So I never confronted the manager who gave me the gift card with the missing money. I was never going to. I just thought it was funny. I decided I was going to spend the money and I was going to buy a rack for my car, something I've been eyeing for a long time. I had originally decided to buy one from REI, but at the last minute I decided to go to the Sports Basement in the city, just to go into the city. I got the address off the Internet, but when I arrived at the place, there was a hand drawn sign saying the store had moved. I sort of got lost in Potrero Hill trying to find the new store. I passed by a boutique pet shop and stopped to check it (bought new collars for the cats). As it was getting dark, I found the Sports Basement. I found a parking spot right in front. I walked up to the front door. There was woman standing there who asked me if I wanted a 20% percent coupon. She was shopping, but couldn't find anything she wanted. Sure. I'll take it. How lucky that turned out to.

If I had the right address, I wouldn't have run into this woman and I wouldn't have gotten the coupon. If I didn't stop at the pet store, I wouldn't have run into this woman and I wouldn't have gotten the coupon. If I had gone to REI as I originally planned, I wouldn't have run into this woman and I wouldn't have gotten the coupon.

But I did, I did and I didn't. And I got the coupon.

Now fucking racks are expensive. I went with Thule, because Sports Basement only carries Thule, but the two brands are basically the same. They both sell everything "a la carte". I had to buy a set of towers($130), two load bars($57), a set of locks ($50), a set of plastic caps for the load bars ($4) and a farring($53). That's 293 bucks before you ever buy a hunk of metal that holds your gear. Add a single bike rack ($90 and a ski/snowboard rack($120) and we're well over the $500 bucks of my gift card (actually $494.05 if we're being far.

But, add in a 20% discount and I saved 100 bucks. It allowed me to buy a new ski jacket and get the rack for the dough on the card and 35 bucks. Not bad. Now if I can just figure out how to the rack on the fricken car, I'd really have something (and if it snowed, I might be able to wear the jacket).

*I don't actually believe in karma.