A short fictional work for limited English speakers relates a young couple's experience in learning about buying home furnishings. The newly married couple need a comfortable place to sit in their living room but cannot afford to buy a sofa in one payment, and they do not qualify for credit cards. They consider the prices and credit arrangement at different furniture stores, and learn about what to look for in the way a couch is constructed and upholstered. After finding a relatively affordable couch that they like, they consider the space available in their apartment and the color that they want, and learn that they can select colors from a large selection. They compare the price involved in paying for the couch within three months and over a longer period on credit. They compare their experience in making a downpayment and paying off the couch monthly and that of friends who bought a couch on a lay-away plan. Photographs illustrate the story. (SW)