Going once... Going twice...

Gone!

The university property office held a sealed-bid auction to dispose of surplus equipment. This happens periodically, but it caught my interest this time because there were seven bicycles available (no longer needed by the campus police).

I bid $123.56 for the one I really wanted and also entered bids for the six others: two on behalf of Thing One, one as a second choice, and lowball bids for the other three, just in case. If I won any more than the one I needed, I would have them tuned up at a bike shop and then donate them to charity. I was worried that I'd end up with all seven. I didn't get any.

The lowest of any bikes went for $104, significantly over my back-up bid and Thing One's bids, and nearly ten times my lowball bids. The bike I really wanted ended up being everyone's favorite, and it sold for $170.00. Wowzers!