I can still picture the day I finally said goodbye to that hideous old couch, as if it happened just yesterday. It was a gentle autumn morning, the sort where the sky hangs heavy with clouds yet doesn’t seem ready to spill any rain, and the cool air brushes against your cheeks. My husband, Bryce, had headed off to work at the break of day, leaving me by myself in the house, with only our dog wandering around the kitchen in search of any leftover treats. The living room was filled with a soft gray light that spilled over the worn cushions of that huge piece of furniture.
I had been pestering Bryce to get rid of that couch for months—maybe even nearly a year. Whenever I mentioned it, he would just nod off in a daze and respond with something like, “Yeah, we’ll take care of it soon,” or “No worries, I’ll get a junk service on it,” but he never actually did anything. I just couldn’t understand why he was hesitating; it felt so out of character for him. He was typically practical and didn’t hold on to old things. This felt unique.
The couch was absolutely awful. Once, it had a soft pale blue hue, perhaps decades in the past, but now it had transformed into a murky shade that hovered somewhere between gray and green. The fabric had thinned out in places, the cushions had lost their firmness, and the wooden frame let out a creaky sound that felt a bit unsettling. Sitting in the wrong spot could lead to an uncomfortable surprise, like a broken spring jabbing into your thigh. To make matters worse, over the past month, I started to worry that mold was growing under the cushions—there was this musty smell that I just couldn’t pinpoint to anything else. I had steam cleaned it, sprayed it with deodorizer, you name it. Still, that strange smell hung in the air.
kept saying to myself, “Today is the day.” “Enough is enough.” With determination, I headed to the hallway closet, dug out the business card of a local hauling company, and picked up the phone to call. They had an available spot that same afternoon. Absolutely perfect. I imagined a bright, open living room featuring a new couch—something stylish, contemporary, and cozy. I wasn’t entirely certain where I’d make my purchase, but I had plenty of time to sort that out. The key takeaway was that the unsightly mess would be cleared away before Bryce returned home.
The Hauling
At noon, two guys from the hauling service arrived in a large truck. They were quite friendly, but I could see a hint of surprise in their eyes when they noticed the state of the couch. “Are you certain this is the only item, ma’am?” “One of them asked.” I nearly burst out laughing. “Yeah, just this,” I said, a strange blend of victory and remorse washing over me. “We need to move this out of here.”
They grunted and pushed it out the front door, carefully balancing it on a dolly. I did my best to avoid watching too intently, worried that the couch might fall apart while we were lifting it. In the end, it found its way onto the back of the truck, secured with bungee cords, and they drove away, leaving a big, empty spot in my living room. The absence was shocking—I hadn’t truly understood how important that couch was until it was gone. Yet, I couldn’t shake off the feeling of relief. The house suddenly seemed more spacious, less suffocating.
Once the old couch was out of the way, I jumped in my car and sped over to a furniture warehouse that was running a clearance sale. After spending about thirty minutes browsing, I finally chose a beautiful new sectional couch in a soft gray hue. Sleek design, supportive cushions, and no strange smells. The sales clerk assured me that my order would arrive the next day. Absolutely perfect. I walked out of the store feeling happy, imagining the look on Bryce’s face when he comes home to see how I tackled our “couch problem.”
Bryce’s Response
That evening, I heard Bryce’s car coming up the driveway around six. I could feel my heart racing with excitement—he’s going to be so relieved that we finally got rid of that old piece of junk. As I was in the kitchen getting dinner ready, I suddenly heard the front door creak open. He shouted, “Hey, sweetie, I’m home,” with that well-known, weary tone. After that, he became quiet. A moment later, he asked, “What… where’s the couch?”“
I walked into the living room with a smile, but the expression on his face was anything but relief or gratitude. It was a feeling of dread, almost like panic. He scanned the empty space with his eyes before turning to me, a look of desperation in his gaze. “I really hope you didn’t toss it away.”
A knot of confusion twisted in my stomach. “Sure… that makes sense.” So, you mentioned you wanted it out of here, correct?I made an effort to sound lighthearted. “It was revolting.” I brought on a hauling company. This afternoon, they took it away. I’m having a new one delivered tomorrow.
His face showed a mix of disbelief and fear. “No, no, no…” he whispered to himself, raking his fingers through his hair. Then, in a louder, shaky voice, he asked, “Which dump did they take it to?” We need to retrieve it.