop class and can lend a hand…