Casa de Kruse
Somewhere in Suburbia
Lewis Center, OH
Starving Auctioneers Rating: 5 Gavels out of 5
There are a number of reasons to attend your state auctioneer’s association gatherings. Networking, education, speakers, competitions, the list goes on. However under pain of torture most auctioneers will admit their attendance is really to have dinner with their fellow auctioneers and see whom they can impress the most with the amount of business they are doing or claim to be doing and to show off their shiny new Auctioneer Championship jewelry.
Robert Mayo graced the Ohio Auctioneers Association's Summer Seminar with his wit and wisdom last week and it would have been improper to not treat him to some Columbus hospitality (which means I-270 traffic jams, road construction and suburban sprawl). Peter magnanimously volunteered Rich Kruse to do all the cooking and hosting. Michael Hoffman offered his services as a valet and social secretary which left Peter with little to do but talk and eat which happens to be right in his wheel house.
Rich Kruse has never appeared in this review before and it is unlikely he will do so regularly. He does not appear to eat or at least consume calories in a fashion that is of this Earth. Rather he relies on a concoction of confrontation and coffee to fuel his Martian power cells. Peter has been working with Rich since the first of the year and in all their travels and auctions Rich has yet to offer to stop long enough to eat or even get a bottle of water. In many ways Rich is either the best Starving Auctioneer or worst…everyone around him is always starving.
Dinner at the Kruse’s suburban paradise consisted of a plate stacked with grilled steaks sufficient to feed most of the 4th Infantry Division, portabella mushrooms with crab cakes and some potato concoction prepared by Rich’s smarter, more attractive and all around better half, Melissa Kruse. Melissa knows well that potatoes are ALWAYS enhanced by generous amounts of cheese, heat and Campbell’s soup.
The conversation was tougher to follow then a chicken on LSD and thus attempting to recount it here would be a challenge. Every attempt was made to avoid talking about politics or religion or the third rail of auctioneer talk: ONLINE AUCTIONS. In that regard the dinner was a total failure. The only respite was Robert’s tales of a young capitalist in Las Vegas or Peter’s quasi lecture on the Amish as a truly modern society. Suffice to say everyone agreed that Robert Mayo needs to visit the Buckeye state more often.
We might not stop to eat, but we get where we are going faster than most people.
ReplyDeletePeter, you just have to alternately threaten and cajole. Eventually Rich will stop for food, usually someplace good. He may not eat that often during a day, but when he does, he does it well.
ReplyDeleteGood times indeed. Careful what you ask for Peter. If you take as good of care of me on my next visit, I might have to move there and start competing.
ReplyDeleteGood times indeed. Thanks for the hospitality, good food, and good conversation. It is never long enough.