Getting Ready For The Double D Auction

 "I just love going for walks with you, but we never see anything new. Do you want to go to the gas station and get a cold drink? I do. Want to? What's that sign mean? What's an auction? Is it fun? Have you ever been to an auction? What do they do there? Does it cost money to go there? How come you aren't answering me?"

Blake grinned and said, "Well, first of all you haven't given me a chance to answer any of your questions. I may have gone to an auction, but I can't remember it. Grown ups go to buy stuff cheap, but I heard Mom say that sometimes people get carried away and pay too much for stuff because it's fun to bid." So an auction is a sale. Sometimes people are moving, or have died and their stuff needs to be sold. Sometimes they just have too much stuff and want to get rid of it. There's lots of reasons for an auction. I think I heard that the auction sign we just saw was for the Double D ranch outside of town. It might take two days to sell everything out there. They have horses and other animals, farm equipment and lots of things in the house too, I imagine. It does sound kind of fun, but you need money to bid on stuff. The auctioneer starts out saying a price he thinks is fair. Everyone has a number card they got from the auctioneer clerk. If you bid on something you say, "yeah" and hold your number up so the auctioneer can see. The highest bidder wins and then he says, "Sold to number such and such." They sell lots of little stuff too. They fill up boxes with junk. I've heard of people finding valuable stuff in a box full of stuff they might only have paid a dollar for. Like a famous painting, or book. I guess we could ask Mom or Dad if they are going. Might be fun, but I sure don't want to stay all day in this heat. Let's get a cold drink. That's a good idea."

Stef was glad that she had asked a couple of the cowhands to help her with boxing up little things for the auction. This was one of the hardest things that she had ever done, but it was getting to the end. This weekend the Double D would belong to someone else. Someone other than family for the first time in generations. "They might even rename this place. The Double D has been a landmark for many years and had a good reputation for the most part. Mom told us kids about a guy named K.R. that put a black mark on everything he touched. I think Dad thought he was his father for years, but that turned out not to be true. "Okay. I think that is it. Mr. Vacuum you are going on the auction too. Whoever buys this place can bring their own. I'm ready for a hot shower and a good night's sleep. First I'll call the kids and see what they are up to. This weekend everything will be carried outside that I don't want to keep and then when everything is sold I will be on my way home. Home to my family. Boxes of  memories that I will share with them as the grandchildren get older."

It seemed like Lucky had been through every bush, every ditch ever made in Texas, now this. Poop! I have never in my life seen so much of this in my life! The guys in the joint would be laughing their heads off. I thought horses were supposed to be beautiful and clean. When I used to go to the track they sure were. Where do they get all this poop? They must feed those animals wrong. That old man, K.R., used to tell my uncle about this place. Made it sound beautiful. Made it seem like it was loaded with gold and silver. I'm gonna be rich. I can wash this stuff off of me. I just got to remember what he told me and how to get there. It was right on the border he said. Well, I'm right in the barnyard is where I am. I gotta get outta here before somebody sees me. Yuk, I stink. I gotta find some water somewhere. Besides that this place looks like it's going to fall down any minute. I wonder if I'm at the right place. No no no! Get outta here you noisy little thing. What are you anyway some kind of little mini dog or horse? Anyway take those chickens with you! Shh! You are going to wake up everybody and I'll land back in the joint. Now git! Ouch you mean chicken! You made me bleed! I oughta... Wait a minute. What are you sitting on there? It sure don't look like eggs. Don't you peck me again old hen. I see something shiny. Yeah yeah, lookie there. Well, looks like I don't have to go any further to get rich. No siree, I'm going back to the city. Looks like diamonds and gold to me. He stuck the gold and diamond cowboy boot in his teeth and bit down. It was soft. Yesirree Bob. I'm gonna git me a fancy car and maybe a vacation. I betcha these are worth a million bucks. Now hush!"

"Dad, how come we are going to an auction? It's too hot to be outside. Are you going to buy me something? I want to go swimming.. Can we stop somewhere? Dad! Mom! Whitlee is leaning on me! Make her stop! I did not pinch her!...Hard."