Do I hear 55?55!60?

It was an ominous-looking building. A metal and concrete structure in the middle of what looked like a ranch.

But it didn't house horses.

It held: Refrigerators. Tables. Chairs. Freezers. Baking supplies. Cooking utensils. Items which once to belonged to now-closed businesses. There I was, surrounded by middle aged men, all of us crowding around an even older grey-haired fellow with a knack for talking fast. Really fast. I was in the middle of an auction.

A small-business owner hoping to cash in on other business owners' losses. It's an unfortunate reality.. but one I could not ignore. In front of me: an entire coffee shop, packed up haphazardly and shoved into the corner of this massive building. Shelves of supplies, containers, retail items, chairs, tables, machines, coffee makers, grinders sitting, waiting for a new home. If this were 3 years ago, I'd have bought the entire section. But we already had everything we needed. We did not need 3000 paper cups with another coffee shop's name on them. We did not need 50 chairs or 20 tables.

I was there to see if I could get some deals. I eyed the espresso machine, but ended up missing the auction on it, because I was on the phone with Mark, telling him about our CHAIRS!! I scored some comfy chairs. I also got a commercial microwave, a TON of milk carafes, and a bookshelf. All from this coffee shop that was in business for just 8 months.

I had my eye on the blenders. Almost-new blenders with 2 extra pitchers with the noise shields. Noise shields! I daydreamed about not ever having to hear someone YELLING their order when we are making Frozen Lattes. But alas. It was not meant to be.

Mark and I had decided ahead of time a price we thought would be fair. I bid my heart out, raising my bidder's card and nodding my head until I went past the number we had agreed upon. My heart was beating so fast. I wanted those blenders. I raised it a couple more times, because I knew Mark respected my judgment, and these blenders were worth it.

Before I knew it we were a hundred dollars over our limit. The auctioneer looked at me and waited for me to go higher. I couldn't do it. I could not go on. It just didn't seem right. The bids were going too high for my comfort, with no signs of slowing. I had to bow out. And the prize went to someone else.

Bummer. While I was disappointed with that small loss, I had a great time anyway. I got some good buys. And I learned the sometimes confusing, fast-talking language of the auction.

SOLD!

-Tricia