Carlisle was manufactured in a Swedish factory. After enduring the grueling shipment to America, he waited, envying those chairs lucky enough to be bought before him. For Carlisle, to be used was everything. Despite the length of his stay in the store ,the valiant desk chair never lost hope. Finally his dreams were realized and he was brought from the hushed quiet of the storeroom into the bustling front.
Anticipation gnawing at him like a hungry lion, Carlisle listened as hard as he could, groping for some clue to his future. All that he could make out were snippets of conversation, a million words washing over him like waves upon the sand.
“Oh, please, I want that one.”
“Really? Yes!”
“Can we go?”
Thousands of people living thousands of lives. Thousands of people, barely stopping to notice others except when their lives touched. Which life would he be part of? After getting so wrapped up in the noise, the bustle, the words, it was strange to hear silence. Carlisle head a door slam, and then… nothing.

A long time passed before Carlisle was lifted out of his box into the bright noonday sun of a girl’s room. He was unfolded and sat in. Filled with joy, he almost didn’t catch her excited words.
“Are they really mine? I adore them!”
“I know that you’re excited Louisa, but you have to keep your room clean.”
“I will, I promise Mother! And I will use them every chance I get!”
At this, Carlisle’s heart ran away with his head, and he heard no more. In ecstasies, he wondered how it was possible to be made so happy by a few careless words. it seemed silly, but it was true.
That night, Carlisle got to know his fellow furniture. With him in the room where Catherine, the loft bed, Samantha, the book  shelf, Jonathan, the dresser, and Harold, the desk. Harold, Carlisle, and Samantha were situated under Cathrine, while Jonathan was against the wall at the other end of the room.
Furniture being of a simple nature, it was easy for Carlisle to guess their dispositions by their first words to him.
“Welcome, young chair”, said Catherine  in a soft voice after he had introduced himself,”You are most welcome. I hope you will enjoy your stay here.”
“I’m new too”, Harold admitted in a baritone, “ but I hope that we can work well together.”
Samantha acquiesced, and added,“I’m sure that we will get along capitally.”
“Sure”, grumbled Jonathan, “sure,we will.” 
Over the next few weeks, Carlisle began to covet Louisa’s company. He loved the way she tipped back, and the way she shook her pencil when she was thinking. In fact, Carlisle loved just about every aspect of his new home. He was friends with everyone except for Jonathan, who insisted on remaining grumpy. He thought that there was no way that  things could be better. One night, during a lull in the conversation, he remarked,
“Things are great. I wonder how long it can stay like this.”
As the others began to agree, Jonathan interjected moodily from the corner.
“You can bet anything it won’t be like this for long. Mark my words.”
“Don’t be silly, Jonathan”, cried Samantha breaking the silence, “of course it can. And it will.”As she skillfully lead the conversation to other subjects, Carlisle wondered if his companion’s predictions would come true.
Not long after Louisa came home as usual, but didn’t start her homework as usual. She sat on the ground below Catherine, who always seemed to Carlisle like a benevolent ruler.Louisa was playing with some strange, furry creature instead of doing her homework! Carlisle felt a small flame of jealousy kindle inside of him. Just then, he heard,
“Louisa May Zamboni, you had better be doing your homework by the time that I get in there!”
Quickly, Louisa put the furry creature down and started doing her homework, not even bothering to pull Carlisle all the way out. By the time that her mom came in, she was busy with homework.
“Just because we got a cat does not mean that you can neglect your studies.”
Carlisle’s first thought was,
“So that’s what it is, a cat.”His second thought was more to the point.
“Now that little furry thing, whatever it is, won’t be able to take Louisa away from me!”
Carlisle turned back in just as the lecture ended.
“Of course, mother, I will be more fastidious in my studies from this time hence.”
Satisfied that her daughter had learned her lesson, Mrs. Zamboni walked away to deal with  her other daughter, who had lately taken to putting toys in the fishtank.Sure that he had seen the end of the matter, Carlisle relaxed, and enjoyed the feeling of use for the rest of the afternoon.
Carlisle was sure that things would be better next time, but somehow they never got back into the peaceful rhythm that they had once moved through. Nowadays, Louisa sat with the cat on her lap, or even let it walk all over Harold, causing him so much indignation that he vented over it all night.
“I hold her things and serve her well every day!” , he cried indignantly, “and do I get appreciated? No! I become a platform for her good for nothing cat!”
Harold’s remarks opened the floodgates, and everyone vented their feelings. Carlisle took this opportunity to vent his feelings about the previous night.
“Last night, Louisa didn’t want the animal on Harol, so she just pushed me over so that it couldn’t get up. Everything I’ve done for her and she pushed me over.”
Catherine's gentle voice cut through the clamor as she said,
:I know that you are all upset,but remember, our Louisa is a mere human. They all make mistakes, and it is our duty too forgive them.Do you understand?”
As she finished, the room fell silent. As Carlisle thought about it, he realized that he understood perfectly.