Typical Day
Lancelot McGee, professional antiques dealer, wakes up at 6:00AM sharp. He had been dreaming about this unbelievably hot, perfectly proportioned Ming vase, and a smile forms on his face. He trusts his subconscious, and he knows that his day's mission is to make it his. Then Lance remembers that it's his birthday—his fortieth, to be exact.
Suddenly, a child's screams rapidly approaches. Lancelot's three-year-old daughter Bonnie zips in the room and jumps into the bed, screaming words but too excited to be even the least bit coherent. Lance's wife Mary Ann follows her in the room holding Lancelot's favorite breakfast on a tray. Life is good.
After a delicious breakfast in bed and fifteen minutes of trying to get Bonnie to stop screaming "Happy birthday," Lance sneaks away and gets on the phone with his New York contact to see if he can get dibs on that vase. While the phone rings, Lance wanders over to the bay window and takes in the view of the San Francisco skyline. Looks like it's going to be another sunny day with a nice ocean breeze.
Nicki, Lance's old friend from his first internship in New York picks up on the other end of the line. The two work for the same company, one of the big international dealerships.
"The Ming, right?" Nicki quips.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm so predictable. Whatever you say, I can almost guarantee you that between Mr. Jackson, Mrs. Beauregard, and the Monroes I can unload it this week, locally. If you have the gumption to get it for me that is," Lance responds.
Nicki assures him that she'll do everything in her power to get a hold of the piece—it is her first priority for the day. Satisfied, Lancelot finally changes out of his PJs and into one of his suits to go into town.
Lancelot makes sure to be out of the house by 6:45AM to beat traffic, kissing Mary Ann and Bonnie goodbye. He wants to report in at the office before hitting the beat. There's nothing to do but wait on the call back for that vase, so Lancelot plans to follow up through email with the clients he made sales to at the auction the week before to make sure they were satisfied with their purchases.
Lancelot peeks in on the statue he purchased that the company is having restored for sale. It's coming along. By the time Lance is finished with his emails, the office is buzzing with people and phone calls. He joins the chitchat in the break room about current business as he grabs a second cup of coffee.
At lunchtime, Lancelot has an appointment with one of his regular buyers, Mrs. Beauregard. This is no coincidence—crafty Lancelot McGee scheduled the lunch counting on bringing up the vase. Mrs. Beauregard is the lively old heiress to the fortune of her grandfather's snake oil business, and a total wacko for oriental pottery. Needless to say, Mrs. Beauregard is interested. Keeping it classy, Lancelot doesn't mention a price range yet. He will see what he can get.
After lunch, Lance heads back to the office. On the way back, he gets the phone call he has been waiting for—Nicki confirming that the vase is theirs, and that it will be in California within a couple days.
A couple more emails and a little catching up with what everyone in the office is up to, and Lancelot is ready to call it a day. After all, it is his birthday. And a Friday. Lance will be back to it tomorrow and Sunday—most estate sales take place on the weekend.
For now, it's time to pick up his family and spend the day on the town—the McGee's hit the aquarium, an early dinner, and try four kinds of cake at the best bakery in town. Then it's time to head home in time to catch Antiques Roadshow.
Lancelot reads Bonnie her bedtime story while Mary Anne gets a little work done, then mom and dad read in bed before lights out at eleven. Back to dreaming about that beautiful, vase-shaped vase.