Exceptional Durability - Meta Strauss

Don't misunderstand, I was glad to get the couch. It was part of the bargain when Fred and I bought the old Williams place at the edge of town. We’d never had a home of our own, had always rented, so I had no right to complain or cast judgment on any part of the deal, the couch included. I put on my best smile and hugged Fred real big when he handed me the key to the front door.

The key alone was a funny thing. It had probably been used only a couple of times since the place was built. No one in Fair Valley locked doors. I walked in and looked at the place with new eyes. Oh, I’d been inside before to visit Mrs. Williams, to take her dinner when it was my turn. I never paid attention to the details, couldn’t have told you what color the walls were if you’d given me a prize for doing so.

Having said that, when I saw the sad, dirt color that covered everything I just about cried. When I looked real close I saw it was not just a dirt color, it was actual dirt that covered everything from ceilings to floors, from front to back.

“Hey darlin’? What do you think now that you’re a home owner?” Fred was practically dancing around he was so proud.

“It’s going to be great.” I said. “I couldn’t be happier if we’d bought a castle over in France.”

“I know it needs some work but that will happen in time.” Fred started unloading our truck. “Where do you want me to put these?”

“Put the clothes on the quilt I spread and everything else right here in the main room. Don’t set anything on the couch until I do some cleanin’.”

It only took a couple of hours to situate our furniture, which consisted of our bed, a chest, and a table with four chairs. I stared at the couch figuring it was left because it was so ugly, yet knowin’ I should be grateful to have something in the living room besides a bunch of boxes.

It took me a couple of weeks, but by then I had the place lookin’ pretty good. My hands were raw and every bone in my body ached, but Fred and I, we had a home.

As for the couch, I took it outdoors into the sun and beat it ’til I couldn’t raise another fleck of dust.

That was five years ago and we still have that darned thing sitting as the main piece in our parlor. I made a slip cover for it and found two almost-matching chairs at the Good Will store. Like I tell myself, we are lucky people to have found a home and a couch of such exceptional durability.