A Sleeper Sofa is a Wonderful Thing

It had been a really long day of traveling for hundreds of miles on the road. Lots of crazy drivers, a sore back, lame food, and dry eyes made me tired and just a little cranky. That was my experience driving to visit an aunt about 20 years ago. When I finally got to her apartment I was introduced to my worst nightmare, her sleeper sofa. I didn't realize it at first, but about an hour into the long night I discovered a metal bar that ran across my back that just wouldn't go away. No matter how I tossed and turned I just couldn't seem to find a comfortable position. The mattress was thin and too soft, the metal bar in the back was obnoxious, and I decided then and there that I would never own such an awful piece of furniture.

The years clicked by, we bought a small house, and eventually I felt like our family needed to have a place for guests to sleep when they were over for the night. I really dragged my feet when my better half suggested we look at getting a sleeper sofa. Something in my back started hurting just thinking about it. About a week later, after we took delivery of our new sofa it hit me that I had caved to the pressure, but that there was nothing I could do about it at that point.

The first time the sleeper sofa got used was when my parents came for a weekend visit. I almost felt like I owed them an apology for the terrible experience they were about to have that night. We put out the covers and pillows and said our goodnights. I wandered up to bed and had a little guilt tingle over my spine. As I laid there in bed thinking about the day and winding down I thought about that night so many years ago at my aunt's. I wondered if my parents were regretting their decision to stay with us that night.

When the morning light shown through the window I woke up rested and happy. I went downstairs and made some food for everyone. Once everyone was around the table and enjoying their breakfast I decided to venture out and ask the inevitable questions. "So how did you sleep", I queried. My Mom smiled but didn't answer. I thought the worst and that she was just being polite. "Oh no, they must have hated the stupid sleeper sofa we put them on the for night", I thought. When my Dad finished chewing and took a drink he answered my question, "We slept great!" The flood gates were opened. He couldn't stop talking about how comfortable and relaxing the "couch" was. I was so relieved.

After my parents left I decided to try the sleeper sofa out for myself. That night when I settled onto the mattress, it was immediately apparent that there was no bar in my back and that the mattress itself was darn comfy. I was tickled. As I drifted off to sleep that night I resolved to never bad talk the idea of a sleeper sofa again. The next day I got up and wrote a letter to the manufacturer thanking them for finally designing improvements into their product so that it could actually be used.

I can now heartily recommend a sleeper sofa as a wonderful option to anyone in need of a place for guests to spend the night.