re: Did your parents/grandparents ever go to auctions?

Grew up wandering through the Gilbeau Kennedy cattle auction in early 1980s Baton Rouge. Near the 61/110/Airline circle thing. Actually behind the old Peterbilt dealership. Don't remember "Kennedy's" first name, but he was a friend of my dad and the main auctioneer. Apparently did auctioneering so long that he ended up having a couple of surgeries on his voice box.

Otherwise, we'd make our way down to Dominique's stockyard (by the old bridge) and occasionally to the two stockyards in Kentwood or the one in Amite. My dad was a weekend cattle hauler, so that was the reason for going to most of those sales--either picking up or delivering cattle, pigs, horses, and, at least one time, a trailer full of sheep.

Equipment-wise, we would usually make the Braswell sale up in Magnolia, and probably every other Henderson auction in Livingston. And, we'd make the monthly auction in Idabell, OK a couple of times a year.

Oddly enough, I don't remember getting any particularly good food at any of those. Maybe with the exception of the Idabel sale where they'd do an appreciation dinner once a year with free AYCE brisket and trimmings.