We knew we were limited in our choice in housing in Singapore based on our furniture that was en-route on the water, so that was one of the reasons we moved into the Rochester. The living room was fairly large and once we got everything set up in it, it actually looked like it fit well. Getting it set up though turned out to be the key phrase. On move in day we were riding the elevator up to our apartment and looking at the height of it. Our concern was actually over our king sized bed, as we knew a king sized bed in Singapore had different dimensions than the U.S. The ceiling was much taller than I was, so we pushed it from our thoughts and prepared for the onslaught of boxes to arrive. Plus the NCAA championship basketball game was on and I needed to get my iPad fired up!
A short while later 8 men arrived and we were rolling, checking off items on the list, directing where to put them, unpacking kitchen items as fast as possible to get the wrapping paper and boxes back outside, it was controlled chaos! The bed came in and then the large chair, but still no couch. Finally, at one point one of the guys tapped me on the shoulder and asked me to go downstairs.....gulp, there was only one item missing and Sarah and I gave each other a knowing look. When I arrived in the basement I was actually told I was not needed, they had figured the game of tetris out and could get the couch in the elevator. Side-bar, I'm sure you are wondering, why don't they just put it in the service elevator? Its a new building, shouldn't there be one? Great question and for future reference or residents, there is no service elevator. I head back upstairs on the normal elevator, but before I can even settle back in I am summoned back downstairs.
It turns out that, no, it cannot fit in the elevator so they asked me if the couch has "sentimental" value, to which I replied with saying "no it had functional" value. We needed those seating options and I was not going to be building a canoe for us to sit on, Joey and Chandler style. Long story short, you have likely surmised how this ended and our couch has now been up the stairs more times than we have. Needless to say, we gave the gentlemen a rather nice tip in appreciation....something tells me it will be a different crew that ultimately moves us out. On the flip side, everyone that has come over to visit knows the story about the couch and has a good chuckle about it. After sitting down on it for a bit, without fail, every single person has said, oh......I would have had this carried up the stairs as well.
Epilogue - I believe on the same evening I learned how to say "Row chester" I was looking at the couch in the apartment across the way and said "How did you get that up here?" Everyone in the room thought it was a rather odd question until our neighbor says "funny story....." Something tells me we might have a similar conversation in our place someday.
