Five Stars for the Product. One Star for the Unpacker.
I’m 70, I live in a condo, and I play Mahjong. So I ordered a 37" x 37" square of Lucite to put on top of my round table and turn it into a Mahjong table.
The package arrived while I was in Austin visiting my boyfriend. (Yes, you can be 70 and have a boyfriend. I highly recommend it!)
When I got home, I brought the package in from the foyer and carefully began unpacking it. I managed to remove the outer layers of cardboard without scratching or damaging the Lucite. Feeling rather proud of myself, I loaded the cardboard into my grocery cart to take downstairs to the recycling bin. Condo living has its rules: break down your cardboard properly, or risk a fine. Nothing says retirement quite like worrying about recycling regulations.
Then I got to what I assumed was the actual product.
It had a honeycomb interior, and there were a few squished spots. Not too many, but enough to concern me. No problem, I thought. Maybe if I warmed it up with a hair dryer, I could coax the material back into shape.
I peeled off the yellow protective covering. The front? The back? Hard to say.
Then I discovered the tape residue.
Undeterred, I fetched the Goof Off and went to work. I cleaned one side, flipped it over, and cleaned the other. I was making progress! After about an hour of painstaking effort, it was looking pretty good.
I was exhausted, but satisfied with my handiwork. Time for a break. I put the three pieces of cardboard that had surrounded my “Lucite” onto my grocery cart and prepared to take them downstairs.
And then I saw it.
The actual piece of Lucite.
Sitting right there, behind a layer of protective plastic that wasn't even touching its surface.
And the company, in a final stroke of genius, had even included a nifty little orange plastic razor blade to help remove the protective film.
I had just spent an hour cleaning, restoring, and attempting to repair the packaging.
At 70, I suppose I should be grateful that I can still entertain myself for an entire afternoon without leaving the condo.
The good news? The Lucite is beautiful, and I now have a wonderful Mahjong table.
The better news? I have a story that will probably entertain my Mahjong group for years.
Five stars for the product. No stars for my powers of observation. And a special thank-you to the company for providing the orange plastic razor blade. I may need it to open my next package—once I figure out which part is the product.