In my early 20s I got interested in working with my hands building things. I read everything I could find (remember, this is long before YouTube existed; you had to get actual books!) This led to a career of renovating houses that lasted over a decade.
When I first got some tools I wanted to start on something, but like a blank screen staring back at you when you try to write, the problem was where to start. Then one day I was driving along and saw an old, beat-up desk by the curb. It just so happened that I needed a desk for working on my brand-new Apple IIc, so I managed to get it into the trunk of my Mercury Capri, which needed lots of rope to keep it from falling out.
When I got it home I began stripping it down to the wood, as well as fixing some loose parts. I sanded it smooth, gave it a couple of coats of polyurethane, and fitted it with new hardware. It looked great, if I do say so myself.
Over the years that little desk has been used one way or another in every house I lived in—but not any more. There simply isn’t space for it in our new house. Not that the house is small, but it’s very old and the room shapes simply don’t leave room for it. So today when Goodwill Home Pickup came to clear out the furniture we couldn’t take with us, it was among the items they took.
I would say that 40 years of service after being tossed to the curb is quite impressive. It’s still in great shape, so I hope whoever gets it next can make use of it for many more years to come.