Saturday, September 26, 2009

The 'Vulture Swoop' Violation 2: Violate Harder


I can't believe it happened again, especially so soon after Wednesday's horrendous defeat, but... well, it's happened again. Once again, a mere three days later, I've been outbid at the last possible moment in an eBay auction.

It's basically a repeat of Wednesday. This morning, I discovered a pretty impressive stack of Twilight Zone Magazines (16 in all, 10 of which I'm missing, and all in excellent condition) on eBay, in an auction ending at 7:48 p.m. tonight. The current bid was $9.99. Here's the auction pic:



All issues looked to be in beautiful condition, with no apparent damage or pesky subscription labels. I did the only sensible thing and jumped into the fray, placing a bid for $10.51 and supplanting the original bidder. Next, attempting to ward off any potential last-minute problems with swooping vultures, I jacked up my maximum bid to $25.27. I then spent the day checking on the auction from time to time. All was well throughout the day.

Until 7:47. That's right, ONE MINUTE before the end.

But I would not be denied this time. I was at my computer, fingers on the keys, poised to respond. I raised my bid, only to be met with the dreaded "YOU HAVE BEEN OUTBID" message (with the demoralizing red X). I raised my bid over and over, only to be repeatedly slapped down by escalating numbers. Only seconds remained. I entered one final, desperate bid of $46.09....

...and then the clock struck 7:48. The auction ended.

The winning bid was $47.09. Exactly as in the Wednesday auction, I was ONE DOLLAR short.

How much more of this can my heart take?

The upside? This time I'm not stuck at work. I'm safe at home, with lots of alcohol at my disposal.


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