Antiques, Life and Falling

Nothing more exemplifies the problem with me involved in an antique show than the "business" itself.

I try very hard to always be an honest man.  Father was a pathological liar, so you will never catch me in a lie.  I hate liars.  The antique business is rift with liars, it drives me crazy! I listen to conversations in other booths and sometimes it is hard to not interrupt and say something!

I jealousy guard my integrity - that was beaten into me as a child!  Who am I when no one is watching?  I try to be the same man, no being someone else in private versus public.  Father suffered from not being able to be the same person, or multiple persons depending upon the situation!  I felt sorry for him at times because even if he thought himself smarter than others, not everyone is unobservant nor an idiot.  Yeah, his friend list was mighty short and always confused.

And the antique business is, as far as I have observed across fifty years of hanging out it my grandmother and helping her, as well as mother, and listening to other dealers - it is by and far not a very honest business.  Lie to a seller to get it cheaper, lie to a purchaser to get a higher price.  Then brag about it later ...

Sigh.

Honest man - Dishonest world.
Having Integrity - in a dishonest world.

My friends do not understand my revulsion, probably because they themselves can not win the fight in this area.  Yeah, I know when I am being lied to and I just keep quiet, it sickens me.  But, I have led an action filled life!  So, my friends devised the Kris 70-30 principal: 70% is pure bull and the other 30% probably is too!  LOL, it just cracks me up!  And they say it with a smile because most of them were in on most of my escapades!

Oh, make no mistake, this new Kris is quite capable of fouling up, mostly because he is soooo stupid.  Old Kris, I like better because he was just flat stupid and could not even know he was fouling up!  I miss Old Kris, New Kris knows when he screws up ...  DOH!

Sigh.

Yet that seems to be the struggle all mankind must share:  knowing that we fail, that we are going to fail, must repent and must continue to walk in faith through Jesus to be stronger next time temptation raises its ugly head.

Will Kris fail again?  More than likely.
Will Kris figure it out and feel stupid?  Heavens yes!
Will Kris start over?  Yup.
Will Kris repeat until God calls him home?  Sigh .......

But, no I am not going to stoop to the level of other antique dealers ...
I have to be able to sleep at night.