NYSSA
Phew!
A sigh of relief ran out of my mouth when the show started again.
The woman who spoke into the mic walked away from the stage and I sat up after handin’ the glass of drink to Lysander who smiled, smilin’ reassurin’ly. “The show has started, baby.”
I smiled back at ‘im, sittin’ back and relaxin’ in patience. When I was no longer patient, I looked at the man and heaved a sigh, askin’. “When is the auction startin’, Lysander? How long are we to wait?”
“Relax, my lady. Time is coming so let’s wait.”
I relaxed back on the chair, heavin’ a sigh. Then, the portraits Lysander helped with brin’in’ out of the storeroom were brought out and placed on a table, causin’ a smile to come alive on my countenance.
“Yes!” And another woman who was dressed like the first came to the stage.
She smiled at us all, takin’ the mic from the stand and speakin’ into it. Her voice reverberated in the hall and the rest of us who waited there clapped, smiles on the faces of some and none on the faces of the others.
“The time has come,” she announced and we clapped again. “Sit back and watch these portraits, all painted women, be sold for a good price. This is another day to remind aspirin’ artists who are women that they can do well in this field.” With these words, she got off the stage and walked away, leavin’ some of us clappin’ and the others, not clappin’.
Now that the time had come, a number of portraits were taken from the table and brought to the front of us by a woman who looked pretty.
I turned to look at Lysander who looked at me and back at the stage. “Who wants this?” The woman’s voice suddenly sounded in the hall, callin’ our attention. “This is a bird piece, painted by a woman in this hall, watchin’ from afar but remains anonymous.”
We clapped, waitin’ for the price.
“How much do you think this piece is worth?” She asked as though she would buy our idea at the end of the day. “This is a masterpiece as you can see, talkin’ ’bout nature. A bird is painted, with her kids surroundin’ her. Takes me back to the days when my mother existed. This will be goin’ on for 100 grands. Who wants to have this masterpiece?”
Someone raised her hand and said. “100 grands is too small for a great piece like this. I believe it should go for 150. That’s why I’ll be taking’ the piece.”
“No!” Someone jumped on her feet and laughed, lookin’ at the young woman. “I’ll take it for 200 grands.” The woman said and raised her purse. “Anyone want to argue with me again?” She looked around and someone got up again.
It was becomin’ interestin’ and I stretched out my hand to Lysander who had the glass of drink in it, askin’ for my drink again and sippin’ from the glass the very next moment.
On and on it went until a man dressed in white decided to shock us all. “I’ll be takin’ this piece for a million grands. Anyone want to argue with me?” He looked around and no one said a word, and not even a hand was raised. I wanted to burst out laughin’ but on second thought, held back myself from doin’ a thing like that.
How was I even comfortable? What if that monster was someone around us or in the same place as us? I thought ’bout it and heaved a sigh, consciously lookin’ around for the first time since I came into the hall.
“What is it?”
I looked at Lysander who threw that question at me. “I’m fine, Lysander. Don’t worry ’bout me.” I looked around again and looked at ‘im. “I’m enjoyin’ the show. That’s all that should matter, isn’t it?” He gave a nod and looked at the stage while I did the same.
What had I missed?
The man in white was the winner of the piece. He walked forward and made a transaction, while the woman who announced the auction congratulated ‘im after his transaction was confirmed.
“Thank you.” She told ‘im when the piece was handed over to ‘im and he walked back to his seat with clappin’ fillin’ the atmosphere.
Another piece was brought and we clapped again. I had sipped my drink completely and wished at the same time that more would come. And it did come, so I picked a glass from the glass while Lysander, who I was with, did the same.
“It is time for our last piece of the day, and that’ll be all for this auction. Are we ready to see the most beautiful masterpiece of all time?” the woman laughed and looked at us all who had our gazes fixed on it. “Brin’ it on already and get your pockets ready for this.” She looked at the woman in charge of deliverin’ the pieces and it was brought to her the very next moment. “This is beautiful, as you can see.”
“It is beautiful, indeed.” A woman got on her feet even before we could see the piece and what it looked like.
“I’d love to have that piece if you know what I mean. And no one better argue with me.” She looked around and our eyes met for a moment, while she looked back at the woman at the stage, sayin’. “Let’s get on with this. You know we don’t have all day.”
The woman with the mic smiles. “What’s your name, ma’am? We need to know the name of whoever it is that wins this auction and from the look of things, it looks like you want to be the winner.”
“My name is Ariadne and I am the winner of this auction.” While she was at it, someone was on his feet and ready to battle with her for a piece they both hadn’t seen yet. Then, the woman who was on the stage looked at them both, raisin’ the portrait and shockin’ me at the same time.
What was this?
I looked at Lysander who looked at me for a moment. “This is beautiful!” He commented and faced the stage once more, leavin’ me very confused. The Portrait. It looked like one I painted at some point in my life. How is this even possible? I looked at Lysander once more but he looked lost in the moment and I let ‘im, facin’ the stage once more, to see Ariadne argue with the man by placin’ a bigger price on the piece.”
“I’ll pay two million grands for this piece!”
It was cold everywhere.
Not even someone’s foot moved, and I looked around to look at Lysander who had a smile on. “I didn’t expect this, baby.” He looked at me and looked back at the stage. “Let’s get this goin’.”
The man who she fought with, cracked. He laughed and looked at the woman on the stage. “I’ll take this piece for three million grands.”
“Four million grands!” The desperate woman said and the man who she argued with, cast her a stare.
“Five million grands, in fact.” She added and the crowd started clappin’. She heaved a sigh and headed straight to the stage where a transaction was made to the shock of us all, except Lysander who claimed the piece was worth that price and even more.
“And the winner of this auction is Ariadne. She takes home the best piece of the day. Congratulations to her and a round of a pause also.”
I jumped to my feet, thinkin’ ’bout it. This woman, from the look of things, seemed like the breakthrough I have been lookin’ for.