Prefabricated Living

It wasn’t supposed to be loose. Gallis took another look at the assembly instruction sheet, but it felt like it was just mocking him. Just put it together it read, followed by a picture of 4 legs being pushed into the bottom of the seat. Maybe he was doing something wrong. The instructions had worked until now.

He flipped the paper over. At the top was the logo“PF&M” in bold, blocky letters. Below was a picture of a house folding out of a box. Next to that read the company description:

“Congratulations on taking your first step at making your house your home! Whether you’re furnishing a traditional house or making adjustments to your very own foldable cottage, Prefabricated & Modular Designs offers a wide range of selections to accommodate every need. And, with either a collapsable or snap-together design, you’ll find that our products are always easy to assemble by hand. Most importantly, they’re environmentally friendly! Our prefabricated cottages and furniture are made from compostable, plant-derived lactic acid polymers and coated with nanolaminate metals for long-lasting durability. So if you ever change your mind and need to throw out a product, we won’t be offended. Give us a call and we’ll bring your old purchases to our processing facilities to be composted and recycled.”

He gripped the page, turning it around again and looking at the instructions at the back again, then the front again. That was all? The dining chair rattled around when he sat on it as if to tell him it wasn’t finished yet. It wobbled, but at least it was the right height now. Would it be enough? Shipping a new one would take three more days.

Gallis wiggled his but on the seat, steadying himself against the PF&M table he had assembled that morning. The fourth leg was just too loose, he could hear it rattling. If he didn’t replace it now, he’d just have to do it when he couldn’t put up with it anymore.

The fourth leg snapped out of its ill-fitted socket as easily as it had gone in. Gallis tossed it through the window. He sighed and ran his finger over the description’s last sentence. “Give them a call,” he mumbled to himself.

He wondered if he could order just one chair leg.