Page 67 - THE ENDLESS WAVE | Skateboarding, Death & Spirituality

THE ENDLESS WAVE | PART ONE
Regret
Two things happened to me during the time I was writing this book and I felt the urgency to add them. One event left me with what you could call a sting of regret, while the other made me realize just how difficult regret can be to manage.
The first one probably happened to you somehow — I got ripped off, but it was for a small amount. It was time for lunch, and I eagerly entered a local pizza joint. I carefully gazed up at the menu, trying to figure out the best value for my dollar. You’ve probably experienced this. You are trying to determine the ratio of how much pizza could three people eat vs. how much you want to pay.
Taking a moment, I determined that an extra large with three toppings was going to do the job and dutifully paid my $33 bill. It seemed a little excessive, but I pulled out my credit card nonetheless.“Come back in 15 minutes,” the pizza maker said. I then went outside to buy some orange juice at the variety store just around the corner. When I returned to the pizza place, I happened to notice a large sign on the other part of the entrance that said 1 medium 1 topping pizza — $8.99. It turned out that my non-diligence had cost me at least $10 extra dollars.
As I picked up the pizza, I told the guy, “I guess two mediums would have suf- ficed — maybe next time.” I felt ripped off. Instead of providing me with some
61