Why I Am Not Upset

This remark brought memories about a four-unit building we owned on Guerrero Street in Noe Valley, which we sold years ago. At that time, business was slow and we were struggling financially. The building’s roof was leaking and we accumulated $80,000 in credit card debts, and the mortgage was 11%. We were very happy to sell and pay off our debts. Today, the same building that we sold for $550,000 is worth about $3 million. Am I upset? Not a bit. In my view, the purpose of life is to have experiences and learn from them. If in the long run, we are financially ahead, it only means that after we die, someone will have a good time with their inheritance, after taxes are paid.

Actually, the reason that prompted me to write this story was what happened after the party. When we arrived at the Waterfront Restaurant on Embarcadero, there was a long line to the adjacent parking lot. The sign said $14 and I did not have enough cash with me. The rain had stopped, and I saw that across the street there was plenty of parking and I thought that after 7:30pm, it would be free (I temporarily forgot that we live in San Francisco). As we walked back to the car at 9:30pm, I was very happy that we did not have to wait in line again for the attendants to get our car out. I saved $14 bucks and my car was parked facing in the direction that I had to drive home. However, when I approached the car, I noticed that there was broken window glass on the ground and immediately realized that it was actually my car that was vandalized. The broken glass was all over the backseat. There was nothing to steal. My briefcase, which I “hid” in the back of the SUV was opened, but there were only papers. In addition, I also found a $66 parking ticket on the windshield. Literally, the rain stopped and we drove back with an open (broken) window with the sound of the wind in our ears.