Single in IKEA

I bought a full-length mirror at IKEA over a month ago. It’s huge, one piece, and I had it delivered. Over a month ago. But yesterday IKEA mailed me the assembly instructions (a little late, not requested, and unnecessary). Since it’s a one piece mirror and I’ve had it for over a month I tossed it without a second thought. But this morning I pulled it out of the trash hoping that the same graphic that brought me to hilarious tears a few years ago was included. It was!!

When I first moved into my apartment I was single and I went out to the New Jersey IKEA alone. I bought this piece that I was going to strip, paint and use as a TV stand. As a single girl in IKEA, I thankfully didn't have to lift a thing. The guys in the yellow polos saw that I never touched the table until the free shuttle arrived in Penn Station. I had no idea that the boxed table that I had to carry to the cab line, from the cab and up several flights of stairs weighed something like 70lbs. Once I made it into my apartment my shaking hands pulled out the assembly instructions to find this taunting graphic IN THE BOX. It was one of those moments where I was laughing and crying alone and couldn’t separate the two. The graphic seemed to define my singlehood.
Thanks IKEA for keeping the graphic. It’s morbidly profound.