Mom & Dad had this neat desk. I’m not sure how they acquired it–probably a wedding present–but it’s been part of our lives for as long as any of us “kids” remember. At heart it’s a small executive desk, but it’s unusually well-made and has one unexpected feature–it folds out to become a dining room table. For my entire life it was the fanciest piece of furniture my parents owned.
It’s also nearly six decades old. A piece of furniture gets pretty battered if you use it every day for 57 years. Even if it cost a fortune, and even if it’s made of oak.
Mom passed away a couple years ago, and basically left everything to everyone. The desk was one of the easy pieces to settle: Debbie wanted to preserve it, while Richard and I had/have no interest in it whatever. We both recognize the quality, but it won’t fit well in our offices, it needs to be refinished, and the emotional connection’s pretty weak. Debbie’s office needs are different (she’s a preacher-in-training), and she’s clearly more attached to the desk than we are. That’s fine.
All this came up last weekend as Joan and I were helping Debbie move. Debbie still can’t believe I don’t want the desk….