The auctioneer took the old violin
from its case and held it up. It
was battered but the strings were
intact. He asked, “How much am I
offered?“ A guy in the back raised
his hand and shouted, “I’ll give you
five bucks.“
The auctioneer said, “Going once.“
An old man in the audience stood
up; he took the violin from the
auctioneer. He cradled the old
violin under his chin, and touched
the blow to the strings. That old
violin made a rancorous scratching
noise that tore at your gut.
Contorted faces fill the room; when
the old man finish, the guy in the
back asked if he could withdraw
his bid.
