Okay, so last Monday, I was lamenting the failure of my chair. How it failed to keep my fat ass suspended in space at the proper level, that I might get some work done. And how my inability to work, sent me to my bookshelf and re-read a favorite poem by Pablo Neruda. Well this last week my quest for a new chair began and what I am about to relate is a true story. My chair found me.

Whattaya think? hmm, no low back support… next.

I keep saying here that I don’t want to sound all “airy-fairy” like I’m some kind of new age hippie. But it’s time I outed myself. I am a bit new age, I mean this blog is titled “social alchemy” so I’m going to own the alchemy that conspired to bring me to my new chair. I may have mentioned that I work with a personal trainer. Her name is Sherry and she is a magician. She knows how to bring bodies, literally, back from the dead. She used to work in L.A. and worked with NBA basketball players, movie stars, dancers, actors, surfers. She’s even dissected cadavers at a medical school to really see what nerve fibers look like, and how they work with muscle tissue, and how the tendons are really like springy rubber bands that help you move your limbs.

I’ve been working with Sherry for going on four years. One of her biggest pet peeves is choosing the correct tools for the job. Tools include the correct weights to lift, but extends to having your computer monitor at the correct height (eye level) and having proper lower back and lumbar supports in all of your chairs. That when you do sit in a chair, NEVER CROSS YOUR LEGS, as it rotates your hips in a weird way. And it is the first thing doctors tell their hip-replacement patients when they are in recovery (maybe if you didn’t cross your legs, you might never need a future hip replacement. She also advises that you sleep with a pillow between your legs (always, to keep your hips in proper alignment). To Sherry, having the correct chair is essential to good back support, to proper spine alignment, which leads to better brain support and don’t we need more of that?

Nice color, but the height isn’t adjustable… next.

So, I told Sherry about my dead chair and she warned me against going out and just buying something from a big box office store, or regular furniture store. She recommended that I look into serious office furniture like the kind you find in… big offices. Now those chairs come with a hefty price tag. But she assured me that she had one such chair and it lasted her for seven years. I was worried when I called the hubster, thinking he would balk at spending that kind of money — we are talking $800 for a desk chair folks — and he said he understood the necessity for the right kind of chair, that they had several in his office and he gave me permission to spend about half that amount.

I know you’re thinking — that much money for a chair? But writing is my profession, I will be doing this for a long time. And I needed to finish my book. I called Sherry and instead of a workout we went shopping. We went to a show room she had used before. She said sometimes, if the timing is right, they often want to get rid of older models and it is possible to get a deal on a good chair. I was hoping to just get something within the price range so hubster wouldn’t go ballistic.

Yes it is a throne… but waaay over the top… next.

We got to the place and met a lovely sales guy. Of course, he started with the top of the line chair, and ran through all of the bells, whistles, hidden knobs, panels, arm rests that swung in an out, etc. And it was three times my budget. But then he motioned to another chair that was off to the side, it wasn’t nearly as fancy. Sherry went and sat in it. From the look on her face, I could tell she was sold. She even said she felt like she was melting into the chair. I had to try it, and dang if she wasn’t right. I sat down, my low back was supported perfectly, I could lean back without feeling like I was going to fall over. The color – not my favorite. But the price? It was exactly in my range.

Now, this is where the really interesting twist comes in the story. The salesman said, “Do you want to take it home and try it out?” I’d never had a salesman ask me anything like that before. I looked over at Sherry, she winked at me. I said “Okay.” Then he went on to add, “As it turns out, the manufacturer’s rep is in town, if you take it home and you like it, I’ll talk to him and see if we can come up with a deal. No sense in bringing it back if you like it.”

Dang, I understand wanting to make a sale, but this was ridiculous. Then he proceeded to roll the car out to the parking lot, and got it in the back of my car. He handed us copies of his business card and said to call him when I made up my mind. He shook our hands and that was it. Yeah, he didn’t get my name, or my address, not even a credit card to put the chair on hold. As we drove off I looked at Sherry and she just laughed. “I told you we’d get a deal.”

Lo and behold! The miracle perfect chair…. sigh.

And the rest is history. I brought the chair home, made a few adjustments, and it’s the dream chair. The chair came home with me on Tuesday, I was able to work all day Wednesday with no problems, and finished the book on Thursday. If that was not “meant to be,” I just don’t know what is. I sent the salesman an email Wednesday morning and by the end of the day, i got the price quote — it was discounted well below my original budget. That made hubster happy.

I list this under “you never know” how things are going to work. When they flow, they flow and life is grand. So, how about you? How do you feel when that certain thing, or special something that you know you need, somehow manages to find you? I love hearing from you guys, and thanks as always for stopping by.