Finally it arrived. The purple couch I bought from the internet on Black Friday has finally made its way into my living room, and I couldn’t be more relieved.

This poor couch has been hanging around town for the past week, just waiting to come home. It’s been in and out of the delivery company’s facilities and trucks, being manhandled along the way. How do I know? The combination of the scans it received along the way that made up its online “record” and the battered condition of its box when it finally made it to my doorstep. I’m a regular Sherlock Holmes.

Today was actually the sixth day that it was scheduled for delivery, but I held out little hope that it would actually arrive. I began to believe that it would eventually be sent back to the massive company from which I bought it, and I would never see it.

What lead me to this conclusion? After all, I’m the eternal optimist, the lover of flying pigs, the believer in the impossible. Well, I think the straw that broke the camel’s back was last night’s incident.  I was eagerly awaiting delivery (yet again) by sitting in the couchless living room watching the cars go by. Yes, I am that pathetic.

Well imagine my surprise (and yes, glee) when the delivery truck actually pulled up to our house. It was dark outside, and after 8 pm, but it was there. The driver turned off the lights, and did whatever it was that he/she did. I turned on the porch light, and kept myself from running outside. I was patient, but as the minutes ticked on, it occurred to me that my couch wasn’t coming off that truck.

After ten minutes the headlights popped back on, the truck made a u-turn, and it drove away. I was dumbfounded. I was stunned. I was numb. How. Could. That. Happen????????

That’s when I gave up hope. That’s when I decided I was not meant to have a purple velvet couch. That’s when I decided that it would never ever arrive. So of course, the next day it did.

I found out it was delivered at 4:28 pm. Of course I was still at work, and had to drive in the opposite direction to pick up my son. We arrived home after 6 and after dark. The whole time I was willing the thieves that steal people’s packages to stay away. Of course this package was the size of a fridge, but there are strong thieves with trucks, I’m sure of it. Lucky for me, it was still outside my front door when we arrived. I photographed the ripped box in case the contents were damaged, but fortunately everything was well protected. No tools were included, but we have our own, so that wasn’t a problem either.

My son and I built that couch with a few difficulties along the way, but it’s done and I’m satisfied. It looks terrific, but I’m pretty sure I’ll never buy a couch off the internet again. I just can’t take the drama and disappointment.