Don't Spend A Fortune on Furniture

Ahhhh! Comfort. Until this week, I have been sitting on a folding chair as I spend 50 hours a week on my computer. I always felt that sitting on a cold metal object like that was good for my back (I have no idea where I got this notion). I now sit on a comfortable executive rocker with my feet propped up.

TVS, Inc is in the process of raising 3 million dollars to pay for their new 60,000 square foott facility. This past week they diminished this debt by having a yard sale. (TVS, Inc is a non-profit organization that helps people with disabilities find success in the work world. Please give your donations to TVS, Inc). For weeks and weeks junk had been pouring into their office to put into this yard sale. It wasn't long until their front office looked like Louie's Swap Meet. By Friday, their staff had spent a week pricing the millions of items that had been donated. It was interesting that at the beginning of the week, a pair of skis were priced at $8 and by the end of the pricing marathon, an identical pair were priced for $.50. I think I heard someone yell, "Put $.50 on everything or just give it away." The situation was getting tense and people were getting tired. This was the time to shop.

Under one of the piles of clothes (which must have been 50 feet high), was a chair. I asked someone how much it was and a tired receptionist yelled back, "Just give me $1, it's probably broken." I toppled the pile of clothes onto the floor (which did not make a good impression), and pulled the executive chair loose from the miles of extension cords that had not yet been priced. The chair was in perfect shape, except for the slight wobble, the upholstery and condition was unbelievable. Some poor sucker had probably paid $800 or more for this piece of office furniture that screamed, "I am the boss, no one else sit here." I felt sorry for this chair that once held a CEO of some mid-size organization. But I wasn't quite ready to part with my hard earned dollar.

You see I love a bargain and I love to deal. I could not leave well enough alone. "How about $.50", I said with a nod, hoping they would pick up on the subliminal message. "Wow, that chair is in pretty good shape," she noticed. "Let me look at that chair a little closer." "Oh, no", I thought. I just blew the deal of my life. This chair was well worth $100-200. I felt so stupid because I tried to save another $.50 instead of saving $99. She looked at it closely, shaking her head. I felt as if I was a patient waiting for the doctor to give his prognosis. And the shaking of the head was not a good sign. "I tell you what," she started. "This chair is in better shape than I thought. How about $2?" It took me 17 seconds to pay her, wheel the chair out to my car, strap it down, and drive off with it. I felt like I had just gotten away with stealing something. I continued to look back for a security guard to chase me down and take his chair back. I took it in the house and locked the door. Panting and smiling. I replaced my metal chair with "the throne". Now I know why everyone wants to be the boss. They have comfortable chairs.

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