Ralph Falle is still unsure how anyone can lose a 400-pound handcrafted dining table.
Since the custom live-edge table was shipped from Newfoundland on March 8, the Fort McMurray man and his family had been losing hope that it would ever be found after they were told it went “into the abyss” during transit.
“We were dumbfounded,” said Falle.
But the tables have turned. It turns out the table wasn’t lost forever, but shipped in error to Regina, Sask., about 1,100 kilometres off the mark from Alberta’s oilsands capital.
“We’re super excited and just can’t wait to see it,” Falle said Thursday.
The saga began when two drop-off dates in late March were missed. After numerous calls to the main shipping company, Midland Transport Ltd., Falle got conflicting information about the table’s whereabouts.
Midland successfully transported it from Corner Brook, N.L. to Toronto, where a second company, CCT Canada was supposed to ship it to Edmonton. From there, a third company would truck it to Fort McMurray.
The table didn’t make it to Edmonton, even though Falle, at one point, was told it was at a CCT facility in Edmonton waiting to be sent up to Fort McMurray.
Ralph Falle, (top left) and his family were “heartbroken” after a custom table made for them in Newfoundland was lost in transit to their home in Fort McMurray. (Ralph Falle)
Midland representative Mary Keith said the table should be in Fort McMurray by Friday, and the company will refund nearly $700 for the shipping costs.
“We’re following up to understand how it got to [Regina] and how we can improve upon the process to ensure timely delivery to the customer,” Keith said Thursday.
The table is a special piece for the family. They lost everything in the 2016 Fort McMurray wildfire, and only moved into their rebuilt home last month.
The table was supposed to be the final finishing touch for their new home.
It’s made from juniper wood harvested by Falle’s father from his grandfather’s farm near St. George’s in Newfoundland. Ralph’s cousin, Dwayne White, made the table by hand.
The family hoped to have the table in time for their Easter dinner, but had to borrow a table for the weekend.
“We’ll plan for a Sunday dinner around the new table on Sunday,” Falle said.
“We’re keeping our fingers crossed and positive that everything is good, but I’m going to keep the other table here just in case.”