Broken plaster crunched under my shoes. The odor of cigarettes and stale carpet hung in the halls. It was hard to imagine either the building's heyday or its future elegance. It seemed a sad, dead carcass. Then a man said I had to leave - thieves were starting to pocket whatever they could carry out, so auction officials were locking down the Talmage.
Buildings change, but human nature remains constant.
It's said that auction proceeds benefited charity care for elderly Amarillo citizens. You have to commend Baptist Community Services for that. In a year or so the Talmage will reopen with new everything.