M. K. O'Toole

M. K. is a San Francisco author and story teller. She is also a musician and has written a song which she will customize for any name. This is the 21st Century...isn't it time we had a special occasion song as an alternative to Happy Birthday and For He's a Jolly Good Fellow? Check out the Betty Song at TheBettySong.com.

The Auction

by M. K. O’Toole

Pat McDermott was a giving man, and he believed in two things: helping others, and not gossiping about people. He lived at the edge of his small town, and rented a patch of farmland from Margaret Burns, who lived a field away. Pat made a good enough living to provide for his family, but not good enough to be able to buy his own land. Margaret Burns was elderly now and although she had a grown son, it was Pat McDermott who helped her when age and illness kept her from doing some things for herself. He regularly checked with her about any chores she might need done. And his wife and daughters often took food to her, freshly baked bread, or a nice cooked meal. In return, Margaret never raised the rent on the land she leased to him.

When Margaret was in her 80th year, she asked Pat to sit down and talk with her, and she told him her plan. She was going to write her will so as to leave him both parcels of land, her own and the one she rented to him. I want to repay you, she said, for all you’ve done for me. Pat was surprised at this incredible gesture, and had trouble finding words to respond. But respond he did, and very nicely he explained to her that it was impossible to express his gratitude for such a wonderful gift, but he felt that she really should leave the land to her son Kevin, that the land rightfully belonged to him. Margaret didn’t agree, but after some discussion, she relented and said she would abide by his wishes, only because she had such respect for his opinion. No more was said about the subject until at age 84, Margaret became very ill and died.

When Margaret’s will was read, indeed she did leave the land to her son Kevin. Since he lived miles from the town and had no use for the property, he began making arrangements for the sale of the two parcels. Everyone in town was shocked when they saw the notice that the properties would be put to auction, but no one was more surprised than Pat McDermott. He would have liked a chance to buy his parcel, hopefully come to some arrangement with Kevin for the fair market value of it. Pat was worried that a new owner might want the land for his own use or charge more rent than he could pay. At an auction, he knew he didn’t stand a chance. The land was desirable, in a good location, and almost anyone else in the town could bid higher than he could.

The reason everyone in town was shocked was because they all knew Pat and what a good man he was. They couldn’t understand why Kevin didn’t tell Pat himself that he was selling the land instead of having him hear about it from the neighbors, why he didn’t try to come to some agreement about it. Pat and his family had lived there for 15 years. But Kevin said Pat could never afford it and there was no point in talking about it. He’d get the best price at an auction.

As for Pat, he talked it over with his wife and decided that although he probably didn’t have much chance of getting the property, he would make the minimum bid allowed. He would at least try. He might regret it if he didn’t at least make an effort. They had some savings and could borrow a small amount from his brother.

The morning of the auction, about 20 people gathered in the one-room Hall of Records at the center of town. There was the usual visiting and chatting until a few minutes past ten, when the auctioneer silenced everyone to start the proceedings. All right, gentlemen, let’s begin now with the auction of two parcels of land owned by Kevin Burns.

The first and larger parcel brought a flurry of bids beginning at $6,000, then $7,000, $8,000, and sold to Peter Collins for $10,000. Then the bidding began on the second parcel. What am I bid for this piece of land? asked the auctioneer. Two thousand dollars, offered Pat McDermott. Two thousand, said the auctioneer, do I hear three thousand? Silence. Do I hear three thousand? the auctioneer asked again. And again silence. Again no bid. Pat stood still in disbelief. The auctioneer looked around and waited, but again nothing. He raised his gavel to end the proceedings when Kevin Burns grabbed his arm and said, wait a minute! I’m not going to sell that land for two thousand dollars! Stop the auction!

Oh now Mr. Burns you can’t do that, said the auctioneer. Once a property goes on the block, and the proceedings have begun with a valid bid, no matter what the amount, you have to continue with the sale.

Kevin Burns knew the auctioneer was right. And as he looked around the room at the small crowd of men standing silent, he knew something else. There wasn’t one of these men who didn’t want that land. There wasn’t one of these men who couldn’t pay more than $2,000 for it. But the plain fact was, no one in town was going to bid against Pat McDermott. They had that much respect for him. They knew that Pat was a giving man, and he believed in two things: helping others, and not gossiping about people.

Still silence, still no other bid.

BANG, the gavel sounded. SOLD! the auctioneer bellowed, to Pat McDermott, for two thousand dollars.