As mentioned in the auction jargon section everyone is required to obtain a bidding number in order to bid at an auction. The numbers sometimes are issued beginning with 1 and sometimes beginning with 101, etc.
If you come late to an auction and you are given a low bidding number that is a very good sign. It tells you that the crowd is small and the chances are better to obtain a bargain.
People have different ways of hanging onto their bidding numbers. Some place them in their hats in plain view. Others place them in their shirt pockets with the number sticking out so the auctioneer can clearly read them. And for the majority, a bidding number is shoved into a pocket and kept out of site until needed.
Some auctioneers occasionally bid themselves on items and always retain the same number, such as 13. So if you know that ahead of time, and don’t see anyone bidding but hear the auctioneer call out, “Mark that one to number 13”, then you know he bid on it himself. Nothing wrong with that in my book although I’ve been to a few auctions where at the beginning of the sale when the auctioneer is doling out the rules of the day he states that neither he or any of his helpers will be allowed to bid on anything. Those types of sales are rare, but I do like them.
There have been times when we whipped up our bidding number in the air and meant to bid one dollar but our bid was continually jumped up to $2.50 or higher. My husband came up with a plan to make it plain and clear that we were only bidding $1.00. We cut out a wooden paddle and painted $1.00 on it with black paint in large print. When we wanted to bid we swung that paddle up and made our bid known to the world. The auctioneer laughed at us. It didn’t help much.
Occasionally I’ve seen a bidding number lying on the ground, covered with mud from being stepped on. In that case I’ve always promptly returned it to the auction clerk. I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone complain about someone else using their bidding number during a sale. I’m sure it has happened, but I’ve never noticed it.
OVERSHADOWED
Life is full of good times, bad times
If we chose, we’d take the good
And let the bad times fall between
The weathered, polished, planks of wood…
That make their way into the water
Where we stand and throw a cast
And jump off swimming when it’s hotter
Just to make the summer last…
A little longer, daylight hours
Summertime helps heal our souls,
Sunshine, dragonflies, and flowers
Bluegills on our fishing poles
Set that hook and sit and ponder
Bare feet dangling o’er the wood
Just so we’re not overshadowed
By the bad, and not the good.
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