it's more than a desk
Roll top desks fascinate me. I don't know if it is the roll top part or all the neat cubbies, but I have always wanted one. Bill mentioned once that he liked them too. I wanted so badly to surprise him with one. This was back when we had young kids at home and my work was to be home with them. It's a great job with lots of perks and benefits but receiving cash money is not one of them so my dream to get him the desk remained a dream.
About 20 years ago a friend hesitantly asked me if I would take care of her baby boy. She had to go back to work at the end of her maternity leave. Our parenting style is similar and my youngest was old enough that I was ready to be snuggling a baby again, so after discussing it with Bill I told her yes. When I received my first paycheck the dream awakened. I decided I would save my babysitting money until I had enough to buy the desk I wanted to get Bill. It took awhile, but I was close enough to having enough put back that I was planning a trip to Amish country to order one. There was an unexpected household expense and the "desk" became a washer or refrigerator or stove or tires, whatever it was that needed to be replaced immediately. I cried. I wanted to give something special to the most special man I knew and I didn't have the means to do it.
The opportunity to save enough to surprise him never came again.
Last fall dear friends had a roll top desk they were selling. Well, for the price they were asking they may as well have been giving it away. It was, of course, too late to surprise Bill with it but I still wanted one so I said "I'll take it!" They even delivered it to my house from out of state. I was sick the evening they came so I told them where the extra house key was and they let themselves in and out. I didn't even get to tell them thank you in person.
When I got up the next morning I drug myself to the Library to look at my treasure. Funny thing happened. The money I had put in an envelope with a thank you note was still in the envelope. The note I had written was gone and one she had written was in it's place. They wanted to gift me the desk. I was to do whatever I wanted with the money. I tried to give it a friend going on a mission trip. She had all she needed. Long story short, the money for that desk ended up becoming 2 sets of bunk beds for two different families in Siberia.
Last week I went into a friend's store looking for a chair and a half or a small loveseat for the Library. I didn't find either piece of furniture, but I did find something else- a child's roll top desk! I didn't need it, but I had to have it so I said; I'll take it" and "Happy late Anniversary to me".
Today was the first opportunity I had to clean it up.
I took out the drawers and set them to the side.
I began at the top and worked my way over the surfaces. Top, sides, legs, the roll top, cubbies, back panel and writing surface, saving the drawers for last. Drawer one, done. Drawer two caused me to suck in my breath.
Can you read the name scrawled by a small child on the inside bottom panel?
Billy.
I bet his mom wasn't happy when she found it.
But it caused my heart to smile and my fondness for these desks to increase.
Exponentially.
Happy Anniversary indeed.
About 20 years ago a friend hesitantly asked me if I would take care of her baby boy. She had to go back to work at the end of her maternity leave. Our parenting style is similar and my youngest was old enough that I was ready to be snuggling a baby again, so after discussing it with Bill I told her yes. When I received my first paycheck the dream awakened. I decided I would save my babysitting money until I had enough to buy the desk I wanted to get Bill. It took awhile, but I was close enough to having enough put back that I was planning a trip to Amish country to order one. There was an unexpected household expense and the "desk" became a washer or refrigerator or stove or tires, whatever it was that needed to be replaced immediately. I cried. I wanted to give something special to the most special man I knew and I didn't have the means to do it.
The opportunity to save enough to surprise him never came again.
Last fall dear friends had a roll top desk they were selling. Well, for the price they were asking they may as well have been giving it away. It was, of course, too late to surprise Bill with it but I still wanted one so I said "I'll take it!" They even delivered it to my house from out of state. I was sick the evening they came so I told them where the extra house key was and they let themselves in and out. I didn't even get to tell them thank you in person.
When I got up the next morning I drug myself to the Library to look at my treasure. Funny thing happened. The money I had put in an envelope with a thank you note was still in the envelope. The note I had written was gone and one she had written was in it's place. They wanted to gift me the desk. I was to do whatever I wanted with the money. I tried to give it a friend going on a mission trip. She had all she needed. Long story short, the money for that desk ended up becoming 2 sets of bunk beds for two different families in Siberia.
Last week I went into a friend's store looking for a chair and a half or a small loveseat for the Library. I didn't find either piece of furniture, but I did find something else- a child's roll top desk! I didn't need it, but I had to have it so I said; I'll take it" and "Happy late Anniversary to me".
I took out the drawers and set them to the side.
I began at the top and worked my way over the surfaces. Top, sides, legs, the roll top, cubbies, back panel and writing surface, saving the drawers for last. Drawer one, done. Drawer two caused me to suck in my breath.
Can you read the name scrawled by a small child on the inside bottom panel?
Billy.
I bet his mom wasn't happy when she found it.
But it caused my heart to smile and my fondness for these desks to increase.
Exponentially.
Happy Anniversary indeed.
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