Unforeseen Circumstances: Day 3

Word Count: 18,022

Summary of Events:

Weston's alarm went off early, so he got up and had a light breakfast of yogurt and tea with his dad before they went out to do the milking. Having left Andie asleep, Weston was surprised to come inside at the end of milking to find Andie in the kitchen cooking a heartier breakfast of sausages, eggs, and pancakes for the three of them, but he and his father gratefully ate their share. Once that was done the three of them got into his father's truck and headed for the auction. Andie asked a lot of questions about auctions and how they worked as they drove, which Weston mostly let his father answer…

Excerpt of the Day:

Andie nodded. “So when does the sale start?”

“Ten,” Dad replied. “People are allowed to look over items beforehand, which is why we’re headed out that way already.”

“Okay,” Andie said. “Are you hoping to find something?”

“Well, there are a few things I’ve heard from reliable sources are on the sale that might be useful,” Dad replied. “But even if I wasn’t, an auction is still something of a community event to which everybody shows up to chat with everybody, so I’d want to go and socialise anyways.”

“Oh,” Andie said. “So there may be people there just for the gossip?”

“Yes,” Dad replied. “Although usually the further a person has to travel to get there, the more likely they’re there to try and buy something. Those who just happen to live next door or down the road a ways will be more likely to just come and chat.”

“How long will the auction take?” Andie asked.

“Several hours,” Dad replied. “And that’s even with two rings going.”

“Two rings?” Andie asked.

“Yes,” Dad replied. “With this auction there’s a lot to sell, including household items, so the auction company is going to have a second auctioneer start selling that stuff separately — as people who come for the farm equipment aren’t likely looking for couches, plates, and other household stuff — so as to get through it all faster.”

“Will there be a lunch break then?” Andie asked.

“No,” Dad replied. “People have to go eat when they can. I believe Kirby and Alma have hired in a food truck of some sort to provide food for people, or maybe the auction company does that, I don’t know, but there will be on-site food.”

“But don’t the auctioneers need to eat?” Andie asked.

“Yes,” Dad replied. “And they will.”

“But how can they keep the auction going while doing that?” Andie asked.

“Every auction company has several auctioneers, and today there’ll probably be no less than four, who will rotate around, spelling one another, as keeping up auctioneer chatter isn’t exactly easy, so they’ll need breaks to rest their voices, and they’ll eat during those breaks while the others keep the auction going,” Dad replied.

“Oh,” Andie said. “Okay, that makes sense.”
Dad nodded and silence fell over the truck as he continued to guide it to Namao.

Weston was glad no comment had been made about his silence during the conversation, as he could’ve supplied some of the information, but the tension and dread he was feeling left him not really inclined to chat too much.

There were no signs that Dad was being followed, but, as Dad had pointed out, auctions were social events, meaning that it was very likely that he could end up running into the last person he wanted to see at the auction, whether he liked it or not.