Used Cars

Phoenix is a big town. There's always something going on.
On a sunny Saturday we head for the Barret Jackson Collector Car Auction.
Held in huge tents and huge buildings at their Phoenix exhibition site, this is an awesome event - filled with the pounding sound of the auctioneers urging yet another $1000 or $5000 from the bidders. Beautifully restored vehicles sell for $50,000 all the way up to $200,000! When you watch it on television, you get close and personal with the people who bid this kind of money. They all look like working class folks. Everyone wears jeans and well-worn shirts and jackets. Their wives smile encouragement and a sort of "look, this has nothing to do with me" attitude. I don't think either of them get behind the wheel and drive it home. As near as I can figure, these vehicles are rarely on the road. They are too valuable. The cameras peer into every nook and cranny. Everything is spotless. The motor looks as if the key has never turned. The seats look as no one has ever sat on them.
Another intriguing aspect of the auction is the guys on the floor encouraging customers to make another bid. They each have their own little nod, or smile, or arm action. A woman is inclined to touch the sleeve, and squeeze the shoulder, or in some way "get close". The guy bidders seem to react to this. A man uses encouraging noises, or hand in the air "let's go" gestures - or a sort of "You ready? You ready? You ready? kind of stance. I'm sure someone has analyzed these movements - which ones work and which ones don't.
You can tell which bidders have done this before. They betray very little of their emotions, and when they are no longer interested, the cheerleader guys know. They just know, and they are gone - on to someone else who is still bidding. It's fascinating to watch. The Auctioneers are likely the best in the business - they will not hesitate to stop their sing-song, point to a bidder and say "Sir, is your bid of $100,000 a legitimate bid? I just want to confirm". When the bidder nods his head he starts his auctioneering again.
When we left in the late afternoon, they were still coming in by the hundreds. Traffic handlers were pointing to the latest parking areas, the walk to the action was getting a bit longer by the hour. I heard that it went on till midnight.
When I think of the starving of the world, this scenario seems a little out of whack.
But so goes life. It's always imperfect.