Here's Your Deflation

I came home Friday night, not too late, after a few *pops*. My wife looked at me and asked if I was drunk.

Trained to refuse all fascist blood-alcohol tests, I rebuffed her inquiry.

"WHAT IS YOUR REAL QUESTION?"

She wanted to know if she could buy a couple of bookcases from the bankrupt Linens N Things.

I said "no", for no reason other than the fact that she tried to *take advantage*.

Ultimately, they were purchased for $83.99 apiece and I have already spent 90 back-breaking minutes assembling the first one.

It looks like they were marked down from $119.99 or so.

We have all *apartment furniture* in our house. Between accelerating cheapness and my destructive kids we just can't bring ourselves to spend a fraction of what most everyone else spends on sofas, chairs, televisions, and bookshelves. Yeah, we have Crate & Barrel end-tables, but we bought them off Craigslist for $50 from a *super* on the Upper West Side. We also have a gorgeous dining room set, but that too was not purchased retail - it was procured from my grandmother. Quite frankly, I NEVER spend any time in the living room. When the kids go down, I am at my computer, in the kitchen, or in bed. Who are these shiftless folk with time to lounge anyway?



Not bad for $84, huh?

At that price they are essentially disposable to boot.

The deflation consumers are getting is on crap like furniture - it's on things they don't really need.

On the other hand, the stuff that's inflating is food, energy, and the cost of credit - all things Joe Blow has become dependent on.