The Auction that Wasn't

[Stanton]

Our area received between 1/4" to 1/2" of ice Friday evening into early Saturday morning. There was a farm auction scheduled a ways south of me (more ice) and I needed to run my daughter up to North KC Saturday for work. I called the auctioneer Friday evening and asked, "Are you having the auction snow or shine?" "Oh yeah," he replied, "we have too many people coming in to cancel it."

With that said, I planned to attend. Delivered my daughter at 9:00AM, the auction was scheduled to start at 10:00. Had exactly 1 hour drive ahead of me on not-too-clear roads. Didn't do too bad until I got a couple miles north of my exit on I-49. A gentle curve to the right plus an icy spot on the road equaled my rear bumper suddenly decided it wanted to catch up to my front bumper. Foot immediately came off the accelerator and stayed off the brake at 60 MPH while I'm trying not to over-correct. Within 3-4 seconds (which felt a lot longer, believe me), my rear bumper submitted itself once again to bringing up the rear as opposed to taking the lead. What an experience! All I could think about was going off the road, rolling over and whatever it was at that DAD-BLAMED auction suddenly wasn't very important.

So, I exited off the interstate and had to go about 5 miles on secondary, county roads...untreated county roads. Let's just say it was dicey at best and sloooow going. Got to the farm auction, parked and began wondering why there were only a couple handfuls of people there at 10:05 (?). Maybe the icy weather kept them home--and they had more sense than ME!

I found someone and asked where the auctioneer's trailer was so I could get a bidding number. He said, "Oh, the auctioneer called the owner and said it was cancelled." Ugh! He had called the auctioneer that morning at 7:30 and was told the auction would go on as scheduled. He drove 100 miles from down near Springfield to get there. The owner (a widow in her 80's) was under a carport with several people cussing the auctioneer because he was a no-show. Sad. And yet, there were many people walking around looking at stuff all lined up ready for an auction; going in/out of her barns and outbuildings. I found what I was originally after (steel wheels for my H). Took some pics with my cell phone. Had more pics of some other tractors including an old steam unit fixed up, but didn't get them transferred and lost them. I'll be looking for the sale date to change and probably attend if I can. There was a mix of John Deere and McCormick-Farmall items there which made it interesting.















Have a safe week!

[John *.?-!.* cub owner]

....... and whatever it was at that DAD-BLAMED auction suddenly wasn't very important. .......

but you went on anyway.

[Barnyard]

That auctioneer would not be allowed to step foot on my property after pulling something like that.

[Don McCombs]

Looks like he wasn't really ready for the auction anyway.

[Stanton]

....... and whatever it was at that DAD-BLAMED auction suddenly wasn't very important. .......

but you went on anyway.

Is kinda funny, isn't it? Or thick-headed. Hey, I was so close by then...

That auctioneer would not be allowed to step foot on my property after pulling something like that.

Yeah, wouldn't be surprised to see that owner listing with another auctioneer this year...