I regret buying a pair of Asolo hiking boots at an end-of-hiking-season sale at a ski shop near Winter Park.

I tried on a half-dozen pair, and finally decided on a pair, paid cash and left for the return to Miami.

Finally put them on that spring and realized I had a size 9 left boot and size 11 right boot. So why not return them? I just couldn't, not 5 months later. I've got to take responsibility for my actions, plus I couldn't bear the thought of the people at that shop saying, "Look what this Kevon guy just sent back! What an Asolo!"

To not reinforce that behavior -- of not being a little more careful when buying something -- I wore the boots for two seasons with a thin cotton sock on one boot, and two really thick wool ones on the other (the 9 was really too small, too.) Wish I had taken a shot of how goofy they looked on.