It is a great comfort to me, as a man of advanced years, wisdom and spiritual development, that I do not let little things bother me. Lesser men do, and I feel sorry for them. I have always been guided by the sageness of my elders who taught me to overlook the grains of sand in my shoes and walk on undisturbed. It is the key to happiness.
That is one reason it pleased me so much to pull up to the pizza shop in my car today and read the sign in the window that promised me that for $4.99, I could get a nice big slice of pepperoni pizza and a pop. I was in need of both those things, so I entered the restaurant with excitement.
That is the other lesson I have learned. Far from being potential irritants, it is the little things in life that afford the greatest pleasures.
I approached the counter and asked the young man at the cash register for a pepperoni slice and a pop.
“Sorry,” he said, not looking very sorry. “All I have is Mediterranean or Canadian. Being Canadian and never having been to Mediterranea, I chose a slice of Canadian, knowing it would cost more than the advertised pepperoni. I have learned to go with the flow.
The man soon returned with my slice and rang me up. The total was $4.73.
“My pop?” I asked.
“You didn’t order a pop,” said my server.
I did order one, of course, but like I am sure Buddha would have done, I let it slide.
“I would like one,” I said.
“I’ve already rang in your order,” I was told. Once orders are rung in, I understand, they cannot be unrung in.
“That’s okay,” I smiled, much as any of my great mystic heroes might have done.
“That’s $1.57,” he said.
I paid for my pizza and pop, more expensive than they should have been according to the sign in the window, notwithstanding. My outlay was now $6.30, not that I was paying that much attention.
I took my meal to a table and did some calculating as I ate, not that it mattered to me. Had I gotten what I came in for, I would have spent $5.64. I was now eating and drinking a snack that had cost me 66 cents more than it should have.
But who was counting? Not me. I have learned to stay above the fray.
The pop was warmer than the pizza.
Just the way I like it.
©2020 Jim Hagarty
