Last night I got to watching a bit of nostalgia TV with Columbo, “Stitch In Crime,” Season 2 Episode 6. It’s a favorite, starring Leonard Nimoy and veteran actor Will Geer. Now, you understand, I didn’t start out watching this on a Sunday night in order to find material to write about Quick-Seat Chair, but it is no surprise that this episode was screaming the question at me, “Why isn’t there any place to sit?” Columbo has arrived on the scene at a large hospital to investigate a murder, worn and weary from a lack of sleep the night before and he explains that he always feels faint when inside a hospital. We have to follow him around a bit before he finally bursts into Leonard Nimoy’s office, a little out of breath announcing that he couldn’t find he way around because there are “so many wings.” Isn’t that the truth? I have wondered for years why assisted livings, hospitals and other medical complexes are designed the way they are. Why they don’t have those moving floors like they do in airports? Or better yet, Quick-Seat Chairs?
Back to our story. After Columbo’s outburst, we follow him again, only this time, Sunday night or not, I’m now paying close attention to the hospital layout and counting the number of chairs that I see along corridors, or near nursing stations or even in the elevator scene. All total? One, 1! I was able to spot one. Further, in scenes where people should have a place to sit because they will be there for an elongated time, such as the operating theatre, poor Columbo was hanging over the ledge with his forearms clinging for dear life, obviously very queasy. He sure needed a place to sit. And Quick-Seat Chair does fit perfectly under standard hand rails.
Hollywood is very particular about movie sets and their props. They want them very true to life. As someone who has co-produced a few TV shows, I know that they want what is known as a “clean script,” one that critics can’t criticize for having the wrong accessories, or non-reality-based appearance. Seasoned director, Hy Averback, would have made sure that the film set was pristine. That being said, we must accept that this is a snapshot of how a real hospital, probably one around the Los Angeles area would have looked and, unfortunately, this is how many still look today. They are rarely places of hospitality for outpatients, patient visitors, hospital volunteers, nurses or any other medical staff or crew and they should be because everyone needs a place to sit especially when fatigue or pain sets in, just like Colombo. Everyone has an off day when their usual physical courage is challenged, like poor Columbo shorn of sleep, and that’s why Quick-Seat Chair is the perfect solution. Easy to install, takes up almost no space, and for hospitals and other medical care facilities, Quick-Seat Chair is rated for Infection Control. For most of Act 1, Columbo just wanted to finish a hardboiled egg that he brought in his crumbled old raincoat and have a cup of coffee. No one in the entire hospital could find coffee for him, either, and he couldn’t get off his feet to sit for a five minute respite to eat that egg. If only Quick-Seat Chairs were around back in the early 70’s, Columbo may have been able to sit on one, have his coffee and eat his egg too!
Quick-Seat Chair. Temporary Seating That Closes Itself.
Link for Stitch in CRIME