Those dreaded words – “Some assembly required” – just arrived. Winter is here, and I bought a stationary bike for my home. I need exercise indoors. During the pandemic I’m not comfortable going to the gym. The bike came in a cardboard box, in pieces, and needed to be put together.
I love to assemble words and numbers and ideas. Objects – not so much. My history of assembling objects has not been pretty. In fact, I break into a cold sweat when facing a project like this.
The instructions were written in multiple languages, including broken English. They included a long list of parts, complicated diagrams, but only four steps in the instructions.
Although the components included a large number of nuts, bolts, and screws, I couldn’t find the package of them when I took out parts and spread them over the floor. I looked again through the plastic and Styrofoam packaging. Nope.
I read the instructions in more detail and realized that the bike was pre-assembled. The hardware was actually there, in all the right places. I just had to unscrew the screws, put some pieces together and re-screw the screws.
I marveled at the changes in technology. Even I could put the pieces together. It took me only 2½ hours to complete the “30-minute” job. When I was done, my wife called me a hero for completing it.
Now, I enjoy having a bike – and being a hero too.
How can you feel like a hero during the pandemic?