The Bidding War

My friend was visiting the weekend.  We planned to do many things.  One of them was to go to a charity auction for Bethany House Ministries.  Before the bidding began, we walked through looking at all the stuff.  I spotted this--this--this, vase?  I don't know what to call it.  It's a container.  Maybe it was some kind of canister without a top.

I didn't care what it was.  I wanted it.

I coveted it.

Why?

It called me by name.  Yes, it had my name written in huge, bold, black, capital letters--F A I T H.

That's my name.  It is meant to be mine!  Anybody can see that.

I couldn't wait for the bidding to begin.  Who'd want that?  I'm not even sure what it is.  What use could it be?  What would anyone use it for?

Finally, the object came up for bid.

The auctioneer called it a large vase that could be use for any number of things.  "Can I hear a dollar?

I guess someone behind me signalled because I didn't hear anything.  So I bid a dollar fifty.

"Do I hear two dollars?"   And he got it.  I bid again.  And again it was bid up.

I had made up my mind that I couldn't possibly bid over $ 5 because it wasn't worth it.  But when $ 5 came, it wasn't my bid, so I just went up another dollar.

Now, I told myself that I wouldn't go over $ 10.  After all, what excuse would I use to tell hubby I spent $10 on something so useless, just because my name is on it.

But I didn't stop.  The bidding went on.  It was some idiot behind me.  I couldn't tell who was bidding.  Who would want it!

I heard, "Can I have twenty dollars," and I jumped out of my seat, "YES!"

Do you think that was the end?  NO, it wasn't.  That jerk behind me went to twenty-one.

I didn't have any more money.  All I had with me was a twenty.  I couldn't believe it.  If I knew where my friend was, I would have borrowed the money and bid more, but I couldn't find her.

The realization that I lost, slowly sank in.  The rest of the auction was a blur.  I didn't care anymore.  I found my friend and we volunteered to be runners for the remainder of the auction.  I wanted to stay to the end, to see who, and find out why, anyone would want something that was no good.  What did they plan to do with it?

Exhausted, and grouchy, we helped people pack up their property.  My F A I T H container was still on the table.  No one had picked it up.  We went over to see what number was on it.  Then my friend picked it up and handed it to me, and said, "If you had kept your mouth shut I could have had this for a dollar."