Assembly Required

All I wanted was a simple, inexpensive laptop table (or cart). So I stopped at the local Office Depot and found this:

It was pretty much what I had in mind and the price was within the range I was willing to pay. I've assembled numerous bookcases, my giant computer desk, plus its matching lateral file. The little cart should be a snap.

So I open the carton, check that all the bits and pieces are present, scan the directions, and dive in. The base went together swimmingly. Then it came time to attach the top. You will note a slight problem with the alignment:

I went back and forth with the directions. Switched the two pieces of the top, which didn't work. Went back to the arrangement specified in the directions. Still couldn't reconcile the slot and hole through which the screw was to affix the brace to the table top.

So I took the table back to Office Depot today. The cashier heard "laptop" and called forth assistance. All were surprised when I brought forth a laptop table instead of a computer. The "guys" advised me that I had the two pieces of the table top backwards. All I had to do was switch them and the braces would fit the pre-drilled holes. I told the "guys" that I had flipped things around every which way and it just didn't line up. But I took it home and tried it again.

Fortunately, I live within spitting distance of Office Depot because the "guys" recommendation did not match with the instructions, nor did the holes line up as I'd told them I had already attempted. So I returned and exchanged my defective laptop table for one of the two remaining in the store.

This time I skipped the first steps of assembling the base and went right to the braces and table top. And look what I got:
Yep. Same problem!!

Sooooo...back it will go to Office Depot. Other than the fact that the "guys" didn't know what they were talking about -- Office Depot was very good about accepting the defective table and replacing it. However, it would seem that someone in Taiwan or wherever has dyslexia when it comes to soldering.

Amazing. All the many pieces of my huge office desk were aligned but this simple little table won't go together. :-P