[On a scrap piece of paper once stapled to the letter]
Dear Pat
If you have Judy read my directions slowly while you do the work, you can't go wrong. Or can you?
Have fun,
Dad.[the letter]
INSTRUCTIONS FOR ASSEMBLING CLOTHES DRYING RACK
by Rube Goldberg.1. Lay the scissors piece, marked "A", flat on the floor, partly extended, surface marked "inside" on top.
2. Insert the 7 regular dowels in the holes at each joint of the scissors. (Avoid the yellow and green holes at the top and do not use the special dowels marked with a colored tip and tied in separate bundle.)
3. Tap the dowels carefully until fully seated in the bushings.
4. Insert the green tipped dowel through the hook piece marked "A" (from inside to outside) and then into the green hole in the scissors at A.
5. Insert the red tipped dowels into the other 3 holes in hook piece A.
6. Place the green hole of hook piece B over the top end of the green dowel and then, with your other 3 hands, fit the top ends of the red dowels into their proper holes in Piece B.
7. Insert the yellow tipped dowel in the yellow hole in the A scissors. Slip the hole of the small hook piece over the dowel making sure that the hook opening faces the right way to engage the first red dowel when the rack is set up.
8. Place the B scissors piece on top of the dowels and fit each dowel into the corresponding hole. This requires the use of all nine hands.
9. When they are all fitted into place, tap carefully until the dowels are fully seated in the bushings at both ends.
10. Voila!