An IKEA Living Room, Hernán Cortés, and the Hall of Lost Steps

It was unusual to hear noises in the Senate’s corridors at that hour of the morning. From the top of his white pedestal, Hernán opened his eyes and managed to read a single word: “Hej.” He had no idea what it meant. Such are the disadvantages of not moving for years from the same hall.

In blue letters on yellow clothing, several people across the room bore that word on their backs as they rushed around.

—“The sofa goes here, guys. Marta! The table in the centre, and an Allen key on each chair.” —

When no one was around, Hernán usually enjoyed the solitude of that hall, but this morning was different—chaotic, yet oddly beautiful to him. They arranged everything as if it were the living room of one of those modern homes everyone seems to have now. A black-and-white striped rug covered the floor, set at a diagonal under the sofa they had brought in. In front, tables decorated with magazines, figurines, and a few flowers. From his height, he could see it all.

Soon, children, men, and women began to arrive and sat down—but strangely, not on the sofa, but on the chairs arranged facing the improvised living room.

One of them, someone Hernán often saw passing through, stood before the group and began to speak:

– “Welcome to the Senate. It is a pleasure, as president, to host here the presentation of IKEA’s Allen Plan, in the presence of the Swedish ambassador, Per-Arne Hjelmbor; IKEA Spain’s CEO, Nurettin Acar; Laura Durán, the company’s Director of Business Development and Sustainability; and our friends from ASHOKA, the Cotec Foundation, FADEMUR, WWF, and many others.”