Due Diligence

Flat River Clear Sky
North Fork Loxahatchee River, Tequesta, FL
August 12, 2026

 Sometimes doing due diligence is not enough. 

Chris and I headed out for some afternoon shopping with the intention of doing Happy Hour while we were out. It was another day of dangerous outdoors temperatures and we needed to get out of the house. 

I managed an 18-mile ride during the morning while the feels like temperature was still in the 90s. It was soaked with sweat by the time I made it back home, but I completed the ride. 

For the afternoon, we had received a discount coupon in the mail for one of our favorite shops--they have both men's and women's clothing. The additional items they carry are sandals by my favorite company, OluKai. They are the same price as on line and so I do not have to wait for them to be shipped. My current pair of sandals were in desperate need of retirement. 

My New Sandals
Tequesta, FL
August 13, 2026

I checked the exclusions on the 25 percent off card and did not see anything listed for shoes or OluKai. So, we headed off to the store. Upon arriving, we looked at their merchandise and I found a new pair of sandals. I also picked a new shirt in the popular color for this autumn.

Well, turns out I did not grasp the importance of the fine print on the discount coupon. OluKai were excluded under an innocuous phrase that told me to see the stated website for the complete list of exclusions. Ugh! I had been pretty excited about a 25 percent discount on something that almost never goes on sale. So even with my dreams of a great deal on sandals crushed, I did get 25 percent off on a new shirt. The sales staff were very nice and gave me a consolation gift, a discount card for food from the bar or restaurant. 

So even though I thought I had done due diligence, apparently there are loopholes the require in-depth research.

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL