I bought a painting

I went to the Ekka on Wednesday. Having read the Courier-Mail in the morning where it pleaded with all right-minded people to go and boost the numbers regardless of the deadly circulating influenzas, I felt it was my patriotic duty to do so. They also serve who only go to the Show! :-) Of course, the fact that I wanted to go anyway may have influenced matters somewhat.

David being hauled into work for some deadline left me alone and nipping into my car (my new Ford Territory) and off to the Ekka. The alert reader will observe how I completely ignored the advice to use public transport. Given that it is quicker, cheaper, and more convenient to drive and park than use public transport, it's a bit of a no-brainer really and if the Powers That Be think telling me that public transport is the better option without bothering to actually make it better in any way think this will fool me, well, it won't. Indeed they actually charge a surcharge to use the Ekka railway station which they hope most people (who aren't regular public transport users) won't notice. Let me get this right: public transport is better so we'll add a rip-off. Hmm!

But I disgress. Having arrived at the Ekka, I made straight for the food pavilion to inspect the exciting varieties of new cheeses, chutneys and other local delicacies being showcased. Kingaroy Cheese had a rather nice brie.

After that I waltzed over to the fine art pavilion. I wandered past the first row of paintings, which were portraits (except for one which was of a piano -- no I can't explain that) when I saw a portrait that I was instantly drawn to, a portrait of an older man, he seemed like a country man with bright blue eyes with a little bloodshot in them. I liked it, I wanted it, my eyes glanced down and noted that it was for sale for $350 and there was no little "sold" tag. It could be mine!

All my Scottish ancestors then spoke to me, warning me against impulsive purchases, pointing out that there were many many more paintings to see and many of them might be far nicer, better value, etc. Heeding their advice, I wandered on through the exhibits. I saw good paintings, bad paintings, I saw ones not for sale, I saw ones that were already sold, I saw ones that nobody in their right mind would surely buy, I saw ones too expensive for me to even contemplate. But I still wanted that portrait of the old man. And maybe someone was buying it as I wandered past these other paintings.

So I went back and looked at my painting again (I was already calling it "my" painting). I still wanted it. I went towards the counter to buy it. Then the ancestors spoke again and I went and looked at more paintings. Then I glanced back and there was a small crowd gathering around my painting. Oh no, they might be going to buy it. I rushed back to look at it again, and noticed the small crowd was in fact looking at a different painting. So I went to the counter. Oh no, two people ahead of me, they were going to buy my painting, perhaps it was already sold and they just hadn't had time to put the "sold" tag on. Eventually after agonising delay, neither of the people ahead of me bought my painting (one wanted directions, the other a catalogue) and I was at the head of the queue. There was an agonising pause as the women looked up the catalogue and then, bliss and joy, it was indeed unsold and I flashed my plastic (how did people live without credit cards) and it was mine!

Well, it was mine except for the fact it has to stay on display for the rest of the Ekka. I get to pick it up on Sunday. I would have taken a photo of it to share with y'all but there was a big sign right beside my painting saying "No photography" and a mean pair of security dudes nearby.

So I will just have to wait until Sunday to collect it, photograph it and share it with you all. Hopefully I will still like it! Next I need to think where I shall display it. Details like that ...