The $85.99 Chili Cheese Fries

The $85.99 Chili Cheese Fries.

Last night due to poor time management skills, I spent $85.99 on Chili Cheese Fries.  Allow me to share in my stupidity, yet educate you on a few things about allowing yourself time to travel somewhere, parking, and how long it takes to get your food order.

About six months ago, my wife was inspired by her friend Teri on the ways to celebrate one’s big 40^th birthday.

Teri decided to do something special every month for her husband’s upcoming 40^th birthday.  One month, it was a trip to the Crystal Mountain for a dinner, another month was a trip to Victoria B.C., etc.

Well, it is too late for us to celebrate our 40^th birthdays, however, we can celebrate 20 years being together as a couple.  We have a few fun events planned like small short overnight trips to Portland, Oregon, a musical here and there, a family event, etc.  For example, last month, we saw “Wicked” and this month we were going to see a play at the University of Washington’s Drama Department’s Meany Studio Theater.

Fast forward to last night, where we left in plenty of time to arrive at the show but not enough time to sit down at a restaurant and have dinner.  We parked the car but I was lazy and didn’t get a parking sticker.  Heck, we were going to be there for 20 minutes and I didn’t see the City of Seattle’s parking permit kiosk (around the corner, nowhere close to where we parked).  That was a $44 parking ticket, our chili cheese fries were $5.99, and then we managed to miss the beginning of the play (no late seating) so there goes $36 for tickets.  I could throw in the cost of fuel if I wanted to pour more salt into the wound.

I know better.  As my friend Dan says “It seemed like a good idea at the time!”.  That is the whole problem with the $85.99 Chili Cheese Fries adventure.  My laziness and poor planning made a $5.99 food item into a $49.99 item and then into an $85.99 item.

Today I’m hoping to buy a pack of gum $1.59 into $96 item.  Wish me luck!