It was a sunny Saturday afternoon. I had recently moved to my new shared house in Newtown and went for a walk around the new neighborhood. That’s what I always do in the beginning. There is so much to discover, when you take the time and just observe what’s going on.

I liked the area with it’s small and narrowed houses from the colonial age. Like sardines next to each other but every tiny front garden decorated individually.

On my way back I came to a crossroad close to my new home. On the other side of the street a small crowd of people were standing in front of a building and a woman with a strong voice was announcing something. As new member of the community it was my obligation to take a closer look and see what was going on there.

Even from far away I could read the big letters “auction” on the flags on each corner of the house. Three women were in the middle of attention (see below). The one in the middle, the spokesman, was tall, tough and with a pencil in her deep neckline. Ready to sign when no more bids arrive. On the left the initiator and probably best paid person for just standing there. On the right a wannabe cool recording clerk with the sunnies of her boyfriend to see exactly who said which amount.

The hustle and bustle went on for another 20min. With her dominant words the spokesman squeezed the last pennies out of the ten competitors, but it seemed they had not much left.