No politics or economics today. Instead, I'm going to to tell you a story about Orelia Rhodes at the Merced County Spring Fair, May Day in Los Banos.
A bit of history and explanation: May Day in Los Banos has nothing whatsoever to do with the damned commies and socialists. A fellow named Henry Miller was instrumental in the founding of Los Banos, California back during the 19th century. He was German, and so brought his May Day traditions to Los Banos. It started with a big public feast. Then a parade and fair were added. This evolved into the modern Merced County Spring Fair, May Day in Los Banos - an annual event that ends on the first Sunday in May.
Orelia Rhodes is an nice young lady from Dos Palos, California who entered the Miss May Day competition, an event in which the year's Miss May Day is chosen. I have no idea what the deciding factors are, but I suspect appearance has something to do with it. Orelia is quite a handsome young lady, and she came in second; "1st runner up," as her sash indicated. Also, she is black.
Besides entering the Miss May Day competition, Orelia raised a market hog for the livestock competition. Well, you know, it is a country fair. The livestock competition is a big deal for the 4-H and FFA kids, their parents, and their friends. If you go to one of these fairs, you'll see the 4-H and FFA kids. The 4-Hers are younger and wear white with green hats and such, while the FFAers are older and wear their blue jackets. There are also, very rarely, independent entrants from neither organization. The reason this is so rare is that, as I understand it, the organizations are instrumental in the guidance and training the kids need to obtain their animals, raise them, groom them, and train them for showing at the fairs. Orelia was from the Dos Palos FFA. Her hog qualified for sale at the auction on Saturday. When Orelia guided her hog into the sales ring, the auctioneer announced that the entire proceeds of Orelia's sale would be donated to cancer research.
I happen to be acquainted with a person who is a friend of Orelia's family. It seems that Orelia was concerned about what might happen at the auction, on account of her being black.
Well, her hog sold for over $10 per pound, a very respectable price. An ad hoc group of bidders had gotten together to make the winning bid. I don't know about other fairs, but this is a common procedure at this fair. Then, after the bidding had closed, the auctioneer announced that an additional $3 per pound had been added to the total by another bidder. This is highly unusual, and not normally allowed. But given the circumstances, what else could they do? The hog was going to be resold anyway, so ownership wasn't an issue. The winning bidders had, in effect, made a donation, not a purchase. Everyone understood that. Then other people began waiving their bid cards, adding still more to the total, at a dollar per pound each. One person, representing the local General Motors dealer, made his contribution $2 per pound. Then another made his contribution $10 per pound. I regret that I do not know who this person was. When it was (almost) over, the total was $49 per pound. Then someone else kicked it up to an even $50.
Orelia Rhodes was stunned. The crowd was stunned, and extremely pleased with both itself and Miss Rhodes. Standing ovations boomed through the auction barn. Orelia was in tears. Orelia's mother was in tears. The auctioneer was in tears. I have never seen anything like it. It was a good day to be at the Merced County Spring Fair, May Day in Los Banos - a very good day.
