So this is just barely making Throwback Thursday, but it’s before midnight, so I’m going for it.
This is oooold news, folks, but gather around, because I’m going to share it anyway. The fabulous, riveting, bloodthirsty and shocking tale of how I acquired my coveted and long-desired tufted leather sofa.
The evening was waning. We were sitting at the bar at the Meddlesome Moth, our once-frequented spot where all the servers knew us by name, and we were registered in the computer system for our own particular booth – we were always seated there if it was available. This evening, the booth was occupied.
So there we were at the bar, sipping on craft brews and hanging out after a long day of work. It was a Wednesday.
I absently mindedly browsed Craigslist on my phone – a terrible habit I have that sometimes proves fortunate. Sometimes it’s a mere source of provocation, but on this evening, as fate would have it…
A vintage 1970’s tufted leather sofa, straight out of the law office of the seller’s father.
Excitedly I shoved the phone into Bryan’s face. “Look!” I cried, nearly leaping from my seat in excitement. Bryan, ever the calm one, commented that it looked nice. My fingers stumbled over the touch-screen keypad on my phone, hammering out a message to the seller – please, let me have it; please, I love it.
And then, a phone call in response. He seemed bewildered at the number of responses he had received, but would be happy to sell it to me since I wanted it so much. I asked – what would it take for him to hold it for me until Friday evening? We settled on a price.
I floated all the way home, teeth practically chattering with excitement. I managed to sleep. I managed to work the next day. I managed to sleep once more.
I sent an email Friday morning enquiring for the address, and received a disconcerting reply.
Interest in the couch had continued to pour in. There was a fellow – let’s call him Mac – who just wouldn’t let up. Mac’s wife had to have the couch. She would throw fits if she couldn’t have it – you know how women are. (I may be paraphrasing here a tad, but that’s the general idea of things. Okay, in all honesty, I may have dramatized it a little in my mind. But for the sake of the story, let’s generalize/villainize Mac and his wife, okay?).
Well. I was not to be out-bid by Mac and his temper-tantrum-throwing wife! She would not get her stereotypically-materialistic feminine hands upon my sofa!
I rose to the occasion and staked my claim, stood my ground, and doubled my offer. (Please, sell it to me; please, I love it.)
Two hours through a rain storm to get it.
The dear sweet seller and his wife were very upset over the whole bidding situation. They had prayed over what to do. They were so happy things worked out for me to get it. God gave me this sofa, okay? That’s the moral of this story.
Two hours home, on the outskirts of the same rain storm, praying it wouldn’t get too soaked, hoping the leather could take a little moisture.
Ten sweaty, panicked minutes shoving it through the doorway to our apartment (which all the sudden seemed ridiculously narrow and not all as wide as front doors should be made).
One moment snapping a fuzzy, terribly-lit, yet triumphant iPhone picture.
Sending this to the sellers, to let them know we had made it home safely, and the sofa was really and truly in a home where it would be well-loved.
And I do love it!
Is it my dream sofa to end all sofas, the tufted leather king of my heart?
Just about.
[Lengthy sidebar:
No promises though. I mean, it’s a good thing marriage vows don’t exist for sofas, because I always reserve the right to change my mind about decor decisions. Not that I want to be a couch-floozy (there’s a good mental image; my apologies if you arrive on my site after googling that phrase) but I’m open to the possibility that Mr. Perfect-Dream-Couch may still be out there waiting for me. No worries, Bryan, this is *not* how I approach our marriage.
I mean, I’d hate to go all women-at-the-well on this whole couch situation, where Jesus comes to visit and is like, “Where’s your couch?” And I’m all like, “Couch? What couch? I don’t have a couch…” And Jesus totally calls me out on being a couch floozy, and he’s like, “Yeah, you’ve had FIVE couches, and the one you have now isn’t even your couch!” Gasp.
Don’t worry if you’re not following any more. Several semesters of Bible college will do this to you. And I’m not even sure if it’s heretical. Probably.
Update: This sofa is has been replaced. Twice. I’m such a couch floozy.
>> More couch floozy awesomeness here <<
I will follow you now simply because you turned a Bible story into a couch-floozy story. That is awesome. (Well, it's not the only reason I'll follow you… I think anyone with a leopard print rug and burl wood table deserves a certain amount of attention.) Thanks for the laugh this morning, and congrats on your couch score!
