Auction Crashing

Red Baron Antique Auction, Atlanta, Georgia --- 2005.

Never heard of it until my best friend, Vicki, and I crashed one in June that year. She and I were on our way home from visiting her parents in Dublin, Georgia when we took a slight detour looking for the Steak-n-Shake for a quick bite before heading back to Tennessee.

An unusually painted antique ambulance caught our eye on the way to the diner so we agreed to stop and check it out after we'd eaten. Vicki was actually humoring me because I wanted to snap a few photos of the silly car.

We ate and drove back to the ambulance to investigate. When we were greeted by a valet we exchanged quizzical glances, chuckled and handed the young lady the keys. The parking area was filled with antique cars so we wandered around aimlessly and checked them out.

Adjacent to the antique cars were two buildings:

One held huge decorative yard ornaments -- bird baths and the like including a few gargoyles and an adorable moose where I snapped several photos and even posed with the moose.

Next, we decided to check out the other, much larger building. We walked inside talking with two friendly gentlemen, They stopped at the greeting desk and we continued inside without them and was welcomed by the soft sounds of a piano being played by a man ... in tails!?!?

As we walked around our eyes feasted on enormous stained glass windows, ornate bars, antique furniture, paintings and fine jewelry.

We hadn't been there long before we found ourselves surrounded by men in suits and women in formal attire. As it turns out, they were collectors of fine artifacts and interior decorators for wealthy clientele. Waiters and waitresses passed among us offering appetizers and directed us to the wine bar and hors d'oeurves table.

We checked the fine print on the back of our brochure detailing the evening's events and found, to our surprise, that we had just crashed the preview showing of the upcoming Red Baron Antique Auction. A $100 per person admission preview showing!

We even dawdled somewhat (one dawdles in Georgia, one does not bolt for the door!) before retrieving her car and driving off stifling our giggles.

To this very day, we still chuckle about it.