The Painted Lady

Auction

Rose

WHOOOOOTT!

It has finally arrived! The long-awaited Virgin Bride Auction.

The cowboys' cheers ad whistles echoed through the walls of Ms. Pearl's Fantasy Parlour. "Okay, ya'll!" Ms. Pearl paused for the people to quiet down before continuing, "So here is how the auction will work. One of my beautiful painted ladies will come on stage, front and center and Bill here will sart the bidding. You have to show Bill and I the money before you claim your bride and by that, I mean the FULL AMOUNT" She frowned to the laughter of the crowds.

The cowboys cheered and whistled before banging on the table, impatient for the auction to begin.

"Rose! Come take a peek!" I wrestle with my feathered dress but remain fixed in my spot as I see the girls piling behind the red curtain to take a peek.

"Oh! I think the turnout is even greater than last year!"

"Oh! I am so nervous!"

" How much do you think I'll get?" The worries of the painted ladies filled the backstage area as we fixed our makeup. The seamstress bent to her knees, snipping and fixing up any last-minute dress alterations.

"First Up? Lacey!"

YEIIIIIIIII!! The men cheered and banged on the table. "Well start the bidding at $10" Bill's auctioneering voice rang.

____

One by one the women were called. One women got $100. ANother $70. The men must have been eager to bet this year, their pockets full of gold.

"And last but not least, our exotic beauty from the lands of AFRICA, Rose"

I couldn't help but roll my eyes as I hear the introduction. I guess Pearl would do anything to paint me as more exotic. I pushed through the red velvet curtains and sauntered to the middle of the stage, holding my shoulders high as I looked into the crowds. WOW! There must have been 80 men in the moderate parlor.

Before Bill could even start the bidding, one man stands. "$45" he yells, lifting up his thin paper fan. The auctioneer smiled at me and then looked back into the crowd of men.

"50$! Do I hear fifty?" the auctioneer yelled again. I try to look through the foggy parlor filled with the cowboy's thick cigar smoke, praying for my humiliation to be over. "$45 here!"

"45 heard! Do I hear 60? whatd ya have do I hear--"

"60!" A man yelled, rasing his hand.

"75! FIVE FIVE SEVENTY FIVE!"

"Heard! 90" One man raised his cigar.

"90! Ninety. going once.... going TWICE..."

"$600" a deep voice sounded from the back of the saloon. Inaudible gasps from the women filled the room as each man turned around, desperate to find the source of the bid.

"$600?" The Bill, the auctioner stuttered but nodded.
"Heard. $600 Going once.
going twice. Sold! To Mr....?"

But the auctioneer stopped, unfamiliar with the title of the man who had just bought my virginity.

"What is your name sir?" the auctioneer yelled, cupping a hand over his brows to see through the crowds. I couldn't see the features of the man from where I was. His black cowboy hat covered most of his features. He stood from the wooden table in the back, pushing his chair out to approach the stage. Each click of his heavy boot sounded through the quiet room, making the atmosphere of the room even tenser.