His New Amish Family. Patricia Davids

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СКАЧАТЬ it with him. It isn’t plain.”

      “I’ll see him soon. I’m not worried.”

      “And if he says nee, can you get your money back?”

      “He won’t.” Paul stepped up into what was essentially an office on wheels.

      The trailer was outfitted with two desk spaces, two chairs and a dozen storage bins of assorted sizes secured to the walls. Sliding windows on both sides opened to let him deal directly with customers and call the auction without leaving the comfort of his chair. A third window at the front with an open slot beneath it served as a windshield so he could drive a team of horses from inside.

      The feeling of elation that it all belonged to him widened Paul’s smile. Mark didn’t understand how much this meant. No one in the family did. They thought being an auctioneer was his hobby and nothing more. Maybe that was his fault.

      He was the joker in the family. He was good at pretending he didn’t take anything too seriously. He was a fellow who liked a good joke even if the joke was on him. He enjoyed light flirtations but avoided serious relationships at all costs. Auctioneering was his one true love.

      This trailer was the culmination of three years’ work to fulfill his dream of becoming a full-time auctioneer.

      Detaching the microphone from the clips that held it in place while the vehicle was in motion, he flipped a switch and began his auctioneer’s chant. “I have two hundred, um two, two, who’ll give me three hundred, um three, three, I see three. Now who’ll give me a little more, four, four, do I hear four?”

      He slid open the window and propped his elbows on the desktop as he looked down at Mark. “What do you think?”

      “It’s mighty fancy for a fellow who has only been a licensed auctioneer for a couple of months.”

      Paul wanted his brother to share his enthusiasm, not dampen it. “I completed the auctioneer’s course and served my year of apprenticeship with Harold Yoder. He’s one of the best in these parts. I have called twenty auctions under his supervision. I have earned my license, and I’m ready to be out on my own.”

      “There’s a difference between going out on your own and going out on a limb. How much did you spend on this?”

      “Enough.” All he had saved plus the money he had borrowed from Mark and a four-thousand-dollar loan from the bank on a short-term note. Paul kept that fact to himself. He didn’t need a lecture from his always practical older brother. Sometimes life required a leap of faith.

      It was true he had expected to be hired for several major auctions by the time his custom trailer was finished but he’d had only one small job so far. His commission had barely covered his expenses for that one. He’d been forced to borrow the money to pay the builder when his trailer was ready. No Amish fellow liked being in debt but sometimes a man’s business required it. Paul closed the window, switched off the microphone and stepped out.

      Mark shook his head. “I hope you know what you’re doing.”

      Paul grinned. “I talk fast. That’s the secret. You’ll see. This is a goot investment. You’ll get your money back soon.”

      “I hope so. I’ll need it to pay for the new ovens we’re putting in at the bakery. Have you told Onkel Isaac about this purchase?”

      “Not yet. I hope he approves but I know this was the right decision for me even if he doesn’t.” They both walked out into the early morning sunshine.

      “He will support your decision but if you fail at this business venture, don’t look to him to bail you out. Or me. Lessons learned by failure are as valuable as lessons learned by success.”

      “I know. It’s the Amish way.” Paul had heard that many times in his life but it never meant as much as it meant now. When his loan came due in two months, the bank could repossess his van if he didn’t have the money. He was starting to worry.

      Maybe he could get an extension on his loan. His uncle did a lot of business at the bank but Paul’s finances were what they would look at.

      He crossed the farmyard with Mark and headed toward their uncle’s furniture-making business, where they both worked. As they entered the quiet shop, they went their separate ways. Mark went out back to start the diesel generator that produced the electric power for the numerous woodworking machines, lights and office equipment. When Paul heard the hum of the generator start up and the lights came on, he raised the large door at the rear of the building so the forklift operator could bring in pallets of raw wood and move finished products to the trucks that would soon arrive for the day’s deliveries.

      He saw a car turn into the parking lot and stop but he knew Mark would be up front soon to deal with any customers. A man got out of the car and walked toward Paul instead of going to the entrance to the business. He was dressed in khaki pants and a blue polo shirt. Definitely not an Amish fellow.

      “I’m looking for the Amish auctioneer?”

      Paul grinned and clapped a hand to his chest. “You found him. I’m Paul Bowman.”

      “I’m Ralph Hobson. I recently inherited a farm and I am no farmer. The place is a pile of rocks and weedy fields fit for goats and not much else. I’ve been told that an auction is the easiest and fastest way to get rid of the property.”

      “Auctions are very popular in this part of the country. The buyer can see he’s getting a fair deal because he knows what everyone else is offering. The seller gets his money right away, and my auction service takes care of the details in between for a ten percent commission. Does that sound like something you’re interested in?”

      “It does. How soon can you hold an auction?”

      “That depends on the size and condition of the property and the contents of the home if you are selling that.”

      “I am. The farm is a hundred and fifty-five acres. How much can I expect to get for it?”

      “Farmland in this part of Ohio sells for between five and six thousand dollars an acre depending on the quality of the land.”

      Ralph’s eyes lit up. “It’s a good thing I didn’t take the first offer I had. That weasel was trying to cheat me. So roughly seven hundred and seventy thousand, give or take a few thousand?”

      Paul wondered who the weasel was and how much he had offered. It wasn’t any of his business so he didn’t ask. “Minus my commission. It could go higher if there is a bidding war.”

      “What’s that?”

      “That’s when two or more bidders keep upping their bids because they both really want the item.”

      “That sounds interesting. What keeps the seller from putting someone in the crowd to drive the price up?” Ralph slipped his hands into the front pockets of his pants. “Hypothetically, of course.”

      “I won’t say it never happens but the bidder is taking a chance he could get stuck with a high-priced item he doesn’t want or can’t afford if the other bidder quits first.”

      “I see.” Ralph smiled but it didn’t reach his eyes. “I guess we can both hope for a bidding war since you earn more if СКАЧАТЬ