The triumph of hope over experience

Mr Charm and I went to Staples yesterday. He wanted to buy an office chair, a real bargain, but it was too big to fit in the car assembled. I suggested he purchase it unassembled. He said it cost only $5 to purchase it already assembled. I said it wouldn't fit into the car. He said it was a real bargain. I said...well, you see where this is going?

I went to the courtesy counter to buy stamps, and when I went outside to the car, there was Mr Charm and an assembled chair. Which would not fit into the car. Mr C kept trying to shoehorn it into the car but despite his best efforts the chair refused to shrink and the car refused to expand.

He then tried to take the chair apart. But it was really well assembled. Efforts to take the car apart also failed.

After about 30 minutes of heavy breathing, muttered curses and turning dangerously red in the face, the score stood at: Ford Motor Co 1; Mr Charm 0.

We returned the assembled chair. And bought an unassembled chair. Which fit into the trunk with the greatest of ease.

But Mr C remained huffily silent all the way home.