New furniture

We have had two old couches in our living room since we moved in. They were red in the 1960's but now are just a tired, unmatchable orange-pink. The covers on the arms were ripped and they were extremely low to sit in. They belonged to the house and featured in our contract so it was up to the college to dispose of them. But they seemed content to let them stay. At any rate, it can take the college weeks to fix an urgent problem and years to fix non-urgent problems so I felt there was little hope in asking them. Once our washing machine broke with a wet cycle mid-way through and it took two weeks for someone to biff around and check it out.

Then last week our neighbour shared with me their couch dilemmas (similar to ours) and told me that St John's were going to give them new couches in a few days. Now, I know how the college operates. They like to do things in batches. Take the washing machine example. They would prefer to wait till everyone's machine broke in the middle of a wet cycle and then come round to fix the lot. So, spying my chance, I emailed the college and asked for new couches too.

Two nights later, I got a reply. It ran like this, 'your neighbour does not want their new couches. They are green and faux leather. Would you like them?'

I sat back and regarded the two orange numbers presently residing in the living room - was this a situation of 'better the evil one knows'? Then it occurred to me - perhaps I could run over and ask my neighbours what caused them to reject the couches. So I popped over and knocked at the door. They were surprised when they heard my explanation and said that they hadn't seen any couch and they still wanted the new ones.

Treasuring this knowledge in my heart, I secretly wondered why I had been offered the couches then. But with the joy of a tenant I was able to shrug my shoulders and say, 'It's Johns' problem.'

We took the plunge and asked for them.

The next day they arrived - very much green and faux but not that unsightly. They are, sadly, hard as rock but nonetheless an aesthetic improvement. Our other neighbours got their couches too, so who knows who the mystery neighbours with the mystery reject couches are. Here are the pictures: