After finally managing to mount the new LCD TV on the wall of my living room I sat back to admire my new toy. As pretty as it looked hanging there in mid air, I realised that I was going to have to do something about the dangling wires. The black and red tubes sprouting from the back of the TV were hanging like unwelcome snakes from the branch of a tree, right down from the middle of my cream coloured wall and onto the carpet.
After contemplating my predicament for half an hour I realised that I had one of two choices. Either I could learn to live with the wires as they were (possibly painting the entire living room in a darker colour so as to blend in with the rubbery cables) or I could buy something to stick in front of them.
I had already spent a small fortune on the TV however I didn’t much fancy the task of painting the whole of my living room another colour just to camouflage a few unsightly wires. Taking what I thought was the more sensible of the two options I hopped on the computer to try and find some shelf fitments that I could put in under the TV. It would have to be something big because the TV was quite high on my wall and I would need it to house the DVD player and the freeview box, then there was also the XBOX and the PlayStation to think about.
After a week or so of scouring the web (I live in a rural area so choice of furniture shops are minimal) I eventually found something that looked almost ideal. The measurements fitted perfectly and the colour of the wood would be perfectly in keeping with the rest of my living room furniture.
After buying and paying for the piece I waited eagerly for its delivery. Taking a day off work on the estimated arrival date I sat by the front door and waited. After a few hours a huge truck pulled up outside and a hairy looking man popped out holding a clipboard. When the formalities were over I helped him carry the box to my door, thanked him and left.
After a few hours of assembling I pushed the new fitment across the carpet and under the television. It fitted perfectly and looked brilliant. The varnished wood creating a pleasant reflection from the television on it’s highly polished surface.
I sighed and stood back to admire my work, made a cup of tea and sat down with the remote control. It was then that I discovered a problem.
The shelf fitment was a crucial centimetre too high. To change the channel with the remote control I had to stand up to point the buttons at the right part of the TV, completely taking away the actual point of having a remote control. A semi remote it now was.
I bought the LCD to improve my quality of life. I guess I’ll have to settle for stronger thigh muscles.