Thanks so much for commenting and following! After I furiously typed out that whole side note, I handed my laptop to my husband and asked him if it was simply too ridiculous to post. He assured me that I should post it, and in an unusual moment of trusting his opinion (haha), I hit publish before I could have second thoughts 🙂
Ditto to LilClementine. And I knew what you were talking about, Brynne. I am a recovered dining set floozy. Stumbled over here from YHL forums and am staying – love ya!
Minniepins, I'm so glad you dropped by! Thank you so much for following! Don't get me started on dining sets, lol 🙂
I am laughing so hard at your little comparison of the woman at the well! LOL! Totally hilarious! Love it. And the couch is adorable and I do not believe you that it is not comfortable cause it looks like it would be great. and it's leather! So cool!
Jill, thanks so much for your kind words 🙂
I swear, it's really not comfortable, but I love it so much that I just don't care!
Here via Miss Mustard Seed. Am loving the Jesus-Woman-At-The-Well-Couch-Story too 🙂
Thanks Leanne! So glad you stopped by!
Absolutely LOVE your new sofa! Congrats!!! Hopped over from MMS and I'm happy to be your newest follower. Would love to have you stop by for a visit! Blessings ~ Judy
I am so glad you stopped by! Thanks so much for following – I'm absolutely heading over to check out your blog 🙂
You are a very funny & entertaining writer.
Thank you Kate! You just made my evening!
Hi Brynne, I love your sofa and while I have a nice sofa I think I would have fought for this one for our man cave as well. Love, love, love your carpet and your kitty too. Great story 😉
I saw you on MM's FFF.
Thanks Julia! It was worth it!
Also, I took a quick peek at your blog, and I can tell I'm going to need to spend some time over there – love your style 🙂
I saw your sofa on MMS and thought your story was hilarious! Great writing- keep it up! The whole couch-floozy and woman at the well tie-in were so funny. 🙂 So glad you were the one to get the couch, but I'm like you too…I don't make promises on furniture either. 😉
Have a great day,
Gail
Thanks Gail – I'm so glad you visited & commented! I was so uncertain about the couch-floozy bit, but I'm so glad people are appreciating it 🙂
Loved this post!!! Totally, all aspects!
Thanks Edie! I'm so glad you stopped by and commented 🙂
OMG OMG OMgosh… I have a CL story to rival yours… but guess what.. the seller made me wait MONTHS to make up her mind!! You can read it on my blog if you put in "Armoire" in the search bar.. I didn't know if it was okay to put the link here… Great post!
Wow – that's crazy! I'm so glad you finally got it though!
Here is the link for those who'd like to hop over and read the post!
Hilarious post… and gorgeous sofa! I also have a problem with Craigslist and may be possibly on my way to becoming a couch floozy myself! 🙂
Last summer I pounced on an antique Victorian sofa which I *had* to have… drove for 2 hours to get it… put my back out lifting it out of the van… this is all the night before we left on vacation for a week, during which time I had to locate a chiropractor to fix my back and generally couldn't function. My husband was none too impressed. The sofa was all worth it however. I gave it a makeover and in the end, it was heartbreakingly beautiful and miserably uncomfortable, and I realized it was a very impractical thing for a young family to own, so I sold it. It was very creatively satisfying, however. 🙂
Best of luck with it all…
Wow! I totally understand how that goes – adore, obtain, pour hours of work into fixing up, slowly realize, deny, and then finally come to accept that it just isn't the right fit! It makes for a great story afterwards, though 🙂
🙂 Brynne you are too funny, this post cracked me up! I too have a soft spot for tufted couches and chairs!
I recognize that this is super old, but 1) I'm in love with CHESTERFIELDS (sorry, I keep getting auto corrected and its absurd how many times I've tyled that word) and I'm helping my mom shop for two; 2) I feel the same way you do about couches – I have 9 superfluous chairs and a sofa in my spare room right now and I'd totally be woman-the-well with couches if I could singlehandedly lift and fit them into my car (hence the smaller chair variety); 3) I'm a preacher's wife and both Preach and I got a kick out of your illustration. When we sing hymns and replace the words with my dog's name and virtues, we often remark on the possible heretical nature of our actions.
I love it Meagan! Comments like this are why I blog! 🙂
And we totally sing to our cats too!!!