One funny incident occurred on a business trip we took to Charleston, almost 20 years ago.

My wife had a conference there one weekend, and I went along for the ride.

We stayed in the Francis Marion Hotel on King Street, named after South Carolina’s famous “Son of the American Revolution.” (Also known as the “Swamp Fox,” he led a band of irregulars in repeatedly attacking British forces, then disappearing into the forests and swamps.) I believe this hotel was at the time (and still may be) the tallest building in downtown Charleston, and stood, as I recall, at the northern end of the main shopping district. That made it a very convenient location to leave our car, and wander south to take in the sights and sounds of Charleston proper.

Which is what I did while my wife was in classes that weekend.

After a late coffee and leisurely breakfast that Saturday morning, I ambled down King Street, stopping in at various shops and galleries on my way south. I finally wound up in an antiques store just south of Broad Street, another major intersection in that part of town.

I was shortly drawn to a very large painting in a very ornate frame, on a back wall, maybe 10’ by 12’. It was of a painter, painting a river scene, with a miniature of the painter painting the scene in the bottom right-hand corner. I had heard of painters who painted themselves into corners like that, but had never seen one before.

About the time I noticed that corner, an older gentleman walked up behind me, and said, quietly, over my left shoulder, “It’s a marvelous painting, isn’t it?” I agreed, and then he surprised me.

“It can be yours for only $55,000,” he said.

When I looked at him in surprise, he hastened to reassure me – “And it comes with the frame!”

I laughed to myself, then politely replied, “It’s a little big for my house.”

Whereupon he smiled, plucked at my left sleeve, and beckoned me to follow him to an adjoining room, where he showed me another painting, that was indeed, “smaller” – this one was maybe 8’ by 10’. But still quite large by “ordinary standards.”

I don’t remember the subject of that second painting, but I well remember his next comment – “You can have this one for only $35,000; and yes – that includes the frame!”

I was quite taken aback. Why this fellow surmised that I was of the sort to be able to afford either one of those very expensive pieces, I have no idea. Perhaps he mistook my interest in the art (which was genuine) for an interest in actually owning the pieces.

But if I had been a serious collector, or a buyer for a museum like Savannah’s Telfair Museum of Arts and Sciences, and had the funds to acquire both, I would have done so in a heartbeat! They were that good. I had just never seen pieces that expensive before.

The really funny thing was, this was the third time in about a year that this exact same situation had happened to me! The first time was in New Orleans, in April of the year before; the second was in Chicago, four months later. And yes, I certainly did appreciate the art involved in all three instances; I just could not afford any of them!

It was satisfying, however, to be so assessed by strangers as one who could.

I simply thanked the gentleman, told him I was just in town for a couple of days, and enjoyed looking through his shop.

And then I went on my way.

Life is full of funny moments! We just have to recognize them, and appreciate them. And enjoy them.

Rafe Semmes is a proud graduate of (“the original”) Savannah High School and the University of Georgia.

He may be reached at rafe_semmes@yahoo.com.